One Second

Firstly, this is not a metal album. The Paradise Lost that released Icon and Draconian Times is no more. Get over it. Also, don't expect the raspy vocals indicative of earlier Paradise Lost. For that, just take another listen to 'As I die' and reflect.

It has always been a hit and miss scenario for me with these British doomsters. It seems like most of the band's albums have a few standout tracks while the rest are quite boredom inducing.

The album starts off with the most 'poppy' sounding song that has ever been found on a Paradise Lost album. An instant classic. I love it. There is definitely an audible Depeche Mode influence present on this entire album and the title track embodies it well.

The next track is yet another winner. 'Say Just Words' has a dance grove and I can't help but bob my head along.

'Lydia' is a dark song with a generally uninteresting backbone. It feels like it's a leftover from the older years that has encountered a compatability issue with the new approach.

Track four, 'Mercy' is probably my favourite song on the album. Quite a melancholy and hopeless track. I wish they played this at clubs!

The next track is more upbeat and guitar oriented. It gives off that stoner rock feel somewhat. Are you 'Soul Corageous'?

Somewhere around here a male voice should come in and utter, "Thanks for listening to the good tracks on this album. If you are either
a) masochist
b) suffer from insomnia
c) like emo

please continue listening."

'Another Day', 'The suffferer' and 'This Cold Life' attempt to be soul searching and gut wrenching complete with whispers, keyboard effects and some weak distortion. Utter synthetic boredom. Ugh.

'Blood of Another' reminds me of Danzig for some reason. Probably the way Holmes' voice sounds on this track. But can you tell WHY THE FUCK THERE ARE 45 seconds of near silence in the middle of the song?

Rounding off this very inconsistent album are 'Disappear', 'Sane', 'Take me down' and "I despair'. Bleak titles for some bleak music. 'Sane' is the most tolerable out of the four.

Verdict: Don't get this, despite it being rated 69. If Paradise Lost has gotten your attention, get 'Reflections' instead. It's their compilation album which contains the good tracks from this bundle of inconsistency and some of the band's other great material recorded throughout the years. But, them again, PL is definitely not everyone's cup o' tea.