UMUR
"Gothic - Live At Roadburn 2016" is a live album release by UK goth/death/doom metal act Paradise Lost. The album was released through Nuclear Blast in March 2021. The material featured on the album were recorded at Roadburn Festival, on April 14, 2016 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Paradise Lost´s second full-length studio album "Gothic (1991)". "Gothic - Live At Roadburn 2016" features all material from the "Gothic (1991)" album played from start to finish with only one exception and that´s the short instrumental outro track "Desolate", which the band have opted to use as an intro to the concert instead of an outro.
Paradise Lost are by now a seasoned act, but there are actually a couple of tracks from "Gothic (1991)" that they had never played live before this event. The band are well rehearsed though and the performance is strong throughout the show. Lead vocalist Nick Holmes is in great form delivering majestic growling vocals, and some nice humoristic chatter with the audience between tracks. I´m guessing the orchestral parts and the female clean vocal parts are pre-recorded backing tracks, and both work like a charm. The many melancholic leads, the harmonies, the ultra heavy riffs, and the heavy beats. It´s all there and accounted for.
"Gothic - Live At Roadburn 2016" is obviously a live recording, but the sound quality is very good. Every detail is heard while retaining the rawness and authenticity of the performance. Fans of the original album won´t be disappointed with "Gothic - Live At Roadburn 2016" as it´s both a true and accurate tribute to the original, but adds something to it with the more skilled performances of 2016 Paradise Lost (four out of the five members are original members of the band and played on the original studio album). Personally listening to "Gothic - Live At Roadburn 2016" sent me right back to my teenage room listening to and worshipping "Gothic (1991)", back when it was the latest release by Paradise Lost. I´m usually not partial to live recordings by artists in the more extreme genres of metal, but this one is definitely worth your time. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.