PARADISE LOST — Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (review)

PARADISE LOST — Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us album cover Album · 2009 · Gothic Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" is the 12th full-length studio album by UK doom/ goth metal act Paradise Lost. The album was released in September 2009 by Century Media Records.

The music style on the album is actually rather interesting as it features a return of some of the doom metal elements from the band´s earlier work. When the band are most heavy I´m reminded of "Icon (1993)" and especially "Draconian Times (1995)" also in large part because of the return of more dominant lead guitar themes. The synths that have been a dominant part of the band´s sound since "One Second (1997)" have taken the backseat on "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" which generally features a more guitar dominated style. They are still there though and people who predominantly enjoy the older material by Paradise Lost shouldn´t clap their hands too soon, because there are still many softer goth metal elements on the album too. When the heavy and doomy elements and the softer goth metal elements are combined in the right doses I actually think it´s a pretty powerful mix, but it doesn´t always work wonders. I sense a slight unease about playing such heavy material again, but mostly it works well.

The fact that Nick Holmes uses a more raw and powerful vocal style on the heavier sections on the album is something I´ve missed for years and I had almost forgot what a powerful voice he actually has when he lets loose. Let´s hope this is a direction the band will continue to follow. He also uses his more soft goth metal type vocal style on the album and the contrast between the two styles works well.

The production is a bit more raw and guitar heavy than we´ve been used to for many years, and I can only say hell yeah. A welcome return to heavier territories.

I never thought Paradise Lost was gonna treat us with something like "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" again. It´s not like I don´t enjoy the band´s more goth-tinged material, but sometimes that part of the band´s material sound too polished and simply lack edge. So the heavier approach on "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" is very welcome if you ask me. A 3.5 star rating is deserved. I´ll be very interested to hear which direction the band will follow on their next release.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Deviance Deathcore
ASHES INTO BLOOD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Equilibrium Atmospheric Sludge Metal
BESRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tension Between Rot And Genesis Sludge Metal
ANTHESIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recycle Brain Crust Punk
C.P.G
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cartography Of The Mind Deathcore
TETHERED
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Besra – Unsullied (Music Video)
BESRA
Bosh66· 8 hours ago
Tethered - Breathe (Official Video)
TETHERED
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - Walking The Blade (OFFICIAL VISUALIZER)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - The Negative (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - Drowning feat. Taylor Barber (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed