PARADISE LOST — Icon (review)

Album · 1993 · Gothic Metal

3.5/5 · 2020-02-28
UMUR

"Icon" is the 4th full-length studio album by UK doom/goth metal act Paradise Lost. The album was released through Music For Nations in September 1993. It´s the successor to "Shades of God" from 1992, and the last album to feature the original lineup, as drummer Matthew Archer was asked to leave after the tour supporting the album. The band didn´t feel Archer had grown as a musician with the same speed as the rest of the band, and they felt he held them back. "Icon" was Paradise Lost commercial breakthrough and it sold relatively many copies considering the music style, which may be a good deal less harsh than what the three predecessors offered, but still is relatively heavy and hard edged compared to more mainstream oriented metal releases.

Stylistically the music on "Icon" is doom metal with goth metal leanings. It´s predominantly slow- to mid-paced, but there are a couple of faster sections too (relatively faster that is...). Lead vocalist Nick Holmes had already begun changing his deep and commanding growling vocal style to a more shouting raw vocal style on "Shades of God (1992)", but on "Icon" he adds a more melodic twist to it, and generally sings less raw too. I´ve seen him describing his vocal style on "Icon" as "shouting in key" and I guess that´s not the worst way of describing it. He occasionally uses a deeper goth rock type singing style too, which adds some variation to the vocal department of the music. In addition to Nick Holmes vocal contributions, the "Christendom" track also features female vocals by Denise Bernard, but Paradise Lost of course already went down that route on "Gothic (1991)", so it´s really nothing new, but it´s great for the variation of the album. The instrumental part of the music is basically sustained heavy chords with soaring lead themes on top, and a heavy rhythm section to back it up. Some keyboards have been added to the music, but they are generally used as tasteful atmosphere enhancing backing.

The material on the 13 track, 50:32 minutes long album are generally well written although not all tracks are equally memorable. Highlights and standout tracks are "Embers Fire", "Remembrance", "Forging Sympathy", "Colossal Rains", "True Belief", "Christendom", and the closing instrumental "Deus Misereatur". To my ears the album features a couple of tracks too much, and it´s seldom my attention doesn´t wander about half way through the album, because some of the less interesting tracks just don´t stick. It all becomes just a bit too one-dimensional in the end. It´s nothing too serious though, and "Icon" is still a quality release in most departments, but the tracklist definitely could have prospered from a culling of filler material.

The musicianship is generally on a good level, but there is a reason why Archer was fired. His drumming is unimaginative and stiff. He has zero groove and therefore the music also lacks an organic groove, which could probably have lifted it to a higher level. "Icon" features a clear and powerful sound production, which suits the music perfectly, and despite a few issues regarding the songwriting and the drumming, the album is still a good quality release and a 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.