PARADISE LOST — Tragic Idol (review)

PARADISE LOST — Tragic Idol album cover Album · 2012 · Gothic Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Tragic Idol" is the 13th full-length studio album by UK, Halifax doom/goth metal veterans Paradise Lost. The album was released through Century Media Records in April 2012. After releasing more goth oriented material for a number of years/albums, Paradise Lost returned to a more doom oriented metal sound on "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009)". They didn´t completely shed their goth metal leanings though and "Tragic Idol" somewhat follows a similar approach. Regarding the lineup the band have recruited former At the Gates, The Haunted and Cradle of Filth drummer Adrian Erlandsson to fill the vacant drummer position.

The music on the album is predominantly mid-paced doomy metal with gothic traits. Lead vocalist Nick Holmes sings using both clean vocals and more raw type singing. The riffs and rythms are heavy and there is an omnipresence of lead guitar themes on the album. the electronic/synth sounds that the band have used a lot on most of their post "Draconian Times (1995)" albums, are few and far between on "Tragic Idol", giving the album a more raw doomy edge just like the case was with it´s direct predecessor. the sound production is pretty clean and polished though so in that respect "Tragic Idol" isn´t that raw an album. If I have to mention a couple of new things I hear on the album it´s the use of more groove based riffing in tracks like "Crucify" and "Theories From Another World" and a more dominant use of double pedalling. The latter is probably the footprint of new drummer Adrian Erlandsson.

As far as overall quality goes I think "Tragic Idol" is a yet another good Paradise Lost album. It´s seldom excellent though but that can be said about so many of the band´s albums that "Tragic Idol" doesn´t stand out as something special in that regard. If you enjoyed the more doomy and guitar oriented sound of "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us (2009)" and imagine a more polished version of that album, "Tragic Idol" will probably please you too. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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

Suffocated By Fungal Odors Deathcore
VISCERAL EXECRATION
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lethargy Metalcore
HEARTLAPSE
Buy this album from MMA partners
Vitriol Deathcore
BEHEADING THE ICON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cecità Atmospheric Sludge Metal
NITRITONO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Resiliencia Metalcore
SOURCE OF MYSTERIES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Suicidal Tendencies - Send Me Your Money
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 12 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - Trip at the Brain
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 12 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - Nobody Hears
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 12 hours ago
Suicidal Tendencies - You Can't Bring Me Down
SUICIDAL TENDENCIES
UMUR· 12 hours ago
Thanatos - Source Of Mysteries (Video Oficial)
SOURCE OF MYSTERIES
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