Host [IMPORT]

Paradise Lost

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 31, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI
• ASIN: B000028DFG
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #170,152 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The UK goth-metal act's 1999 album. EMI. 2004.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depeche Lost?, March 15, 2007

By	Herodotos Economides "Bereft" (Limassol, N/A Cyprus) - See all my reviews

And so this is the so-called sellout for Paradise Lost...After the gothic sounding "One Second", which was disappointing for many of their fans, Paradise Lost came to release an album with nothing at all to do with metal. The guitars seem absent on this album and all one can hear are processed synthesizers and programmable drum beats. The band claims that what sounds as synthesizers is actually processed guitar but in either case it doesn't really make any difference. The question about the album is : Is it any good? Yes, it's different than anything else they released but still it retains many of the original Paradise Lost elements such as clever songwriting and the melancholy of previous albums like "Draconian Times" . The closest comparison to what they sound like is Depeche Mode. Even though this album was strongly criticized by most of their earlier fans it's still a very interesting album with songs like "Permanent Solution" and "Behind the Gray" standing out. The album is recommended to people who liked "One Second" or fans of bands like Depeche Mode. Other fans of the band ...proceed with caution!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The worst of a great band, January 8, 2007

By	Phlegmak (Edison, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

I've been a fan of Paradise Lost since their first album, when they played doom metal. I was at first disappointed with their newer goth-like style, but I warmed up to it. This album is by far their worst in their goth-like style. It's sort of almost like pop music. There are no memorable songs on this album. I do NOT recommend this album to anyone.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Music!, March 6, 2009

By	Marcin M. Lewandowski "dethster4life" (Salisbury, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

No, I am not a kid who could care less about metal. I am a metal fanatic who also loves Depeche Mode. Many metal bands admit to being inspired if not influenced by DM (Katatonia, In Flames, Opeth, Dark Tranquility, to name just a few) and DM is an excellent band that transcends genres. Just great music. Paradise Lost started as death/doom band and having created their absolute highlight/ masterpiece in 1993's Icon, they have begun to move away from metal. A discerning ear can already pick the DM influence on Draconian Times, their next album, which was certainly a step down from heaviness of Icon. DT was still a great metal album, but the song "Hands of Reason" reminded me heavily of Depeche Mode's "Songs of Faith and Devotion". And no wonder, for Greg Macintosh (PL guitarist) admitted to being fascinated with that record. So the next, also great, record, "One Second", was very very DM, this time in more than one song, but also changed the way every song is written on that CD. Host is simply the completion of this era of PL's development or devolution, depending on your taste. It is absolutely true, that it is NOT a metal record. There is no metal whatsoever on Host. There is however great music. They do sound a hell of a lot like DM, but the stuff is really good. It is okay if you hate PL for this album, given your expectations of them. But in my opinion, after Icon/Draconian Times there could be no topping themselves in metal for PL. So they changed the style. This, admittedly, COMPLETELY backfired on them for Believe in Nothing and their self-titled, which are rather mediocre affairs, with surprisingly strong Symbol of Life, in between. On SOL, they realized that this is as far as they can take DM influence without losing their touch. They tried to go back to the roots, but it was too soon- they have wandered too far from metal and now it just sounded awkward. The metal of the self-titled sounded forced and artificial. And so they released great, if slightly disappointing, In Requiem. In my opinion, they are now going back to Icon/DT era and trying to recapture the brilliance for the next album.As for this one, Host, if you like Depeche Mode, you'll like it too. If you hate DM, you will consider this an utter garbage. But there is no denying the fact that PL are very versatile and extremely talented bunch. If you like Paradise Lost, obviously it's not because of Host or Symbol of Life. You, like myself, love them for the Gothic-Draconian Times era, and I can't blame you. Then they were no doubt at their best. In Requiem is the transition that will let them finally reclaim the "Lost" Paradise of metal. Bottom line: Host is still great in itself. Is it Paradise Lost we know and love from the late eighties/early nighties? Hardly. Is it good music? Hell yeah! Enjoy it for what it is, not for what you want it to be.