4.0 out of 5 stars
Heavier, August 10, 2007
This review is from: In Requiem (2 Bonus Tracks) (Audio CD)
I've been a fan of Paradise Lost since I heard Symbol of Life. I bought their self-titled follow up and had mixed feelings about it. It just wasn't as strong as Symbol of Life - it sounded "bored". However, I picked this one up and it's up there with Symbol of Life.
The techno/industrial sound is gone, and in its place is a monster inspired by guitar-driven songs and symphony-supported atmosphere. I only have issues with how certain songs were executed. The verse in "Requiem" and "Beneath Black Skies" annoys me (with the growling in the former, and the thin, weak voicing in the latter), but the song(s) as a whole make up for it. Highlights for me were "Praise Lamented Shade", "Unreachable" and, not surprisingly, "Missing" (I bought the import with this bonus track) which is a cover. I thought "Small Town Boy" and "Xavier" on Symbol of Life were highlights of that album, and "Missing" on Requiem is another excellent Paradise Lost-stamped interpretation. Overall, my only complaints are with the two-songs previously mentioned.
Requiem is a certain improvement over Paradise Lost and the melodies are memorable for this genre, not to mention some of the "crunch" in the guitar parts. I was bobbing my head on almost every song. Good stuff. If you're a fan, pick it up because many of these other reviewers are right - it's a good album.
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