In Requiem

Paradise Lost | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Century Media
• ASIN: B000PAAI3E
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,916 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #100 in Music > Alternative Rock > Goth & Industrial > Goth

Editorial Reviews

Criminally neglected in their home country, but superstars in central Europe where they are justly hailed as the progenitors of Gothic Metal, the Halifax Doom powerhouse returns with their 11th album. Produced once again by Rhys Fulber (Fear Factory), the album combines the gothic doominess of yore with the melody of their later work and a red-hot injection of brutal modern riffage. 11 tracks including 'Never For The Damned' and 'Praise Lamented Shade'. Century Media. 2007. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You know, they didn't actually go away, July 6, 2007

By 

Justin Gaines (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Requiem (Audio CD)

I've noticed in various metal publications (as well as the reviews here) that Paradise Lost's 2007 album In Requiem is being hailed as a "return to form" and the band's best album since 1995's Draconian Times. What exactly did the band have to "return" from? I suppose Host and Believe in Nothing could be considered below Paradise Lost's usual high standards, but One Second, Symbol of Life and Paradise Lost were all fantastic albums. In Requiem is simply the logical extension of those recent works.

I will grant that In Requiem seems like a tighter, more focused album than its predecessors. The band seems far more interested in writing good metal songs than in coming up with dance beats, which is fine by me. Once again, Paradise Lost demonstrates why no one can touch them when it comes to balancing a dark atmosphere and subject matter with completely irresistible melodies (see for example, songs like Enemy and Beneath Black Skies). There isn't a lot of experimentation, nor are there any Dead Can Dance or Smiths covers this time around. Of course, I tend to think that Paradise Lost can do whatever they want at this point, considering the fact that they pretty much invented the whole gothic metal genre.

So yeah, it's a really solid album. I just think that most of the praise it is receiving could just as easily have been heaped upon either of the band's previous albums. I do think that the cover artwork for In Requiem is one of the best, if not the best, of the band's album covers to date.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Paradise Lost - In Requiem, May 12, 2008

By 

Corpsie (Redlands, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Requiem (Audio CD)

Paradise Lost has been my proverbial "white whale" over the years. I was an adoring fan of the slow, doom/death grind of their first release Lost Paradise and soon became a rabid fan after their slow, yet much catchier second release Gothic. It wasn't until Shades of God though that we first started hearing significant changes in sound and technique. Still creating an ambient sense of doom with simplistic, yet beautiful guitar riffs and percussion, we started hearing chorus' and tighter song structure. Nick Holmes' voice changed to reveal a vocalist who could not only growl with the best of them, but could also give any metal vocalist of the era a run for their money. Icon and Draconian Times would follow which converted me into an adoring, rabid, fanatical fan of Paradise Lost. Draconian Times had it all. Catchy riffs, Hetfieldesque type vocals, memorable chorus', yet still, STILL the music retained the doom-laden feel of their previous recordings. Paradise Lost was my absolute favorite band of the 1990s hands down. I can say that without hesitation.

Then the dark times came... The release following Draconian Times didn't even sound like Paradise Lost. Gone were the rough-edged vocals and heavy, doom-laden riffs. The vox were clean and wimpy, the guitars were pushed into the back as electronic drums and tones entered the mix. Yes, those were very dark times. Times when I wrote Paradise Lost off much like I did with Metallica. They had lost their way and become some Sisters of Mercy cover band.

But unlike Metallica, Paradise Lost is back...almost! Suddenly we have guitars back in the mix AND they're chunky and thick, creating a wall of sound. They've reached back in time and pulled from their first couple of releases and built upon it. No, In Requiem is NOT Draconian Times, but what it is, is a step back in the right direction. Elements of their "dark times" releases still hover around, but luckily are integrated well. In Requiem is the album that should have followed Draconian Times. It is an evolution of the Paradise Lost sound that feels natural and progressive. The "dark times" releases felt like a totally different band. It seemed like they fell into this gothic new wave well and were being sodomized by kids in top hats and fake fangs.

In some ways In Requiem is more reminiscent of Lost Paradise as the tunes aren't as catchy as say, Icon or Draconian Times and have this morose pall of doom that falls over them. Songs like "Never for the Damned" and "The Enemy" definitely have this intense mood about them. The tune "Requiem" is probably the highlight of the album and falls smack in the middle. Kind of like this climax mid-album instead of at the end. Unfortunately, since the climax is in the middle, the rest of the tunes are good, but not great. In fact, on the last song "Your Own Reality" it feels like the guys have just run out of steam and is definitely my least favorite.

Despite some of the weaknesses I pointed out, In Requiem is still a pretty strong album and is a nice nostalgic reminder that Paradise Lost is one of the most underrated bands in heavy metal.

5.0 out of 5 stars AMAZING, January 18, 2011

By 

KOURKOULOS NIKOS - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Requiem (Audio CD)

An amazing album by an amazing group. This album with one second is their best (and not the only ones i have rated with 5 stars). I love this album is one of my favorites of all amy music albums -> i have an unfinished collection of heavy metal and the like. Very heavy guitars with very rhythmic and melodic vocals and drums. The production is amazing and all their songs are <<hits>>.Amazing work and as their guitarist says -> this album is finding brutality and empathy together. Dont think about it and just buy this album. I very very highly recommended to ALL