Paradise Lost: "The Plague Within"

The only non-original member on this album is the drummer. It sounds like they picked up where I left them on "Draconian Times" . They pack a punch while still retaining some of their post-Type-o Negative dark trappings they picked up along the way in the 90s. Like I said I never gave this band much of a shot, the more James Hetfield like vocals on "Draconian Times" turned me off at times, but it is clear the years have been good to these guys as their sound has aged like fine wine. While I was not impressed by Holmes on the last Blood Bath album his voice sounds incredible. To call them doom, is off base as there are many majestic up-tempo riffs that would not sound out of place on a Kamelot album. They write riffs with more teeth, that latch onto you. I like the first two songs "Eternity of Lies" is a song that really wows me.

There is more of a hint at their doomier beginnings on "Punishment Through Time". The vocals that come in are more rock n roll. The main riff it's the most original. The vocals ore straight forward. But the guitars are well executed.They stick to a darker path on the songs that follow with "Sacrifice the Flame" having an almost dark wave element to the smoother vocals that trade off with the more metal ones. The melodrama this song and some of the others touch doesn't seem contrived. They balance there goth side and their metal well, over the years they have had eight album since I last checked them out to hone this side, now I am curious to go back and hear the process.

"Flesh From Bone" keeps things dark and melodic, before going into some death n roll, though even calling it that is a bit of a stretch. It is an anthem for sinners to cry out and be against the world ...I guess its like when the shoplifter untie and take over. They take a more traditional metal chug on "Cry Out".Its an anthem for sinners to cry out and be against the world ...I guess its like when the shoplifters unite and take over. They go out and a grand gothic note with the dramatic. His clean vocals are excellent here and for most of the album. As a whole this album took me off guard and the band really proved themselves to me. I'll give this a 9.5