PARADISE LOST – Ascension (Nuclear Blast)

Ascension tends to refer to a physical or spiritual rising, and although its most common usage tends to refer to the Biblical resurrection it’s also an allusion to a transcendence to a higher state – which is a fitting description for Paradise Lost’s seventeenth studio album. It’s not what you’d call a return to form, as despite a diversity of sound and styles over the years the lads have been one of the most consistent band in metaldom (‘Believe In Nothing’ aside), but with ‘Ascension’ the band have crafted a wholly outstanding body of work which, over 61 minutes, jostles for position as the finest of their nigh-on 40 year career.

Paradise_lost_by_ville_jurrikkala

photo by Ville Jurrikkala

The strength of ‘Ascension’ is that distils the very best of Paradise Lost while ensuring the material has a contemporary sound. So while, for example, the haunting opener ‘Serpent On the Cross’, deeply growled by vocalist Nick Holmes, could easily slot into the running order of 1993’s ‘Icon’, the cleanly delivered and plaintiff ‘Savage Days’ harks back to the piano melodies of ‘One Second’ while ‘The Precipice’ is almost akin to the grandiose days of ‘Host’. Elsewhere, the likes of ‘Sirens’ and closer ‘A Life Unknown’ are, quite naturally, are shot full of Gregor Mackintosh’s creative and fluid guitar motifs, the trademark of the band’s material, and taken together the album’s twelve tracks combine to create an exceptionally holistic and amazingly satisfying release.

There’s much to praise and nothing to dislike about ‘Ascension’. It’s hard-edged and at times belligerent, teetering on the blurred edges of faith and despair, but it’s an album bursting with vitality and brilliance. Is it fair to say that this is the most ambitious, most creative, most Paradise Lost Paradise Lost album of the past twenty years? I couldn’t possibly comment. That’s something you need to discover for yourself.

Video clips:
‘Serpent On The Cross’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVtZZ15oQDQ
‘Silence Like The Grave’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSAlEVzLhDc
‘Tyrants Serenade’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_kMRiyt5w