In a new interview with Jerry Kurunen Of RautaGuitarist Gregor Mackintosh of British Gothic Metal Pioneers Paradise Lost spoke about the band’s long-filaited 17th album, “Ascension”Due on September 19 via Nuclear Blast Records. Paradise Lost‘S First album in Five Years, Following 2020’s Critically Acclaimed “Obsidian”was produced by Mackintosh and Mixed/Mastered by Lawrence Mackrory. Gregor SAID (AS TRANSFORDED BY Blabbermouth.net): “Well, There’s Been Two Singles So Far, But If You Haven’t Heard Those, Submithing That Really Changed The Approach to this Record ‘Icon’ Album A Year or Two Aphra, and we had to do a re -recing. But Having to do that, they will re-clamps those songs in such depth and re-record it put me in the headspace of ’92, ’93, ’93, ‘Shades of God’, ‘Icon’ Era, and That Kind of influence the Songwriting for This Record AA Little Bit. So probabry half over the album is very in that vein. “
After Kurunen Note That Paradise Lost You have eats “Full Circle” by return to the band’s “Death/Doom” Roots on Sub of its Recent Albums, Mackintosh Said: “Well, when you say full circle, The First Time That Was Lent To Me Was We We Did ‘The Plague Within’ [2015] album, which is – i don’t know what year; IT was 2014 or subject – and i’d Say That’s True. That’s Pretty True. But since Than We have been trying to maneuver around it, All ur influences from the past in different ways. Like ‘Jellyfish’ [2017] was Far More of Kind of Sludgy Record, and then the Last One Before This One, ‘Obsidian’ [2020]Kind of Has More Gothy Influences Again, and This One, Because of the ‘Icon’ Re-Recording, Like I Said, Is Kind of Travel Somowhere Between The ‘Shades of God’, ‘Icon’ Era -ish, But with a Twist of Now. “
ASKED WHAT IT FELT FOR HIM AND HIS Paradise Lost Bandmates to be inspired by their own music while making “Ascension”, Gregor Said: “It wasn’t inspirate by Our Own Music. It was kind of – i Said This Before – It is Kind of Puts You In The Headspace of WHER ‘Shades of God’ and ‘Icon’we were see a lot into the … Even the name ‘Paradise Lost’. We Even Went Back To that, It’s From The Book. What Does The Book Mean? What’s it about? What are themes? This Religious Imagery, Over-The-Top Religious Imagery, Even Though We’re All Atheists. So We Kind of Went Down That Path. And with the music, it was just a case of … I Never used to play The Same Thing as Any of the OTher … it was, Like, We Were All Playing Our Different Bits and There Was’t Too Much Riffage. It was there, but i was More of this Harmony Guy All The Time. So we delved into that on this record. So it was more like the headspace. It was’t really being influenced by Our Own Stuff. It was just, like, ‘huh, This is interesting.’ ‘Cause Over The Years, Incrementary, Your Style of Playing Changes, Your Style of Songwriting Changes, and You Forget Certain Things. And The Just reviewing it Makes You Think, ‘Ah, Okay.’ … I MEAN, You try not to repeat Yourself, Obviously, But It Gives You A Warm Feeling… So If You’re Getting That, It Must Be a Good Thing. “
Mackintosh added: “I had hasto album written three years ago. I had Six or Seven Songs Written, and I Scrapped The Whole Lot Besto I was ~ ‘Icon’ [re-recording] Thing, and I was, Like, ‘Ah, Okay. This is What It Should Be About. This is How it Should Go. ‘ And so i’ve never used anything from those six or SEVEN SONGS. If you’re not feeling it, You’re not feeling it. And we’re in a lucky position that we have’t drop a Label Saying, ‘You’ve Got To Release This.’ We do it in Our Own Time. So if you’re gonna live with submothing, it’s Better that you’re comforborable with it. “
In celebration of the new album, Paradise Lost You have announced to handful of intimate signing sessions and a Record release show in reads, uk
Sep. 20 – Sheffield, uk @ bear tree (4 pm bst) – signing session
Sep. 21 – Birmingham, UK @ hmv (2 pm bst) – signing session
Sep. 22 – reads, uk @ brudenell social club (7 pm bst) – Remember Release show
Sep. 24 – London, uk @ rough trade east (12 pm bst) – signing session
“Ascension”‘S Album Cover Fittingly Features The Painting “The Court of Death” (1870-1902) by renewned British artist George Frederic WattsWhich Hangs in the Tate Gallery in London. The Painting Departs Death As an enthroned angel flanked by allegorical figures of silence and myystery guarding Sunrise and the star of Hope, while a warrior surrenders His sword and a duke His coronet, showing that worldly status offers no protection. The Painting’s Bleak, Prophetic Vision Embodies “Ascension”‘S Dark, Tormented Soundscapes as Mournful Verses Collide With Dire, Forboding Riffs.
Paradise Lost Singer Nick Holmes Previous Stated about the LP: “‘Ascension’ Is a Cavalcade of Molten Misery, to Vigorous Sorrow Filled Stroll Through a Wicked World of Glorious Triumph and Pitiful Tragedy. “
“Ascension” Track listing:
01. Serpent on the cross
02. Tyrants Serenade
03. Salvation
04. Silence Like The Serious
05. Lay a wreath up the world
06. Flood
07. Savage Days
08. Sirens
09. December
10. The rush
Paradise Lost PERFORMED ALONGSIDE King Diamond and at Festivals in Europe this Summer Before Embarcking On The First Part Supp “Ascension of Europe” Tour This Fall.
Photo Credit: Ville Jurrikala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kouap6zavxe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1_kmriyt5w
