Review Summary: Not so adventurous but highly consistent, The Plague Within might be Paradise Lost’s most mature effort and a return to past glory.
As people grow older, they tend to indulge in reminiscence more and more. We visit the places that we used to hang out and think that it’s changed so much (to the worse). Everything used to seem less complicated, almost ideal and along with the fact that younger people tend to be more impressionable, led to strong emotional bonds with certain bands and albums among others. I’m not aware if reminiscence is the case with Paradise Lost but if
The Plague Within was released as a lost album from the pre-
Draconian Times era, it wouldn’t be at all surprising.
For a band that evolved from the raw/underdeveloped
Lost Paradise to the pioneering inclusion of female vocals on a doom/death album on
Gothic, to the refined gothic masterpiece that
Draconian Times is, to the uncertainty and turmoil that
One Second and
Host caused and to a return to their roots with band’s latest albums,
The Plague Within is not a surprise. The announcement that Nick Holmes would return to growling was again not surprising after his work with Bloodbath. Add to that Mackintosh’s participation on extreme metal outfit Vallenfyre and it’s not a coincidence that Paradise Lost’s newest endeavor is their heaviest and darkest album since 1992 and
Shades of God.
The Plague Within is a combination of the sinister heaviness of Lost’s first three albums accompanied by the gothic flavor of
Icon and
Draconian Times while served with a bit of
In Requiem’s modern approach. For those who haven’t already checked the band’s discography, the album is a highly successful stab of death/doom with strong gothic metal influences. Holmes’ performance on vocals is solid as he delivers raspy growls that instantly bring a smile on longtime PL fans faces as soon as the 35 second mark of the album’s opener. However, Mackintosh is the one who seems to steal the show as he plays memorable riff after memorable riff while creating a sorrowful and gloomy atmosphere. As hyperbolic as it may seem, we may have the most memorable album on Paradise Lost’s discography. Regarding standout tracks, it’s hard not to mention “An Eternity of Lies” on one side and the rest of the album on the other;
The Plague Within is a highly consistent effort. However, “An Eternity of Lies” has classic potential written all over as it may be mentioned alongside the likes of “Forever Failure”, “Gothic” or “Hallowed Land” in the future.
On the other hand, some may feel that the band performs within its comfort zone and has lost its sense of adventure by sticking to close to its roots. In addition, even though it’s not easy to find a poor track on here, the combination of “Flesh from Bone” and “Cry Out” sounds like a weak link and it’s positive that the album closes with “Return to the Sun” which is one of the strongest tracks.
At the end of the day,
The Plague Within is a milestone not only because musically it’s a return to an era where Paradise Lost ruled the world of metal and influenced every new-formed act. It’s a landmark because of its quality and the fact that Paradise Lost managed to release one of their best albums of their entire discography 27 years after their formation! The opinion of those who aren’t into the band will probably not change after listening to
The Plague Within but longtime fans of Paradise Lost will certainly party like its 1993.
