Paradise Lost – Faith Divide Us, Death Unite Us

Words of expectation and ambition circulated around the new Paradise Lost release. It’s been two years since the full metal comeback of “In Requiem”. The questions though existed…Will Paradise Lost go on their comeback to their music origins? or will they try something different as they have been doing ever since their formation back in 1988?

Now, we can hear their intentions, because “Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us“ is here to surprise us, once again. Paradise Lost have known success, at its best, and now are free of whatever chains, to follow their own will, and their will is pure Metal, as they haven’t done it , for many years now…

“As Horizons Ends” opens the record and the listener seems already uncomfortable with the sound. Heavy dark atmosphere, heavy vocal lines, gloomy riffs and pure intense PL feeling coming straight from the past, but you’re not sure what’s going on, so then enters “I Remain”. Double bass, heavy riffs once again and almost growling vocals…

Am I listening to some songs left out from masterpiece “Icon” ? A smile starts to form and you go on… “First Light” comes next, same aggression, mid tempo and dark atmosphere enriched by strings traveling your mind even further back in time…

Still another Paradise Lost anthem begins to unveil and you’re surely smiling by now.  “Frailty” opens with a classical PL intro of mid tempo sadness, but there is a big surprise waiting for you at 00:37, where an almost black metal riff enters the song, into a delirium of heaviness. The fastest double bass drumming you’ve heard, since debute “Lost Paradise”, is here to surprise you and you’re starting to get familiar with the idea, that this record is unique for Paradise Lost’ s carrier. Next comes the title track, that might be the only one from this album, that reminds you of latest PL formula. Strong refrain, ideal for concert sing along, but not in the ways of a hit, as it’s too heavy without any samples, helping it out. “Rise of denial” continues the main idea of the album, weird song structures, not used to hear in a Paradise Lost release, for years now. “Living With Scars” is another pleasant surprise, for all of us. Weird counting, almost progressive, in the main riff of the song. It’s surely clear, this record is so much different.

“Last Regret” gives you the creeps. Doom feeling in the likes of “draconian times”. Familiar sound and the PL characteristic soundscapes everywhere…Probably the slowest in tempo, in a quite fast record. Perfect!!!

“Universal Dream” goes on and you come up with another surprise…Is this Pity the sadness Pt II? You won’t believe how PL sound ,once again, after so many years. And you are now on the final track… “In Truth” ends this record quite doomy, with some samples and loops mixed with the heavy gloomy character of the song. Also, the only one, not containing growling vocals at all. Great closing, but you just can’t tell by one listen, so you immediately press play and start again.

In conclusion, Paradise Lost have really returned to a songwriting that made them loved to metal community. Not trying to repeat their past, but giving it a new point of view filtered from years of experience. Difficult to consume, as the songs have difficult structures, many changes and not obvious sing along refrains. The production is quite heavy in its entirety, helping the Paradise Lost feeling appear in every song. None knows if these songs will last in time, as they are completely separate from the familiar sound of the band. Only time will tell. The only thing, I should say is that “faith divides us death unites us” is a so unique and special release, in an exciting carrier, of a great band…None should miss it at all!