Paradise Lost – Draconian Times

Cheap-ass release, made for money!!! I've got reissues that sound waaaaay better!!!

My favourite Paradise Lost album. I believe this is a enhanced versión of Icon, which I enjoy but I never seen it as a masterpiece

"Draconian Times" is such a terrific album from Paradise Lost, and I also must say it's the best album of theirs in my opinion as well. This album is a piece of pure gothic/doom metal brilliance, and is very dark and very melancholic. This album for me is just perfect to listen to especially on a cold, gloomy, dreary, wet, and rainy day or evening. The album itself is just filled with beautifully dark lyrics, dark, haunting melodies, massively heavy, crushing doom-laden guitars, powerful yet haunting vocals, and beautifully dark atmospheres, believe me, everything about this album is just dark and melancholic. The songwriting and musicianship here is simplistic yet very powerful and dominating on here with vocalist Nick Holmes leading the way throughout here driving every word with his clean yet very gruff, powerful, rough edged, and commanding vocal deliveries that really evoke James Hetfield of Metallica, while guitarists Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy deliver amazingly heavy, doom-laden riffs that are simple yet very powerful which really fit the overall atmosphere here perfectly, as well as driving, melodic leads and solos from Gregor which are downright awesome too. Bassist Stephen Edmondson does a nice job holding his own with strong, grumbling bass lines, and drummer Lee Morris truly shines as he displays his talents, delivering all kinds of fantastic beats and fills, and everything else in between.

The album's opening track "Enchantment" which is one of my absolute favorite Paradise Lost songs that begins with a somber-sounding piano intro and then it kicks straight into a doomy-like breakdown and then Nick's vocals come into play as he bellows "Ooooooooooh like a fever, burning inside of me!". The song is filled with moody guitars, bass, and drums, and haunting vocals from Nick especially during the choruses. Man, I just absolutely love this song. Such an excellent way to start off the album, but the highlights keep on coming. The following track "Hallowed Land" is another favorite on here and more upbeat sounding with more heavy chugging riffs, and heavy, pounding beats, gruff vocals from Nick, and some nice lead work from Gregor, and the third track and favorite song "The Last Time" is another catchy upbeat number highlighted by massively heavy, meaty, chugging riffs, and powerful, thumping drums, plus an excellent guitar solo by Gregor, and a catchy chorus. Track four "Forever Failure" is another highlight here as well as the saddest song on the album which deals with the feeling of total failure especially when you hear the featured samples of Charles Manson speaking about how really miserable and sad life can be which really makes the song even more bleak. This song also features some more emotional, and powerful vocals from Nick, as well as more emotional filled crushing riffage, plus some nice acoustic lead picking that is soon followed by a dreary, yet nice guitar solo near the end, meanwhile the fifth track "Once Solemn" is a more faster, and aggressive upbeat number highlighted by thrashy, grinding, chugging riffs, grumbling bass lines, and heavy, foot stomping drums all lead by Nick's fierce and gruff vocal delivery.

Other standout tracks on here include "Shadowkings" which is just downright addicting and catchy as it features as nice steady yet moving upbeat rhythm, along with more amazing vocals from Nick as well as great heavy chugging riffs and awesome melodies, and pounding bass lines and drum beats, as well as "Elusive Cure" which features somber, wailing guitar melodies, and more emotionally haunting and melodic vocal deliveries courtesy of Nick. Moving on, "Yearn for Change" is another excellent upbeat cut which features yet more excellent guitar work throughout including some nice acoustic bridges, and catchy, soaring, wailing leads from Gregor, plus great, heavy drumming , and fierce, wailing vocals from Nick. Following that track is "Shades of God" which is highlighted by a catchy "woah woah woah" like guitar lead in the intro, and also features another excellent guitar solo from Gregor near the three minute mark, and elsewhere "Hands of Reason" is another massively heavy hitting track that boasts a heavy bass and drum intro along with an absolutely gargantuan main guitar riff that is guaranteed to get the floor shaking, and also includes yet more powerful vocals, and another great Gregor guitar solo thrown in. Next up, "I See Your Face" keeps the momentum going with more catchy upbeat drumming along with more fantastic guitar work, and excellent vocals, and then we have the album's final track "Jaded" which is such a brilliant album closer that features chilling, soaring melodies, along with an excellent chorus, and a bone chilling, yet melodic guitar solo from Gregor to boot. Such an excellent way to close out such an awesome album.

Overall, "Draconian Times" is a terrific gothic/doom metal masterpiece of stunning and powerful beauty and darkness that has really stood the test of time ever since it's release back in 1995. Simply put it, it is truly one of the absolute best and most underrated metal albums of the 90's, and as I mentioned earlier, it is the best album in the entire Paradise Lost discography hands down in my opinion, I just love it from start to finish. If you're new to Paradise Lost, then by all means, this album would sure really be a great place to start with. Highly Recommended for all fans of Paradise Lost, gothic and doom metal alike...HORNS UP!!!

How is the sound of the lp of 25th anniversary compare to the original cd?

In my opinion commercially the most overrated work from PL.
Which I don't quite understand, because ICON was allready catchy in a similar way.
Maybe it's because DT combines both sides of their music in a more plausible way:
The tough doom Side with the romantical Goth Rock side.