PARADISE LOST
Tragic Illusion 25 (The Rarities)
Century Media (2013)
Rating: 9/10
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To celebrate their 25th anniversary the originators of gothic metal Paradise Lost have released Tragic Illusion 25. The album is a collection of bonus tracks, B-sides and covers as well as the re-recordings ‘Gothic 2013’ and ‘Our Saviour 2013’. Additionally, the band offer a new song entitled ‘Loneliness Remains’, which kicks the album off. With the exception of the new recordings, all of these rarities have been previously released in conjunction with various special releases of the band’s last few albums.
If you are looking for an album that truly takes you through a band’s career journey then Tragic Illusion 25 is definitely for you. This collection never stands still, weaving you in and out of the heavy, the rocking, and the beautiful, sometimes capturing all three at once.
Everything here is so varied and it’s hard to pinpoint highlights because it will most certainly depend on what aspect of Paradise Lost you prefer. ‘The Last Fallen Saviour’, a Decibel magazine exclusive from the Tragic Idol album cycle, ranks towards the top of this album as far as I’m concerned. While it’s not as “gothic” as the band’s early works and it’s not as “heavy” as some of their more recent albums, it’s still a rampaging rock ’n’ roll song that has a lot more piss and vinegar than much of the band’s work. It’s a brilliant juxtaposition with the song that follows, a Lost In Prague Orchestra Mix of ‘Last Regret’. The song is one of the very best moments of the Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us album (2009). While this version certainly would have sounded out of place on that album, the bombastic feel that the orchestra brings to this makes it feel way more important than the original. I rarely like orchestras in heavy music but this is a perfect example of how well it can work.
‘Our Saviour 2013’ and ‘Gothic 2013’ are interesting as well. These new versions sound a helluva lot tighter than the originals (as you’d expect) and the recording is pristine. They may not have the raw brutality of the originals (particularly vocally) but they definitely come off as heavier and angrier than their counterparts. By the time the female vocals finally chime in on ‘Gothic 2013’ it takes the song well over the top and, even if you are against the idea, you can’t help but sit back and say “That was truly awesome”.
The main event here though is the new song ‘Loneliness Remains’. It’s got a deeply rooted dark, melancholic, classic metal feel to it that remind us that Paradise Lost’s roots lie firmly entrenched in the doomy dungeons overseen by a young Black Sabbath and Cathedral. While over the years the band have become so much more than simple doom metal, this song will surely please even the most diehard fan of the band’s classic works.
There isn’t much Paradise Lost has done that I don’t enjoy but Tragic Illusion 25, in all its random glory, really moves me. To hear the band’s expansive sound all presented at once is a deeply dynamic experience that should remind everyone just what Paradise Lost is capable of in an overall sense.
Mark Fisher
