Much like Katatonia’s Dance of December Souls, Draconian Times was release a couple times since the original CD. Some additions over the years have included live concert tracks, previously unreleased songs, and demo editions. Also like Dance of December Souls, I will be focusing on the original core tracks for this review.
Background
Considered to be the first band that coined the phrase “Gothic Metal”, Paradise Lost has the distinction of creating music that has transcended the decades. Consisting of singer Nick Holmes, guitarists Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, and current drummer Lee Morris (The position of drummer is the only spot that has ever changed in the history of the band, and has happened twice so far), Paradise Lost has toured the world, releasing a collection of albums, and enthralling hordes of fans.
As for Draconian Times, that’s a story in and of itself. After the success of their 1993 album Icon, the band began creating material for a new release, and on June 12, 1995, Draconian Times was released to the public & became a massive hit. A thing to note about the album is the change of tone. In the early days, Paradise Lost was more of a death/doom metal band, but when Icon came out in 93, their tone changed more into a gothic rock/metal, and Draconian Times continues this as well. By 1997 things began changing again, but that’s for another review.
Songs
Enchantment: Long before I got into Paradise Lost, this was one of the songs that I first listened to. I was enchanted (Pun somewhat intended) by the beautiful piano, the sweeping guitar work, the pounding drums, and Nick Holmes’s voice. In fact, the song’s name is very fitting. There’s a mystical feeling when you listen to Enchantment, as if something wants you drawn into the melody. It really is hard to turn your ears away from this song, as you eventually succumb to it power at some point.
Hallowed Land: When I first heard this song, I laughed a little. If you were to judge this song by it’s instrumentation, you’d swear that Gothic Metal & Punk made out, and Hallowed Land would be the child. The instrumentation feels very punkish a majority of the time, but it still has the dark & serious tones & vibes that Gothic Metal provides. Luckily, when Nick Holmes begins singing, the songs regains it’s standard GM tone & energy. All in all, Hallowed Land is a good song, but a strange song at the same time.
The Last Time: Much like Hallowed Land, the instrumentation here feels punkish. Luckily, this feeling is nowhere near as intense, as the instruments lean heavily towards the metal side of the fence. The guitars are ponderous & loud, the drums carry a steady & thunderous beat, and Nick Holmes’s singing feels dark & methodical. It all melds together into a gothic whole that assaults the senses, and puts a beautiful grey cloud over your head.
Forever Failure: This song is a little bit unnerving to me. Not because of the instrumentation or singing (The instrumentation is top notch, and Nick Holmes’s style of singing in this song is strangely appropriate), but because of the audio clips used at the beginning & end. The audio clips in question are quotes of Charlie Manson, which were in turn taken from the documentary “Charles Manson - The Man who killed the Sixties”. Regardless of where the audio came from, it’s creepy every time I heard Manson’s voice, and just sends chills down my spine.
Once Solemn: If Hallowed Land was a mix of Gothic Metal & Punk, and The Last Time was Gothic Metal with elements of Punk, then Once Solemn is almost pure punk. The fast & somewhat chaotic guitar work is tied together with the equally chaotic yet steady drums, creating a cacophony of pleasant/unpleasant sounds (Take your pick). The only things that relate to Gothic Metal is the vocals, and certain guitar riffs that sound like something that doesn’t belong in a punk song.
Shadowkings: Now here’s something gothic!
You’ve got everything that’s required for a Gothic Metal song: steady and sinister guitars, thunderous & brutal drums, dark lyrics, and vocals that don’t require the use growling. It all comes together into a powerful whole that’s perfect to listen to during a thunderstorm, or during a nice round of Dungeons & Dragons. Hell, Shadowkings is good to listen to at just about anytime of the day.
Elusive Cure: Of all the songs on this list, I find that this one is the weakest. It’s clear that the band is putting in some work, but I find that the instrumentation feels subpar a majority of the time (The guitar work still manages to come off as strong, if slightly dated), and for some reason Nick Holmes doesn’t sound like his giving his all at parts. In fact, this song sounds very commercial to me, but perhaps I’m pulling something out of my ass.
Yearn for Change: Besides Enchantment, Yearn for Change is one of the songs that got me into Paradise Lost. In fact, I believe that it was this song that I first listened to. I was hooked by the speed of the instruments and the energy they give off, not to mention that Nick Holmes is really putting his voice in to it. I’ll also mention that out of all the songs on this list, Yearn for Change is the fastest in terms on instrument & singing speed. It really gets your heart pumping, and it’s not the least bit depressing.
Shades of God: Much like Shadowkings, Shades of God is a perfect example of why Paradise Lost are considered masters of the genre of Gothic Metal. You have instrumentation that gives you the shivers, singing that leaves you paralyzed by it’s power, and a dark beauty that you can’t quite explain. Shades of God might not be as powerful as Shadowkings, but it can proudly stand beside it.
Hands of Reason: This song gives me mixed reactions. On one hand, the guitar & drum work isn’t lazy, and Nick Holmes lets out some choice lyrics complete with a powerful voice. On the other hand, there’s something weak about this song. Maybe it’s the lack of intensity when compared to the rest of the album, or that this song feels more commercial (Nowhere near as commercial as Elusive Cure, might I add) than the rest of the album. Regardless, it’s isn’t a bad song to listen to, and it’s actually kinda catchy.
I See Your Face: I See Your Face is the last of the three songs that I listened to before I seriously got into Paradise Lost. If I had one complaint about the song, it’s that the guitar work at the beginning, with bits & pieces in the middle & end, sound a bit on the dated side. Other than that, the guitar is fine, as well as the drums, which sound basic but powerful & consistent, and Nick Holmes bringing a rather collected singing voice to this song’s table.
Jaded: We conclude Draconian Times with Jaded, a rather slow & sinister sounding song. Jaded is interesting in that it’s slow pace is very consistent, with the guitar & drums crawling along, but leaving a nice melody in it’s way. Nick Holmes’s singing voice acts much like the instrumentation: slow & consistent, but creating a good melody.
Overall Impression & Rating
Somehow, someway, Draconian Times manages to still sound current & fresh, like it was released just yesterday. Sure there are some moments where the instrumentation feels dated, and the vocals are annoyingly consistent (Nick Holmes doesn’t vary much from song to song as far as tone is concerned), but this album was fun to listen to. Though their previous album, Icon, birthed the phrase “Gothic Metal”, Draconian Times continues to prove to the world why Paradise Lost are at the forefront of the Gothic Metal genre.
Paradise Lost: Draconian Times gets a 7.5 to 8.5 out of 10.
See you all next week, when we’ll hang out with a cool arcade gamer. Until then, stay Otaku!
* The video version of Forever Failure. Click "***" to enjoy.
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