Paradise Lost - Ascension (2025)

Further going back into their earlier days, Paradise Lost returns with a hefty Doomy release that nicely balances their Gothic Rock/Metal side with their crushing earlier Death Doom days. Nick Holmes and company have mostly stayed with the same line-up (sans their drummer) since 1988, allowing them to reach back into their old bag of tricks and deliver one of their most (recently) heavy and misery-induced releases in a while.

Opening with the piercing “Serpent on the Cross”, we kick off with Greg Mackintosh melancholic guitar leads, Holmes signature growl, alongside a heavy dose of catchiness and heaviness. Setting a very dark and moody vibe, “Tyrants Serenade" continues the band’s despondent journey with a more Gothic Doom edge thanks to the soaring clean vocals, and crafty bass and rhythm guitar lines. As one of our favorite tracks from the band in more than ten years, “Salvation” is definitely one gargantuan Doomy piece filled with desolate guitars and vocal melodies.

The band continues to deliver bangers with the superbly catchy and engaging “Silence like the Grave”, alongside the more melancholic Gothic pieces like “Lay a Wreath Upon the World”, and the more Doom-traditional “Diluvium”. Not afraid to shake things around, songs like “Deceivers”, “Sirens”, and “Savage Days” perfectly create a mixture of “Draconian Times” meet “Gothic” meet “Medusa” and “Obsidian”, masterfully combining the different stages and core ideas of the band’s sound.

As a whole, “Ascension” is another brilliant addition to the band’s highly diverse and engaging discography. Never feeling stale or staying stuck in a singular style, Holmes and Mackintosh have managed to re-invent the band with every release, while still having a signature core sound. If you like Doom Metal that dabbles in Gothic/Death Doom territories, this is one release you cannot miss.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: Septmeber 19th, 2025

Genre: Gothic/Doom Metal/Rock

Country: UK