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Thrashback Thursday: Paradise Lost - "Embers Fire"

Paradise Lost are truly one of the great names in British heavy metal. When thrash exploded in the eighties, the focus shifted away from British heavy metal for the most part, save for Iron Maiden, Saxon and some underground favourites, and towards the United States, where the majority of the big metal stars have come from since. But there were some innovative, trailblazing names back in the United Kingdom, a select company which along with Napalm Death and Carcass, Paradise Lost has assured themselves a place. The band have released some outstanding albums throughout their entire career, most of the particularly noteworthy coming in the early to mid nineties, two of which, "Gothic" and "Icon," gave a name to a sub-genre we still use today, gothic metal.

Though "Gothic" was released in 1991 and a third album, "Shades of God," came a year after, it was not until the release of "Icon" in 1993 that the term "gothic metal," really came into use, with Paradise Lost being the first band to use the phrase, for seemingly little more reason according to singer, Nick Holmes in a Kerrang! interview, than the fact that traces of Sisters of Mercy could be heard in their music. "Icon" was part of a string of classic Paradise Lost albums, arguably concluding with the following album, "Draconian Times," and as such featured some excellent songwriting, memorable music and continuing changes.

One of the best known songs from the album would probably be the record's opener, "Embers Fire," a wonderful, atmospheric piece which really shone the light on the gothic rock influences the group incorporated. The first few notes are chilling enough, before exploding into a cavernous vibe of darkness, complete with well placed lead guitar displays and a vocal performance which serves as much as a warning as it does a guide to head nodding. The cautionary tone of voice foreboding of an almost unforgettable chourus, featuring confrontational lyrics and a terrifying sense of claustrophobia. The atmosphere is the thing of nightmares, but the song is the stuff of dreams.