Paradise Lost – Belfast Limelight 2 – 20th February, 2018

To some degree or another, Paradise Lost seem to be one of those few bands that demand the respect of metal fans around the world; such is the sheer breadth of their recorded output over an incredible 30 year career! However, after a number of sparsely attended shows in Belfast over the last ten years or so, Yorkshire’s gloomiest sons could have been forgiven for giving the Limelight a miss on their most recent run around the UK and Ireland. Fortunately (for us), they didn’t….and this time they were repaid with a more than healthy showing of doom hungry metal fans!

After a short set from local mob Owlcrusher, followed by main tour support Outshine, the five members of UK metal legends Paradise Lost wedged themselves onto the small stage of the Limelight 2 and delivered 90 minutes of imperious doom. The band are justifiably proud of last years Medusa, and a quarter of the setlist was drawn from that album but with such a large back catalogue to explore, they also dropped in a handful of welcome surprises.

From the crushing duo of “Pity The Sadness” and “Eternal” to a positively vibrant – for them anyway – “Hallowed Land”, and an elegant rendition of “Forever Failure”, PL were in fine, fine form; their choice of songs showcasing a band who are just as proud of their past as they are with their most recent work.

Refusing to play up to doom’s gloomy stereotype, Nick Holmes is a charming front man who’s not afraid to have a laugh at the expense of his bands formidable reputation, while rhythm guitarist Aaron Aedy is all smiles – when he’s not hunched over his guitar and headbanging like a loon that is! While unfortunately, at times, the sound was muddied – rendering some of the rhytmn guitar obsolete – this didn’t detract from anyone’s enjoyment of a veteran band, who appear to be experiencing quite the career renaissance.

Death/doom shouldn’t be this much fun…should it?! 8/10