Draconian Times MMXI (Live in London 2011)

Album Review

Paradise Lost's Draconian Times falls between stark, oppressive goth rock and crunching heavy metal. It's a bit more experimental than their earlier efforts, as it displays subtle industrial influences — there's the occasional barrage of samples — as well as more keyboards and a chorus, perhaps appropriately dubbed the "Dead Boys Choir." Draconian Times is intentionally unwelcoming music, but those who want to dwell deep inside its twisted corridors will find a few pleasures. Paradise Lost may not be terrific songwriters, but they can create and sustain a mood. [The 2002 reissue adds two songs: a cover of the Smiths' "How Soon Is Now" and "Fear."]