Shades of God

Album Review

1992's Shades of God is a transition album for British doom metal legends Paradise Lost. Though the band continues to rely on ominous post-Sabbath guitar riffing for most of the album, lead guitarist Gregor Mackintosh begins to integrate clean melodies and quieter passages into the songs, while vocalist Nick Holmes takes his first cautious stabs at actual singing instead of grunting. "Mortals Watch the Day" and "Your Hand in Mine" are the most effective examples of this and serve as a blueprint for the songs on their following album and commercial breakthrough, Icon. "As I Die" provides the proper send-off for the band's death/doom past, and is undoubtedly the album's strongest cut.