Paradise Lost have been unique over the course of their career in that they have repeatedly released EPs that are worth buying. This is not their best one, but a very good one nonetheless. The song "As I Die" marked a turning point in their sound, I think. It is at once doomy and crunchingly up-tempo, imaginatively written yet catchy. This was a single released in between the albums "Shades of God" and "Icon", and the popularity of the song among the die-hard fans of the band speaks for itself. "Rape of Virtue" is an excellent b-side, filled with imaginative and rich guitar touches. The EP is worth the money just for these two songs, although "Death Walks Behind You" is amusing. the live version of "Eternal" brings out its visceral character more than the studio version from the "Gothic" album, and is a good listen. "As I Die" may not be as solid a release as the "Seals the Sense" EP or "The Last Time" single, but holds strong all the same.

As I Die was a single/EP released from Paradise Lost's epic 1993 doom metal album

. Like all Paradise Lost singles (and man, they have a ton of them), it has a few gems that make it worth picking up. Here's what you get:

1. As I Die - By far the best song on Shades of God, this is the same version that's on that album. It's a brilliantly heavy song.

2. Rape of Virtue - This song is exclusive to this EP, and is in the same style as the Shades of God album. It's a good song, dark and heavy, but it takes a few listens to really appreciate.

3. Death Walks Behind You - This is a dark, brooding cover of the Atomic Rooster song. I'm a big Atomic Rooster fan, so for me, this alone was worth the price of the CD.

4. Eternal (live) - This is a pretty basic live version of the Gothic song. It's a decent enough addition I suppose.

It's not essential by any means, but serious Paradise Lost fans are going to want to pick this single up for "Rape of Virtue" and "Death Walks Behind You." Either that or track down the B-Sides and Rarities collection, which includes both songs.

Get in your car, tilt the seat back, find a nice dark highway to cruise down, set cd-player volume at max, and select "Death walks behind you". There is nothing more theraputic on Earth!

European metalheads, Paradise Lost, have definetly released an EP that is a great buy for any true metal lover. The title track, "As I Die" (which can be found originally on the "Shades Of God" LP), is a truly great song. Another high point on this album is "Death Walks Behind You". Buy this album and support Paradise Lost!