Paradise Lost are one of those few influential bands truly willing to take risks with their direction and their fanbase in the pursuit of a great album. This penchant for artistic progress has cost them dearly in commercial success and media recognition, but has made them one of the very few outfits I ravenously anticipate when I hear they've got a new album in the works.

Their tenth studio effort and first since 2002's "Symbol of Life" easily outshines most of the current "goth metal" music on the market, but betrays a somewhat disturbing conservative streak not found on their earlier work. Lackluster songs like "Grey" and "Forever After" are not only missing a certain fire evident in most of their albums, but sound much more like a band conforming to goth metal trends rather than reinventing them as per the usual. This is true of both the plodding music and some pretty cheesy "goth" lyrics. Entire sections of this album can be called a spit-polished representation of the present rather than the step forward for the future. Perhaps I expect too much of a great band that has always surprised me, but when PL is recalled years from now as the great influence that they were, I wonder if this album will stand out like some of the others.

All of that said, it's still a very good album with some truly killer songwriting. Old time fans will love the heavy guitar work on standouts like "Don't Belong", "Close Your Eyes" and "Laws of Cause." Songwriter/guitarist Greg Mackintosh has put some arrangements together that PL's imitators could only dream of making. These and other cuts such as the bitter "Accept the Pain" and grand finale of "Over the Madness" display PL's talent for writing music that triumphs as both carefully crafted art and resonant, catchy song.

Nor are the guitars and arrangements the only thing worth the price of admission: Rhys Fulber's rich production brings out the best in every facet of the album's sound, from the powerful and mournful echoes of "Don't Belong" to the explosive multi-track guitar chemistry of "Laws of Cause." Vocalist Nick Holmes gives his best performace yet with Fulber's artful help; his voice has just the right harshness here, just the right otherworldly reverberation there. Session drummer Jeff Singer provides a more than competent and memorable effort in place of departed longtime percussionist Lee Morris.

If you enjoy dark music, give "Paradise Lost" a try. Then explore the rest of their work and decide for yourself what you think of the striking evolution in the true fathers of heavy gothic music.

Before release, this was hailed by frontman Nick Holmes as "Definitely the heaviest album we have done in the last 10 years" and upon first listen it is clear that he is right in this respect. Following on from 2002's magnificent "Symbol of Life", regarded by many long-time fans as a stunning return to peak form, PL X is once again complemented by the stunning, full-on production of Rhys Fulber.

Those expecting a return to the sounds of 1992-95 will be disappointed, as this is no tired rehash of their landmark mid-90's albums. Nevertheless, there is much here to please those who felt alienated by the synth-heavy departure of ONE SECOND and HOST in the late-90'S. Though I enjoyed the sounds of HOST and 2001's BIN, I felt the former would have been better as a great one-off side-project and the latter was let down by a disappointing production. Therefore I saw SOL as the natural successor to ONE SECOND and eagerly anticipated this new release.

On the critical side, to my ears this album (despite it's flawless execution and VERY impressive debut of new drummer Jeff Singer) doesn't offer a lot of new ideas and in many respects sounds like a continuation of SOL, rather than an evolution from it. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, for many old fans like myself the best thing about PL was their constantly evolving sound and their ability to surprise us with each new release. Something which hasn't been evident in their last few records.

On the positive side, the lack of musical departure forces the listener to dig deeper and further analyse the songwriting. In this department, PL X has several first class tunes with catchy hooks and distinctive choruses. Although I feel some of the songs are a little simplistic and straightforward (ie. 4-minute verse-chorus-verse), it is undeniable that songs such as "Redshift", "Spirit" and "Grey" are among the most distinctive they have ever written. Combined with the epic feel of stunning opener "Don't Belong" and epics such as "Sun Fading" and brilliant closer "Over The Madness", this is an album which, despite not breaking any new ground, does successfully combine elements of all albums they have done since "Shades of God" in 1992.

So where does this album stand, in relation to the rest of their career? When they made the move from ICON to DRACONIAN TIMES, they felt (rightly, in my view) that the old sound had run it's course and that a new direction and fresh approach was needed. It's my personal opinion that PL X does a great job of bringing closure to Chapter 2 in their long and successful career, bridging the gap between the "old" and "new" PL sound. But I believe they are now at a similar crossroads and need to re-assess their future direction.

Where they can/will go from here is anyone's guess and while I will give this album 8/10 without hesitation, I would like to believe that the experimental streak they always had (pre-SOL) is not lost and that it will be rekindled, so we can all prepare to be surprised once more. So overall a great effort, which should please most current fans, while also winning back many older ones. While I prefer ICON, D.TIMES, SOL and ONE SECOND, this is nonetheless a fine addition to their prestigious catalogue. I await their next move with eager anticipation....

APRIL 16 Edit to my own review: Now that I've found a copy of this CD at a reasonable price, upon many subsequent listens, I must say it really it is one of PL's best! Careful listening uncovers a lot of more going on here than upon the first hearings, so I'll up my rating to FIVE STARS! Sure, it's a return to form of sorts, but it rates as highly as anything they've ever done - the performances are top-notch, the production KICKS, and the underlying melodic structure of the songs, even amidst the back-to-basics metal edge of the music, puts this band at the top of their game! Why these guys aren't A.) on a major American label, and B.) one of the biggest bands in the world, is beyond me!! MARCH 14 REVIEW:- I'll write a review of this album now because A.) I can complain about the outrageous import price of this album, and B.) because I have heard it, BY DOWNLOADING IT FOR FREE! I hope their record label sees this, too, because charging over 30 dollars for a 50-cent piece of plastic, especially in this day of rampant free downloading is simply arrogant and outrageous. That's exactly why this excellent band is still traipsing around Europe with no presence in the States (although I do lay some blame on the Koch label for signing their last few albums and then not promoting them at all!). Anyways, this new self-titled effort is meant to signal their return to their roots, meaning the glory-days of the "Draconian Times" era, which many consider the blueprint from whence they strayed (did that come out right??). Mixed results. Sure, this is less sample-and-keyboard oriented than their last few efforts - definitely more guitar and therefore more in common with D.T. Yet I find many of the songs to have that been-there-heard-that feel, especially in light of the fact that so many bands have since copied their gothic metal sound, so I am a bit, I hate to say, bored with some of the tracks. Songs like album opener "Don't belong" and "Over the madness" are perfect examples of the doom-laden goth that they have perfected, while other tracks like "Forever after" or "All you leave behind" seem a little bit tired. I guess many fans have complained that they've strayed from their roots, but I have LOVED every album they've done since "Draconian", and while this will grow on me, it's also a bit of a retread. Now if only I could buy the damn thing!!

I have rated this album 5 stars because Paradise Lost deserves it. I had to listen few times until it got me. It is powerful, dynamic and energetic. The drums, guitars and, vocals have more power and they balance right, through every song. It deserves the money and time spent waiting for it.

This is the best PL release since Draconian Times, which was an impressive milestone in mordern rock. Alas today acts like PL are widely overseen or underrated by the critics, which dig more limp but en vogue buzz bands like The Hives or whatsoever. Darn it! PL has more lyrical vigor and vibrant creative energy in their works than any of the shallow and corny hypes from Libertines to Franz Ferdinand.

So far my pamphlet against the zeitgeist...back to bottom line:

"Paradise Lost" is an album which first didnt soak me in that much, to be honest - solid craftsmanship you expect from any PL output. But gradually I was drawn into it like a happy victim sinking slowly into murky moor caressed by the twighlight's last cleaming.(Please forgive me my clumsy and desperate attempts to sound poetic)

"Don't belong" is one of the typical openers of a PL release comparable to "One second" and "Enchantment" in melodic catchiness and uleashed power likewise.

4.5 from 5

"Close your eyes" is more straightly composed, sounds frist slightly borig ad takes a little bit to embrace you...but enfolds more and more its hidde strength from listenig to listening exercise.

4.5 from 5

"Grey" is a perfect example for songwriting at top level class. The more aggressive stream fluently into more poetic phases like chains of diamonds into clear ocean water.

5 from 5

"Sun fading" follows the pattern of "Grey" but can't meet the hypnotic and spherical atmosphere the latter track sprikles our soul with.

3.5 from 5

"Redshift" evokes the image of standig ito fresh and wild air to me. Very enthrallig from the outset but with a refrain a grade to slow for my taste.

4 from 5

"All you leave behid" arouses a rather intoxicating blend of fury and depression. Good, but can't listen to it all the time.

3.5 from 5

"Accept the pain" again drills ito your mind without hesitation. Though the refrain is not that strong, compared to the intermediating parts of the song.

4 from 5

"Shine" is a killer, believe me. Romantic metal setting a gold standard. Hey lameys from Him - receive and cry!

5 from 5

The intro accords of "Laws of Cause" - don't laugh - first reminded me of Linkig Park. But don't be afraid...the song excels in riveting shifts of tempo and force. A typical PL work in the best sense.

4.25 from 4

"Spirit" is one of my two absolute favs on this CD. Like a liturgical metal rock chorus emergig from the frogotten dungeons and depths agnostic covents the song wraps you like a deadly sticky spider web.

5 from 5

"Over the madness" is my other fav. Slow and black like the floods of an echanted acient river the track drives on relentlessly only pausing for a magnificent guitar solo exploding into a spark fireworks of emotions just to refreeze in the current stream of sound.

5 from 5

"Forever after" in my opinion is the weakest track on the CD. Why does PL icline to choose the more mediocre songs for single releases...I don't know. Anyway a lot of the faceless cheesily styled moder rock acts would be happy to have enough musical potential to write such a song. Please consinder this.

2.75 from 3

Summig up:

What I didn't except - PL has produced a awesome and beautiful masterpiece that could take on with the blessed days of "Draconian Times". Not to take me wrong - any releases from PL are worth the money. Even the Depeche-Modesque "Host" - which disturbed some hardcore fans - I would consider masterpiece. But metal is metal and rock is rock....so thank whom ever that PL foud back to their heavy roots - not abondaning, but convincingly integratig the since then experienced and developed electronic poetic music style.

My advise: Don''t judge to fast. Listen and listen and listen...this CD takes time to discover its treasures.

Buy or die!