Paradise Lost‘s 17th album is Ascension, the proper follow-up to 2020’s Obsidian. Having been a part of the nascent gothic metal scene, Paradise Lost are no strangers to the gloom and doom with some slight and major sound variations pursued throughout the years.
Ascension finds the band in what most would consider to be familiar territory, something that should be obvious as soon as you take in album opener “Serpent On The Cross.” Layered and moody guitars assist vocalist Nick Holmes to punctuate the air with his signature growl while the guitars of Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy perform their well-known sonic ritual.
For a heavier doom dirge, look no further than “Tyrant’s Serenade.” Growled sections juxtaposed against somber guitar lines would have you swear that this track came off of Icon, which makes sense since the band just re-recorded it in the wake of its recent 30th anniversary. But this song is far too good to view as a simple b-side to that legendary album.
In selecting three singles for the album, it feels fitting that the previous two plus “Silence Like The Grave” fit the bill so well, finding the right mix of heavy and emotional not taking away frpm the heart that lies at the core of who this band is. It can be hard to stand out in such a beloved discography, but with these three songs, it is apparent as to exactly why Paradise Lost are such a well-oiled machine.
Ethereal vocals help “Lay A Wreath Upon The World” carry its own weight, a track that might be a bit of a slow build but another that is surely worth your time. If a chugging rocker is more your speed, “Diluvium” will more than scratch that itch, granted that is more so the midsection but those are the kinds of wrinkles that allow the band to showcase more of their personality even on the latter half of a record.
Bands like Paradise Lost don’t come around too often, offering a sense of sonic singularity, a band is only ever truly compared to itself, a litmus test that Ascension passes. It’s hard to believe that this band has made 16 records before this and can still release what might be their best album this century. Ascension is an album that holds itself firmly against the band’s best and one of the top albums of 2025.
(released September 19, 2025 on Nuclear Blast)
