Symbol of Life [Import]

Symbol of Life [Import]

Track Listings

1. Isolate

2. Erased

3. Two Worlds

4. Pray Nightfall

5. Primal

6. Perfect Mask

7. Mystify

8. No Celebration

9. Self Obsessed

10. Symbol Of Life

11. Channel For The Pain

12. Xavier (Bonus Track)

13. Small Town Boy (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Limited digipak edition of the British doom metal band's 2002 album includes two bonus tracks, 'Xavier' (Dead Can Dance cover) & 'Small Town Boy.' BMG.

Tracks:

Isolate
Erased
Two Worlds
Pray Nightfall
Primal
Perfect Mask
Mystify
No Celebration
Self-Obsessed
Symbol Of Life
Channel For The Pain
Xavier
Small Town Boy

Customer Reviews:

A recent favorite........2007-05-01

I first discovered Paradise Lost in 2005 when I purchased Draconian Times on a whim. Although it took some time for me to warm up to its unfamiliar sound (I'm admittedly no doom metal aficionado), I eventually grew to love classics like "Hallowed Land" and "Elusive Cure." It wasn't until last month however that I decided to further invest into PL's catalog, which I did with this album and Icon. Now I'm hooked, and I can't wait to get my hands on some of their other albums!

The sound of Symbol of Life is noticeably different from that of both Icon and Draconian Times. Gone are the bleak, depressing guitar passages that graced songs like "Joys of the Emptiness," and there's much more emphasis on catchy hooks and melodic, less strained vocals. While many tend to prefer their original signature sound, I think the later material is just as good. How infectious anthems such as "Erased" and "Isolate" haven't become world-renown chart-toppers is simply beyond me, but the real magic lies in the hypnotic "Pray Nightfall" - by far one of my favorite PL songs already. Nick Holmes has definitely improved his vocals over the years, and his low-pitched ones are the best. "Perfect Mask" is a great rocker, featuring some nice riffs and a catchy chorus. Other highlights include the haunting "Mystify" and the depressive "Channel for the Pain." What's more is the two bonus tracks, which are a must - especially their rendition of Bronski Beat's "Small Town Boy," which is easily one of the catchiest songs in existence.

I highly recommend this album. As much as I enjoy bands like Moonspell and Tiamat, I must say that after hearing this, Paradise Lost have won me over! Get yourself a copy of this album, and while you're at it, Icon and Draconian Times. I in the meantime shall be setting my sights on the other albums. :)

Highlights: Isolate, Erased, Pray Nightfall, Perfect Mask, Mystify, Small Town Boy

Defective By Design Product.......2006-10-27

For those of you who care about their freedom don't buy this album. Not because of the artistic content of the disk, which is at the top (thank you Paradise Lost and Rhys Fulber) but because of the copy protection mechanism. Not only the disk may not play in your car cd-player, but you can play it on your computer only with the poor quality software "included" in the disk.
express yourself, defend your freedom, don't buy protected-content CDs.

This one blew me away!.......2006-08-23

After picking up the band's self titled album I felt a need to catch up on what I had missed from Draconian Times... This album has put all others to shame. It is currently the most played in my car. Anyone into the "goth" genre of music needs this album. There isn't a single track that will be skipped on this one. The mix of dark and heavy riffs are well complimented by incredible melody and perfectly fit vocals. Three tracks that stand out in my mind are "Erased" which have a beautiful mix of melody with a wonderful female vocal accompanyment. "Prey Nightfall" is by far the best track on the album with an dark yet pleasing feeling to the song. The last of the standouts is the titled "Symbol of Life" with a catchy beat and a dark rhythmic beat it brings this album to almost epic levels. Again any fan of "goth" music should add this to your collection posthaste!

Meh..........2005-04-26

Paradise Lost could have been the band to blow doom out to the open market but instead chose to take the path often traveled and slipped into the softer "goth rock" mode that plagues so many bands that wish to reach a larger audience. I for one noticed that with the haircuts went the (...) and what we have hear is a well produced goth-rock CD with occasional metal guitars and a few carefully placed goth-hook choruses to sell the band to a larger worldwide audience/movement. Thankfully for us, sales didn't spike as they hoped and the band has found themselves releasing a record that takes their past glories and dumbs them down to a science of pop-goth-metal that does little to bolster either genre or the credibility of Paradise Lost.

Many of the songs feature a droning mix of keyboards and guitars that lack the mournful feel of the early albums or the vibrant mix of other (still lame) successful goth-metal acts. "Erased" features an infectious chorus bit as do a few others but it does little to show the band as serious artists. The vocals are the same, the guitars/keys play the same melodies...but the writing is of a lighter heart that finds the band reaching out to the gothic danceclubs instead of the sweaty metal underworld. In doing so, the songs lack any form of serious conviction. This is an unfortunate leaning that not even an infectious goth-pomp chorus can erase.

Paradise Lost have sold their souls to the mundane. No longer powerful doom, not good enough at the gothic movement to become celebrities outside of a nation they already ruled...the band is lost in a river without a paddle on this record.

If you love gothic metal or desire every single thing the band has released this will have it's moment for you...but on a whole the record reflects as insincere, cold and without artistic purpose.

Skip it and buy "Gothic" or "Icon".

Great album to listen to at night.......2004-12-21

Ninth album from former Doom Metal band Paradise Lost. Compared to the later releases like Believe in Nothing, One Second and especially Host, Symbol Of Life album sounds heavier. The music on Symbol Of Life album still cannot be compared with albums like Gothic or even Draconian Times, but the term Metal can be mentioned again. Especially the fast and heavy "Channel For The Pain" and also the fast "Self-obsessed" remind me of songs from Draconian Times. "Self-obsessed" shows some harmonic leads that I missed on One Second, Host and Believe In Nothing. The band still uses electronics, but not as often as on other recent albums. One of the best tracks is "Erased", with some soothing female vocals. Nick Holmes his vocals are good, but I prefer his cleaner, melodic voice on the album Believe In Nothing.

An overall strong side of the album is the diversity. Not only the pace of the song, but also the balance between the use of guitars and electronics changes per song. The music on the album is melancholic, but who would expect something different from this band? One day I listened to the album after midnight and I really enjoyed it. The day after that I listened to the album in the middle of the day and the album was not half as good as the day before. I therefore recommend people to listen to the album at night.

The only problem that I have with this album and also with most other albums from Paradise Lost, is that the songs are too short. There aren't any (semi)length instrumental parts. The songs are well written, but too damn short. I also think that the songs on Believe In Nothing are better, but Symbol Of Life still is a great album.

Average customer rating:

Power Symbol
Tears from the Sky
Manufacturer: Life Sentence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0007OC6QU
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Product Description

1. Power Symbol
2. Nailed Down
3. Under The Mask
4. The Next Few Days
5. Angel's Dance
6. As One 'Till The End

Format: CD

Symbol of Life
Average customer rating:
Symbol of Life
Paradise Lost
Manufacturer: Bmg/Gun Supersonic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006L71C
Release Date: 2002-10-28

Average customer rating:

A mighty band and album

Symbol of Life

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006L71D
Release Date: 2002-10-21

Tracks:

Isolate
Erased
Two Worlds
Pray Nightfall
Primal
Perfect Mask
Mystify
No Celebration
Self Obsessed
Symbol Of Life
Channel For The Pain
Xavier (Bonus Track)
Small Town Boy (Bonus Track)

Album Description

Limited digipak edition of the British doom metal band's 2002 album includes two bonus tracks, 'Xavier' (Dead Can Dance cover) & 'Small Town Boy.' BMG.

Customer Reviews:

A mighty band and album.......2003-03-09

This band just never ceases to amaze me with their infinate motivation and will to constantly evolve musicaly. This is easily their strongest release since the Draconian Times era. Their last release "Believe In Nothing" was the first attempt to merge the past heaviness with their current style. That effort fell short in some areas. Paradise Lost have succeded big time in achieving this with this album. Where they have arrived sounds like a more sophisticated and gothic Draconian Times, but in reality this album doesn't sound like the others, and so it is one of their most interesting releases with a lot of repeated listening potential.

Tracks like the mighty "Prey Nightfall", "mystify" and "self obsessed" are one of their best to date. The covers of Dead can Dance "Xavier" and Bronsky Beat's "small town boy" are stunning.

Musicaly the keyboards and effects are still present but the guitars take a leading role here. Nick Holmes alternates between the coarse Draconian / Icon roar to the One second tone throughout the songs.

Overall a mighty return for a great band. Symbol Of Life is an album for every PL fan.

Sunshine and Sins
Average customer rating:
Sunshine and Sins
Caldera
Manufacturer: brp! productions
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CA82OY
Release Date: 2005-08-16