Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Paradise Lost brought their tour to a sold-out Ääniwalli in Helsinki, closing out a three-date Finnish run of sold-out shows—their first indoor performances Finland in years. The band’s ‘back-to-the-roots’ opus “Ascension“, released last year, strips away the experimental detours of recent decades to deliver the suffocating gothic/doom metal that defined the Halifax five-piece’s early years. For decades, these British titans have commanded devoted crowds across Finland, even as their uncompromising artistic vision kept them from the mainstream superstardom that otherwise beckoned. The band essentially architected the gothic/doom template, influencing legions of subsequent acts while steadfastly refusing to chase trends.
Tonight’s show at Ääniwalli in Helsinki is part of the tour for the band’s album “Ascension”, released last year, and marks their third Finnish appearance on this run. The material heard on “Ascension” represents Paradise Lost at their strongest in quite some time, as evidenced by the band’s consistently sold-out shows. The album’s atmosphere drifts through darkness and suffocating heaviness, like hell itself, which feels fitting given the current state of the world. Not that Paradise Lost have ever been known as messengers of joy or positivity, but you get my point.
Let’s return to the question of repetition—or rather, the lack of it. We’re talking about a band that has gone through more stylistic transformations over the decades than almost anyone else. That’s precisely what makes Paradise Lost so interesting and, in a way, unique. You can never be entirely sure what direction they’ll take next. Approaching their 40th anniversary, the band from Halifax, England, began their career playing death and doom metal. They later moved through an electronic and keyboard-driven phase and experimented—sometimes more successfully than others—with alternative rock influences. Most commonly, however, their music is described as gothic rock. If they have occasionally wandered off onto side paths during their journey, “Ascension” feels like a full-circle moment, bringing them back to a heavier and more stripped-down sound. The set performed tonight at the sold-out Ääniwalli proved that the band can seamlessly navigate all these different musical styles without ever losing their identity. The audience embraced the journey, clearly enjoying the ride through the band’s various eras. Unlike many other bands, Paradise Lost do not neglect their latest album. No fewer than four tracks from “Ascension” were included tonight. At the same time, the band covered nearly every era of their career, offering something for everyone.
The band opened the show with “Serpent on the Cross,” a track from the new album, with vocalist Nick Holmes—dressed in black, as the whole band, delivering an understated yet commanding performance. That same confidence carried throughout the set, as the material demands a wide range of vocal styles. The new song is haunting, heavy, atmospheric, and powerful. It was followed by the riff-driven “Tragic Idol,” then immediately came one of the band’s biggest classics, “True Belief.” Next came “One Second” from their more experimental phase, and “Once Solemn” from “Draconian Times”, one of the faster-paced moments of the evening. It was genuinely fascinating to witness how seamlessly these very different songs and styles blended together. Paradise Lost remain an exceptionally tight musical unit. That’s hardly surprising, given that Holmes, guitarists Gregor Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, and bassist Steve Edmondson have been with the band since its inception. Only the drummers have changed over the years. The current drummer, Jeff Singer (ex-Blaze and ex-My Dying Bride), also served in the band from 2004 to 2008.
The stage setup was minimalistic and extremely dark. Lighting remained sparse throughout the show, while a massive Paradise Lost logo dominated the backdrop. Whether intentional or not, Mackintosh’s left-handed playing made his and Aedy’s guitars mirror each other perfectly—a detail that felt carefully planned. The earliest track of the evening was “Pity the Sadness” from “Shades of God”, which still delivers with its raw brutality. It would have been welcome to hear more early-era gems—perhaps “Eternal” or the inexplicably omitted “As I Die.”
After “Pity the Sadness,” the show entered a slight lull. The new album’s “Salvation” and “Nothing Sacred” from the once-infamous “Host” album—representing the band’s synth-pop phase—failed to fully ignite the crowd. A similarly subdued mood followed with the new track “Tyrant’s Serenade.” The closing trio of the main set—“Requiem,” “Mouth,” and the band’s biggest hit by far, “Say Just Words”—quickly brought things back on track. Paradise Lost shows rarely involve jumping around or frantic stage antics. It’s about immersion and focused listening. Still, during “Say Just Words,” there was a powerful moment where the band conveyed all the despair and melancholy that defines their music with striking intensity.
For the encore, the band returned with three more songs. First came “No Celebration” from “Symbol of Life”. A solid track, though I would personally have preferred “Isolation” from the same album. Next song was “Ghosts,” which felt slightly misplaced in the setlist. The encore concluded with “Ascension”‘s second single, “Silence Like the Grave,” which once again demonstrated the strength of the new album and the band’s continued creative vitality. Throughout the show, the band’s performance remained controlled, stripped-down, and stylish. Holmes was as strong as ever, and the Edmondson–Singer rhythm section proved consistently solid. Aedy headbanged in his familiar fashion, while Mackintosh unleashed his furious riffs relentlessly. However, it was noticeable that the man looked extremely thin and frail onstage—almost exhausted. One can only hope this does not indicate anything more serious..
The setlist served as a comprehensive retrospective, covering every phase of Paradise Lost‘s career. Was anything missing? For my taste, yes. Alongside the earlier-mentioned early classics “Isolation” and “Erased” my ideal Paradise Lost set would always include as many songs as possible from “Icon” and “Draconian Times”. Still, it worked well as it was. The setlist once again proved that this band walks firmly on their own path and does exactly what it wants—a rarity in today’s music scene. Over the years, I have seen Paradise Lost live more than twenty times now. The first time was in 1992, so a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. All things considered, the band remains remarkably vital and, should they choose, still have many strong years ahead of them.
All in all, this evening was truly a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
SETLIST
