Paradise Lost – Ascension

Metalcatto

When you’re a band like Paradise Lost, one that redefined a subgenre and balanced its deep emotional side with relative commercial success, it’s hard to surprise the world. And yet, the band has managed to do that time and time again. I honestly can’t remember the last time it released anything below a 3.5/5 in my book. Ascension has the impossible task of proving that the band still has the resilience and creativity to deliver top-quality Doom Metal. For once, I have faith in these guys—and can you blame me?

I’ll get to the point faster than usual: Ascension is everything we want from a Paradise Lost album. The sadness and despair are still there, but so are the groove and phenomenal songwriting. It’s impressive how the band continues to craft dark yet oddly comforting music. This album feels like being torn apart emotionally and then sinking into a warm bath under dim lights—it embraces you without judgment and gives you the kind of support your friends should provide, but often can’t because they’re too busy fighting their own inner demons.

It’s hard to pinpoint what makes Ascension unique, since some may argue it’s simply a longer version of Obsidian. That’s not a bad thing, though, because Obsidian was a great album. Expect a similar energy, maybe with a little less growling this time around. What really kept me coming back was the excellent guitar work. Without ever being overly technical, it brings tremendous emotional depth to the album. This is nothing new for the band, but it still amazes me that Paradise Lost can repeat this formula without ever sounding derivative or boring. Most bands would fall flat doing the same thing ten years in, but not these guys.

That said, I have to acknowledge two things about Ascension. First, the pacing can feel a bit slow, mostly due to the overall length of the album. Second, the novelty factor isn’t particularly high here. If you’ve been following the band’s recent releases, you won’t find many surprises. Still, when execution is this strong, does it really matter? At some point, my nitpicking stops and the enjoyment takes over.

This year has been full of epic comebacks, with veteran bands proving they’re not ready to fade quietly into the night. I’m glad to say that Ascension is a worthy addition to the Paradise Lost catalog. Diehard fans will be thrilled, and if you’re not already a fan, this might be the perfect chance to finally dive into one of the most iconic Doom Metal acts before it’s too late and you’re even less cool than you already are.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records Records

Release date: 19 September, 2025

Website: https://paradiselostofficial.bandcamp.com/

Country: UK

Score: 4.0/5.0