I believe that PARADISE LOST are an integral part of the Greek Metal Community and although this was my first time attending -I was traveling the world- I know that they are one of the bands that are actually never missed in a good scene from the Greek scene, which is ok by me for I am an avid fan.
So, there we were outside Gagarin205 club obstructing literary all traffic on the streets as there were around 200 people just outside the club. We learned also that the gig was 'sold out' which is probably another proof that PARADISE LOST has a strong fan base. Along PARADISE LOST and in for the opening act were the Greek band POEM.
After a minor delay we entered the venue to see that POEM were already on stage. Truth, be told I never heard of them before and I missed their start, not intentionally. From the point that I was able to see them and listen to them, they had already established a good connection with the crowd, playing heavy and energetic, songs from their debut album The Great Secret Show. The sound was great and the music was complacent to what would follow heavy guitars with an undertone of doom and grunge, not bad, not bad at all.
Then came the waiting, preparation, sound check, -I could swear it lasted ages- during which I was listening various conversations about what they will play and what they should play and the perennial question and hope, will they play something from Draconian Times? From my part I didn't care what they would play as long as they would play One Second, everybody has unresolved matters with the past. Well the wait was over and PARADISE LOST begun powerful with The Rise Of Denial from the new album Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us followed by Pity The Sadness from Shades Of God and Erased From Symbol Of Life. Holmes was in contact with the crowd the whole time to the contrary of what I had heard from initial conversations. Maybe it's the fact that eventually they felt a deeper connection to the Greek crowd and the fans were more than happy to comply with that and gave their best.
The highlights of the evening were the songs Embers Fire from Icon and Forever Failure from Draconian Times the two legendary albums that are embedded in the hearts of the Greek fans; they are like a lost love you can't get over with. The crowd was following Holmes in every song and the pleasure the band took from that was evident throughout the gig, sound was very good and missing the studios musical add-ons the sound was more heavy and direct. Adrian Erlandsson, the recent addition for the position of the drummer in PARADISE LOST, played so good that one could think he was with the band for a long time.
PARADISE LOST ended the concert like true English men without much ado, everything up to the encore was programmed and scheduled out, something that made me feel a little bit awkward. I mean we were on fire and everything went so well that I lost the concept of time and then I hit a brick wall with 100 miles per hour even if I was told that this is their way. That was ok with me too as they did play excellent, they did play One Second and the whole evening went by without having a boring moment. I know you can't be satisfied completely and especially when it's a band you love you think if somehow it would be possible they could play 5 - 6 hours straight on.
PARADISE LOST setlist:
01. The Rise Of Denial
02. Pity The Sadness
03. Erased
04. Embers Fire
05. I Remain
06. As I Die
07. Enemy
08. First Light
09. Enchantment
10. Frailty
11. One Second
12. Forever Failure
13. Requiem
Encore:
14. Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
15. As Horizons End
16. Say Just Words
