There is hope in sight after all. Even though the strong inner pathos and sorrow have been the immaculate ingredients of what PARADISE LOST is, their success over the last ten years, ever since commencing their comeback to their olderselves with the release of the self-titled, has never been sweeter. Following the glitzy "Tragic Idol" release of 2012, I logically thought to myself that the only way is up, and how really up and high can it be really? And now I have their new release to handle, "The Plague Within", via Century Media. Right before putting my mind to evaluating what I was listening, and of course the supposed comparison to the previous record, it hit me instantly. PARADISE LOST proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that heading musically backwards, or accurately pronounced as "back to the roots", is as worthy as solid gold. Nearly every veteran band has a kind of lapse, or the other way around, along the way, as I am sure that it is not easy to maintain a same direct line, I am just glad that the Brits left that lapse behind them years ago.

The evolving spirituality of Doom, mostly slow tempo semi Death and breaths of Gothic Metal within the album spread the awareness of much older days. The production values may not be a means of appraisal, but as far as the material goes, it came to be a long time yearning to the classic era of the band, a type of longing that fulfilled itself right here on this album. "The Plague Within" reinstated the profound growl vocals of Nick Holmes to PARADISE LOST. After becoming the frontman of BLOODBATH, and reintroducing his capacity to produce the picture of evil right out of his mouth, I had the feeling, trusting PARADISE LOST's advancement towards their past, that he would return to his older self in a bit, yet without forgetting how his voice developed this far. The anguish within the doomed melodies of the Mackintosh nature remained strong, painful, crying out, sending their shivers across the skin, creating a haze, which I thought that the band lost in some point. When it comes to the guitar riffs, it has always been simple, yet throughout "The Plague Within" it felt darker, almost escalating into a devouring beast in black. PARADISE LOST have always been keeping their rhythm guitar riffs simple, palm muted chunks of death along with open chords that just felt true. And of course, what kind of tightness and scenery of damnation can be achieved without the kind of pristine rhythm section that this band has.

Picture a blend of the first four albums, which I am sure that diehard fans will know by heart without checking the internet, and you shall find their presence slowly forming on this release. It is evident that the band didn't forget the last five years, and it also attributed the music. Feel the excitement of "No Hope in Sight", which captured me by its ultimate melodic nature that brought me back to my high school days, "Cry Out" as the band's catchiest number as if a production of "Icon", "Victim of the Past", "Beneath Broken Earth" and "Sacrifice the Flame" are the distorted image of an old face splattered all over both angered and sorrowful, and the end of days finale of Doom, "Return to the Sun". In general, it is not a process anymore, it is the real thing back and alive before you, PARADISE LOST crossed back in full, and in quality, to the early 90's, somewhat filthier, murkier and condemned to forever bliss of mourning. Take note fast and get this one.