Host (Paradise Lost album)
| Host | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 May 1999[1] | |||
| Recorded | September 1998 – February 1999 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 53:00 | |||
| Label | EMI | |||
| Producer | Steve Lyon | |||
| Paradise Lost chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Cutting Edge | [3] |
| Laut.de | [4] |
| Q | [5] |
| Rock Hard | 8.5/10[6] |
Host is the seventh studio album by British gothic metal band Paradise Lost, released on 24 May 1999 through EMI Group Limited.
Style
[edit]Following One Second, Host saw the band moving further away from their previous metal sound to something more akin to a melancholic style of synth-pop incorporating downtempo, leftfield, and trance electronic styles. Songs were constructed primarily of programmed drums and synthesizer melodies, with simple, rock-style guitar added for choruses. Vocalist Nick Holmes resolved to simple melodies with his clean singing style, often doubled and harmonized; the resultant material resembled crossover acts like Psykosonik[citation needed] and electronic band Depeche Mode.
Release and promotion
[edit]The singles "So Much Is Lost" and "Permanent Solution" both have music videos released; in an interview, Holmes and Mackintosh explained that the videos were higher budget compared to other videos they made.[7]
Due to an injury, Gregor Mackintosh often played keyboards instead of guitar while touring the album with his guitar technician Milton "Milly" Evans playing his guitar parts.[8]
Reception and legacy
[edit]While the album was critically well received, opinion about it continues to be split. Holmes commented on this album in 2007, stating:
"From Host through to Believe in Nothing, we didn't really kind of know where we were going. We were really in a dilemma."[9]
Aedy said Host is the "darkest" Paradise Lost album, but noted the band was not happy with the production.[10] The album was remastered and re-released in 2018.[11]
The album eventually served as the inspiration of Holmes' and Mackintosh's side-project Host; in the press release about the formation, Mackintosh noted that "We always stood by Host as an album".[12]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "So Much Is Lost" | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Nothing Sacred" | 4:02 |
| 3. | "In All Honesty" | 4:02 |
| 4. | "Harbour" | 4:23 |
| 5. | "Ordinary Days" | 3:29 |
| 6. | "It's Too Late" | 4:44 |
| 7. | "Permanent Solution" | 3:17 |
| 8. | "Behind the Grey" | 3:13 |
| 9. | "Wreck" | 4:41 |
| 10. | "Made the Same" | 3:34 |
| 11. | "Deep" | 4:00 |
| 12. | "Year of Summer" | 4:16 |
| 13. | "Host" | 5:12 |
| Total length: | 53:00 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 14. | "So Much Is Lost (Lost in Space Mix)" | 6:22 |
| 15. | "Languish" (instrumental) | 4:08 |
| 16. | "So Much Is Lost (String Version)" | 4:18 |
Personnel
[edit]Paradise Lost
[edit]- Nick Holmes – lead vocals and lyrics
- Gregor Mackintosh – lead guitar (tracks 1–11, 13–16), keyboards, programming, string arrangements (1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 13), and all music
- Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitar, lead guitar on "Year of Summer"
- Steve Edmondson – bass
- Lee Morris – drums, backing vocals
Additional personnel
[edit]
Cellists and other string arrangements[edit]
Violists[edit]
Backing vocals[edit]
|
Production[edit]
Album design[edit]
|
Violinists[edit]
|
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] | 33 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[14] | 7 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[15] | 67 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[16] | 4 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[17] | 38 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] | 19 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[19] | 61 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Paradise Lost – Host on the band's official website". Archived from the original on 13 October 2000. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ^ Antti J. Ravelin. "Host – Paradise Lost : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ^ "Cutting Edge | Paradise Lost, 'Host'". www.cuttingedge.be.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Für die einen ist es Synthiepop, für andere Wave". laut.de (in German).
- ^ Malins, Steve. "Review: Paradise Lost – Host". Q (July 1999). EMAP Metro Ltd: 122.
- ^ "PARADISE LOST - Host". ROCK HARD Heavy-Metal-Magazin.
- ^ Nuclear Blast Records (8 March 2018). "PARADISE LOST - Host: Nick & Greg on the official Host music videos (OFFICIAL TRAILER)". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021.
- ^ Uhlenbruch, J. "Niggels" (26 November 2009). "Paradise Lost - Bielefeld 2009". www.reflectionsofdarkness.com.
- ^ Justin Donnelly (27 September 2007). "PARADISE LOST Frontman: 'Believe In Nothing' Represented A Really Dark Time In My Life". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
- ^ Gothic Rock Official (7 October 2017). "Aaron Aedy | Paradise Lost ➤ the One Second and Host days". YouTube.com.
- ^ "PARADISE LOST - "Host - Remastered" in March!". Nuclear Blast. 19 January 2018.
- ^ "Host Announce Debut Album Via Nuclear Blast". MetalSucks. 22 October 2022.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Paradise Lost – Host" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Paradise Lost: Host" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Paradise Lost – Host". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Officialcharts.de – Paradise Lost – Host". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Paradise Lost – Host". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Paradise Lost – Host". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
