Icon
Paradise Lost · 1993
50 min · 13 tracks · doom metal
Doom-laden riffs intertwine with haunting melodies, creating a melancholic yet powerful soundscape that defines Paradise Lost's gothic metal evolution.
Top tracks — play these first
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Embers Fire Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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Widow — This track showcases the emotional depth of the album with its mournful lyrics and haunting melody, representing the band's ability to blend heaviness with vulnerability.
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True Belief — With its anthemic chorus and intricate guitar work, this song exemplifies the shift towards a more melodic approach while still retaining the band’s dark atmospheric essence.
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Christendom — Closing the album, this track encapsulates the thematic exploration of faith and despair, featuring an intense build-up that reflects the band's lyrical complexity.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends melodic elements with doom metal roots, showcasing strong songwriting and production.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features tracks that maintain a slow to mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and dynamics.
- Several tracks incorporate layered guitar harmonies that create a dense, atmospheric sound, particularly evident in 'Widow' and 'Colossal Rains'.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- long, immersive listening sessions
- atmospheric background focus
- dynamic emotional journeys
- contemplative late-night vibes
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Marked a shift to a more accessible sound, gaining wider recognition for the band.
- Themes
- faith and despair· gothic metal evolution· mournful melodies
- Career context
- Released on September 28, 1993, 'Icon' marks Paradise Lost's fifth studio album and their transition towards a more accessible sound while maintaining their signature doom metal roots. This album followed the critical success of 'Shades of God' and solidified the band's presence in the evolving gothic metal scene during the early 90s.
- Stylistic neighbors
- My Dying Bride· Anathema· Cathedral
Tracklist
- 1 Embers Fire Start here 4:44
- 2 Remembrance 3:26
- 3 Forging Sympathy 4:43
- 4 Joys of the Emptiness 3:29
- 5 Dying Freedom 3:43
- 6 Widow 3:04
- 7 Colossal Rains 4:35
- 8 Weeping Words 3:50
- 9 Poison 2:59
- 10 True Belief 4:30
- 11 Shallow Seasons 4:55
- 12 Christendom 4:30
- 13 Deus Misereatur 1:57
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Turn Loose the Swans
My Dying Bride
Shares a similar blend of mournful melodies and gothic themes within a doom-laden soundscape.
Serenades
Anathema
Equally explores themes of despair with haunting melodies and a rich atmospheric sound.
October Rust
Type O Negative
Combines gothic atmospheres and melancholic riffs, creating an emotional resonance with dark lyrical themes.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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