Paradise Lost are a heavy metal band formed in 1987 in Halifax, England. Along with countrymates Anathema and My Dying Bride, they are credited for creating the subgenre known as Death/Doom Metal.
While less so in their home country, they have been extremely popular in mainland Europe for many years, especially in Greece and Germany, where they are regarded as mainstream rock stars. Although they have also been partially attributable for pioneering gothic metal, throughout their career the band have also confounded fans and critics alike with their perpetual taste for reinvention and experimentation, a desire to work with producers from other musical genres, and an oft-stated refusal to repeat themselves for fear of stagnation.
For instance, vocalist Nick Holmes used a death grunt-style of singing on the band's first three albums (Lost Paradise (1990), Gothic (1991), and Shades Of God (1992)); Upon the release of Icon (1993), he refined his voice to a cleaner tone almost akin to James Hetfield of Metallica; And on One Second (1997), which was distributed by hip hop label Jive Records, the band experimented with Depeche Mode-styled synth pop and electronica. Despite criticism from traditionalists, this bold approach has also garnered them many new fans along the way, and cemented the loyalty of progressive "old-timers."
Paradise Lost's line-up has remained remarkably consistent for a long-standing heavy metal band, consisting of singer Holmes, guitarists Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, and bassist Steve Edmondson. Holmes and Mackintosh are the principal composers, with almost all of the band's songs credited solely to them. Only the band's drumming position has changed, with original sticks man Matthew Archer leaving in 1994 to be replaced by ex-Marshall Law drummer Lee Morris. In March 2004, Morris also left the band. Drummer Jeff Singer took Morris' place and has played on all subsequent releases, though he was not listed as a permanent member of the band until the release of single The Enemy in 2007.
