REVIEW: Paradise Lost at Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea

Paradise Lost Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea
Paradise Lost. Picture: Danny PayneParadise Lost. Picture: Danny Payne
Paradise Lost. Picture: Danny Payne

Greek mythology suggests those who gazed into the eyes of Medusa were instantly turned to stone.

Paradise Lost, the legendary British doom metal band who have just named their 15th album after the infamous Gorgon, would surely hope for a crowd that hadn’t just taken a glance at the mythological beast.

But a stationary crowd they were given.

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A reminder from the congregation claims they last played Portsmouth in 2012 – ‘hence why I didn’t remember,’ laughs frontman Nick Holmes – and this is a group that has proven they have staying power in a genre that has seen its share of fads.

That being said, the band from ‘up north’ couldn’t muster much energy from this audience.

Tracks from Medusa were sprinkled into the set, including show opener From The Gallows.

Frontman Nick Holmes told this very paper: ‘I don’t see the point in doing a new album and then not playing anything from it.’

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He kept true to his word but did smatter a number of other tracks from the band’s extensive back catalogue into the band’s hour and a half headline set – including classics Enchantment and One Second.

Sludgy, gothic doom was delivered to the Wedgewood Rooms but overall, Paradise Lost fell a bit flat.

ASH CURTIS

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