The day has finally arrived: Paradise Lost give their new gem, Obsidian, to the world today. Under the circumstances of the last months, the new masterpiece of the band became something like a sign of hope for music fans all over the worlds, the previously released singles a soundtrack for these difficult, uncertain times.

These days, the British legend from Halifax is the drug that numbs the pain, the lover that takes away the sorrows, the story that craves to be told. But of course, everyone spins his or her own story in the turbulences of life. But the most important: a new chapter begins. And that's what gives us hope in difficult times like this. 

To mark the occasion, the band released a video for "Darker Thoughts", a mesmerizing and gloomy piece of music. The unique style of the video is also due to the restrictions of Covid-19. Whereas Nick's performance parts were shot pre-lock-down, video producer Ash Pears from AshTV had to finish the video with random filmed bits.

Nick Holmes states: "Musically, this is a song of 2 halves and was originally written as an intro towards the end of the Obsidian writing process. As a result, it's one of the more spontaneous songs on the album. Lyrically, it's a song about choosing the wrong path - failing to look before you leap, and dealing with the consequence of dubious decisions."

Obsidian... dark, reflective and black: it’s a pretty decent description of the music that Paradise Lost have been making over the last 32 years, even though this most resilient of British metal bands have stoically refused to be pinned down to one easily defined formula. Powered by a lust for creativity and a stout devotion to haunting heaviness, Paradise Lost have defied the odds by coming back stronger than ever over the past decade.

Nick Holmes comments about the new album: "One of the most eclectic albums we have done in some time, we have miserable songs, sad songs, slow songs and faster songs. Did I mention miserable?"

The sixteenth Paradise Lost studio album, Obsidian, eschews its immediate predecessors’ gruesome, myopic approach in favour of a richer and more dynamic deluge of black shades. From the deceptive elegance and dual atmospheres of opener "Darker Thoughts" through to the crushing, baroque doom of war-torn closer "Ravenghast", Obsidian reveals a band in masterful control of a broad array of vital ideas. Most noticeably, the record boasts several songs that draw heavily from the much-loved, Kohl-encrusted days of ‘80s gothic rock: in particular, newly-minted Paradise Lost anthems‚ "Ghosts" is a guaranteed dancefloor-filler at any discerning goth nightclub.

Obsidian tracklisting:

"Darker Thoughts"
"Fall From Grace"
"Ghosts"
"The Devil Embraced"
"Forsaken"
"Serenity"
"Ending Days"
"Hope Dies Young"
"Ravenghast"

Watch for the new BraveWords feature on Paradise Lost and Obsidian, coming soon.

"Ghost" lyric video:

"Fall From Grace" video: