It was Paradise Lost’s turn to try their luck with a symphonic orchestra… a difficult task as we have already said before since only few have managed to go through this music trial ‘unhurt ‘despite their grand name or popularity. The role of Ulysses has been successfully deployed only by Within Temptation who managed to “throw their arrows successfully through Penelope’s axes” with the “Black Symphony”. All the rest had to be comforted with “it was a good attempt”. That’s where we find Paradise Lost too. “Symphony For The Lost” is the performance of Shadowkings in Plovdiv, Bulgaria on 20th September 2014 at “The Ancient Roman Theatre Of Philippoupolis” . Their performance is split into two parts; the first part is enhanced by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the city and the Ronda Pessen choir under the conductor Levon Manukyan. It is only natural that this first part attracts the greatest interest of this release. The ancient Roman theatre undoubtedly empowers the visual part of a concert in which, during the first two songs, the band and mainly Nick Holmes seem to be like a fish out of the water, possibly because of the nature of the stage (semicircular space) where the exclusively sitting audience is within a considerable distance from it. As time goes by, the band is gradually getting used to these conditions and the outcome is surely positive. The Plovdiv Philharmonic definitely gives a different color to the sound of the music. However, we can’t really say that it offers something memorable to it. Nevertheless, we are dealing with some excellent performances of songs which were selected by the band and come from the works of the last ten years of the band. In the second part (second CD) the orchestra departs and Paradise Lost seem to be released from…. God knows what…
Although, I personally don’t usually write down the setlist in a review, I will do it in this case because I consider it extraordinary.
“Symphony For The Lost” is released in a double CD plus DVD pack as well as double vinyl plus DVD pack, with their delivery of the latter unfortunately being problematic for Greece. Both editions are wrapped up in top quality packaging which make them extremely attractive; the cover is also incredibly attractive!
In the DVD you can find a twenty-six minute documentary with interviews of the band members as well as the technical support team which escort them, the best moments from rehearsals at the theatre with several backstage shots, all of them being the usual concert stuff which are different in this case due to the theatrical character of the venue.
This specific release is a ‘must-have’ item for Paradise Lost fans without excluding any other lovers of the specific music genre. It can, in no case, represent the ‘best of’ live of the band.
CD1 Setlist: Tragic Idol, Last Regret, Your Own Reality, Over The Madness, Joys Of The Emptiness, Victim Of The Past, Soul Courageous, Gothic.
CD2 Setlist: The Enemy, Erased, Isolate, Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us, As I Die, One Second, True Belief, Say Just Words, The Last Time
