Paradise Lost return this September with their monumental new album Ascension, a record drenched in molten misery, towering riffs, and the unmistakable melancholy that has defined their sound for nearly four decades. We sat down with vocalist Nick Holmes to discuss the making of the record, the crushing new single “Tyrants Serenade,” and how the band continues to push forward while honouring their gothic doom legacy.
Writing and recording Ascension
According to Nick Holmes, the extended gap since 2020’s Obsidian gave Paradise Lost more time to step back, refine ideas, and return with sharper focus. Working with guitarist Gregor Mackintosh and producer Lawrence Mackrory, the band sculpted an album that balances doom heaviness with melodic sweep. Holmes noted that the process of trading files rather than jamming in person allowed the band to be brutally critical and precise, ensuring only the strongest material made the cut.
Tracks like “Lay A Wreath Upon The World” and “Life Unknown” stand out for their dynamics and unexpected twists, adding to the album’s sense of flow. Nick Holmes also stressed the importance of sequencing songs with a vinyl mentality—thinking in terms of A-side and B-side journeys that encourage full playthroughs rather than front-loading hits.
Visuals and themes
The cover of Ascension features George Frederic Watts’ painting The Court of Death, a grim allegory that captures the album’s tension between despair and faint hope. Working once again with director Ash Pears, Paradise Lost pushed video concepts into new territory while staying true to their bleak aesthetic.
Holmes admitted that his own ideas often spiral into “movie-level” concepts before being pared down to practical visions, but he embraces collaboration with trusted creatives who understand the spirit of the band.
Touring and longevity
With Ascension due out September 19 via Nuclear Blast, Nick Holmes confirmed that the upcoming tour will feature the three singles live, along with a refreshed setlist of deep cuts and fan favourites. After 37 years, Paradise Lost continue to prove why they remain gothic doom royalty, influencing generations from HIM and Cradle of Filth to Chelsea Wolfe and beyond.
Reflecting on the journey, Nick Holmes joked about the passage of time, the bus fire that nearly ended the band in Germany, and the friendships that have endured across the metal scene. For him, the band remains an essential escape, a creative outlet that has never lost its meaning.
Ascension Tracklist:
3. Salvation
5. Lay A Wreath Upon The World
6. Diluvium
7. Savage Days
8. Sirens
9. Deceivers
10. The Precipice
About PARADISE LOST:
More than three decades into their career, and with over two million albums sold, PARADISE LOST remain the undisputed kings of metal’s dark side. Formed in Halifax in 1988, the band quickly became noted as the pioneers of gothic metal through their early groundbreaking albums like 1991’s aptly-titled Gothic, a mixture of heaviness intertwined with shadowy melody and atmosphere.
Never a group to remain creatively static, across their career they’ve explored a myriad of avenues of dark music, from sludgy doom-death roots, to conquering the metal mainstream with the enormous, lush sounds of 1995’s Draconian Times, to more experimental, electronic leanings, leaving an influence on a trail of artists as varied as CRADLE OF FILTH, HIM, GATECREEPER and CHELSEA WOLFE.
Now, in 2025, the Yorkshire quintet return with their staggering 17th album, Ascension, a record that sees their crown continue to gleam as it underlines just how they attained their position. Produced by guitarist Gregor Mackintosh at Black Planet studios in East Yorkshire, with drums and vocals captured at NBS and Wasteland studios in Sweden, its 10 tracks traverse the multitude of sounds in the band’s arsenal, from full-bore heavy metal to sky-high melody, all the while keeping a minor-key melancholy that remains irresistible.
