Paradise Lost / KK’s Steelmill / Wolverhampton

On a cool autumn Friday night , we queue outside at KK’s Steelmill, hoping the rain doesn’t start, eager to see Paradise Lost on their 2025 UK tour. The line up tonight looks to be incredible and we’re excited to get in, grab a drink and head to the barrier.

First up are High Parasite, formed only in 2021 and fronted by Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride fame. Well, former frontman of My Dying Bride, as its just been announced they have parted ways. But, I have to say, High Parasite are something special and that sits fine for me !

High Parasite are a gothic/doom metal band, and their songs centre around themes of life, struggles, darkness and hopelessness. Cheery stuff….. and its fantastic !

They start the set with Parasite Aaron resplendent on white suit and facial paint, and Tombs on bass, the opposite in black with a skull face mask. There is a sense of excitement and enthusiasm and they are ready to entertain.

Sam Hill and Jonny Hunter are mesmerising on guitar while Dan Brown delivers a killer set on drums giving the whole thing balance and energy. Grave Intentions and Hate Springs Eternal are highlights delivered with emotion and passion. Aaron seems to have a new found energy and looks like he’s loving life in High Parasite….. and if this is the result ? Long may it continue !

Setlist

Parasite

Concentric Nightmares

Grave Intentions

Wasn't Human

Hate Springs Eternal

Let It Fail

Forever We Burn

Up next are a new band to me, Italian doom metal alchemists Messa. Formed in 2014 they came together from a diverse range of musical backgrounds, blending together to create something truly unique with a style and sound somewhere formed in a swirling mass of Prog, Black Metal, Punk, Dark Ambient, jazz, Blues and Doom. They released their latest album “The Spin” earlier this year.

Messa are Sara Bianchin (vocals), Alberto Piccolo (guitar), Marco Zanin (bass) and Rocco Toaldo (drums). The stage is dark and misty, creating a dark atmosphere, a great backdrop to their brand of prog doom. Alberto is something special on guitar, creating some evocative soundscapes over which Sara’s vocals drift beautifully, and at times he’s unleashed with some seriously impressive riff laden solos.

Its not as raw and powerful as some, but it delivers with a darkness and subtle dark ambience.

Messa are the perfect reason why you should always arrive early – you never know what you’ll miss, and they’ve been on my Spotify rotation ever since !

Setlist

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Paradise Lost are one of those bands that just have a chemistry, not surprising since the same four band members have been together for 34 years. But tonight is a little different. Instead of a show packed with the classics, the new 2025 album “Ascension” takes centre stage, with a selection of deeper cuts to mix things up a bit, such as True Belief from 1993’s “Icon” which has been played now and then live but not a regular in the set.

The only song to make the setlist from their 1995 fan favourite album “Draconian Times” was Once Solemn. Into this they weave the new material, with the likes of Serpent on the Cross and Tyrants Serenade going down a treat with the fans. Indeed the night ends on a new track, the stunning Silence Like the Grave.

For me, highlights included Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us from the 2009 album of the same name, and Ghosts from 2020’s “Obsidian” with its punchy drum intro before a downright dirty bassline jumps in to get your head banging along. Ghosts has always reminded me somewhat of Sisters of Mercy, and I love it !

The main set ended with Say Just Words from 1997’s “One Second” with gothic rock oozing out of every note.

Paradise Lost are a truly unique band, having created a unique style of their own somewhere between heavy and slow metal and melancholic gothic rock, all underpinned with sublime musical ability. Paradise Lost are very much amongst the greatest and most influential metal bands around, and tonight’s offering of new material and rarer heard treats….. showed they have plenty more to offer.

Setlist

Serpent on the Cross

Tragic Idol

True Belief

One Second

Once Solemn

Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us

Pity the Sadness

Beneath Broken Earth

Nothing Sacred

Tyrants Serenade

Requiem