Paradise Lost (formed in 1988 in Halifax, UK) began as one of the premier bands of the death doom metal genre (along with their former Peaceville labelmates Anathema and My Dying Bride) and pioneered the sound of early gothic metal. In the late 1990s they evolved to a more mainstream synth rock style, only to come full-circle back to their doom metal and gothic metal roots on recent releases. Ironically, the band is almost unknown in their home country, whereas in mainland Europe they have been extremely popular for many years, especially in Greece, Germany and Bulgaria, where they are regarded as mainstream rock stars. Although they are best known for pioneering gothic metal, throughout their career the band have also confounded fans and critics alike with their perpetual taste for reinvention and experimentation, a desire to work with producers from other musical genres, and an oft-stated refusal to repeat themselves for fear of stagnation. For instance, vocalist Nick Holmes used a muddy sounding grunt-style of singing in the band's early duration - "Lost Paradise" (1990) and "Gothic" (1991); upon the release of "Shades Of God" (1992), "Icon" (1993) and "Draconian Times" (1995), he refined his voice to a cleaner tone almost akin to James Hetfield of Metallica; and on "One Second" (1997), which was distributed by hip hop label Jive Records, the band experimented with Depeche Mode-styled synthpop and electronica, a style they would develop even further on "Host" (1999). Despite criticism from traditionalists, this bold approach has also garnered them many new fans along the way, and cemented the loyalty of progressive "old-timers." Paradise Lost's line-up has remained remarkably consistent for such a long-standing band, consisting of singer Holmes, guitarists Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy, and bassist Steve Edmonson. Holmes and Mackintosh are the principal composers, with almost all of the band's songs credited solely to them. Only the band's drumming position has changed, with original sticks man Matthew Archer leaving in 1994 to be replaced by ex-Marshall Law drummer Lee Morris. In March 2004, Morris also left the band. Drummer Jeff Singer was brought in as a session and live drummer for the "Paradise Lost" album. Paradise Lost released their 11th album "In Requiem" which has a heavier guitar sound and a more aggressive vocal direction than their past records. Over The Madness, a documentary by Diran Noubar displaying the impact Paradise Lost has had on gothic metal, was released in 2007. A single named "The Enemy" from the album was released on April 13th, 2007. Their 12th studio album "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" was released on October 2009. The album was produced by Jens Bogren. On this album, the band shed all remnants of their poppier sound, resulting in their heaviest release since before Draconian Times. In 2012, they released Tragic Idol. The style of this album is in line with the previous two albums, continuing with more metal oriented songs, almost returning to Shades of God and Icon, a bit more polished and with very crisp mixing by returning Jens Bogren. Drums on Tragic Idol are by Adrian Erlandsson. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

It’s been a long time coming for Pallbearer.  A well-earned hiatus to record their last album Forgotten Days turned into a much longer stretch when COVID hit, which means the band returns to the stage just in time to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the seminal Sorrow And Extinction. Safe to say you can expect cuts from that beloved classic when they hit Desertfest.. but above all you can look forward to an energized and freshened version of your favorite doomsters!

Coming from an unlikely location like Lisbon, Portugal, SINISTRO are the embodiment of both lush and devastating musical landscapes driven by five individuals from distinct art circles. SINISTRO have been cultivating sonic exploration since writing their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2012 and delivers elegant doom rock combined with a soundtrack like approach that harvested praise from both public and critics alike. SINISTRO's next effort 'Cidade' (2013) welcomed singer Patrícia Andrade on board and went on to explore a massive wall of guitars combined with gritty keyboard layers and an emotional vocal performance. With the added singing, some writers suggested Fado as one of the band's aesthetic resources. Backed by unanimous critical acclaim, 'Cidade' established SINISTRO as an essential name in the Portuguese music scene. SINISTRO began composing their next album in 2014. The band added a second guitarist into their fold, who helped pushing their unique style another step further. Keeping a cinematic feeling in the background, The Portuguese vary from abrasive musical thickness to a perfect sense of stillness, which portrays the urban landscapes of their homeland and its legacy with a strong visual presence. SINISTRO created seven brand new tracks that are bound to appeal to music fans of various genres. Despite being a comparatively new entity, the members of SINISTRO are no strangers to their native music scene. The band features an actress, a music producer, and instrumentalists, who have followed this path for over 20 years as part of other acts such as WE ARE THE DAMNED, BESTA, MOURNING LENORE, and many others. Members: Patricia Andrade - Vocals Y - Guitar F - Bass, Keys R - Guitar P - Drums

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