The beginnings of something very large or controversial ...

In the present publication is "remastered" versions of the demos "Paradise Lost" (entries 1-3), "Frozen Illusion" (4-6) and the "Plains of Desolation" Live Bootleg (7-12) 1988 or 89, that is where the death / gothic metal was still a time in its infancy.

With regard to the recording quality of the title may be expectations not screw up, because on the one hand the quality of the sources must have been very limited, which I now simply point times, and other hand, the recording equipment and thus also the demo quality over the last 20 years, but enormous progress has made and thus no longer stands up to a comparison with today.

What this means for the 3 parts? When "PL" Demo you have suppressed with the sledgehammer, the hiss, which unfortunately led to a complete loss of heights. On this was omitted in the "FI" demo, so it is essential anhörbarer than the former, and you can enjoy the "rumbling" songs perfectly. Also in the "POD" Boot Gottlob was waived noise reduction, however, the recording part, the typical bootleg sound fluctuations and dropouts, to which you however get used to the time (-> same time I have been significantly worse Boots belongs).

With regard to the interaction of the guys asks you partially as they have managed to start at the same time or to stop playing. The individual skills are not exactly brilliant ... they were simply too young. The latter is also reflected in the pithy, "pseudo-evil" announcements between songs, at the Live titles.

Why I forgive then, despite the recent Verrisses 4 stars? If all titles such as the "PL" demo, so a maximum of 2.5 stars would have been possible (-> in particular for "Morbid Existence", which is for me only atonal noise). However, comes with the "FI" Demo the great turning point and we recognize the increase within 6 months, which is significantly (-> playing technique and structure) may determine to "Internal Torment". In "Frozen Illusion" suggests Greg Mackintosh to become the hallmark for PL solos, but which are still far away from the current state. The Bootleg is the rough, crude brutality of the band at that time again perfect and explains how it was possible that, despite the shortcomings of Paradise Lost are among the founding fathers of gothic metal. To this end, I recommend simply times the ear inclined toward "Plains Of Desolation" or "Drown In Darkness" to judge.

Bottom line, contact the 4 stars from 3 stars for the songs + 1 Star Nostalgia / "pink glasses" together, which I neglect entirely the production quality.

Of course, one could also say that it is the sound carrier to the pressure of acoustic pipe free of talentless musicians trades pubertal grunts and that it does not even deserve one star ... but this is, like so much in the eye of the beholder. Deciding how many stars the CD actually deserves everyone must take for himself.

Small jibe towards the Hr. Vorrezensenten:
do not know a, fan of the first hour and then the demo tapes? Let me laugh a short time ...
b, What has the "host" bashing in a review to songs from the early stage lost? Taste is relative and "host" is one for me with "Gothic", "DT", "sol" and especially "TAOM" to the best of PL.

PS Comments regarding lack of objectivity do not care, because I think all music reviews on Amazon are here subjectively or you can evaluate everything in the positive or negative direction on the setting of appropriate framework parameters.