Gothic (The Definitive Edition) - Paradise Lost

Advantages: Melodic and catchy, the solos are back!
Disadvantages: bland, not as good as previous work

...As one of the most constantly evolving acts on the metal landscape, it's easy to forget that Paradise Lost began their career as one of the underpinning bands of the Northern English Doom scene. While their counterparts have in many cases remained true to the sound, or deviated into more modern incarnations, not even Nick Holmes' distinctive vocal chords lend a nod to the fact that Paradise Lost 2005 are the same band responsible for 1990's seminal release 'Lost Paradise'. After flirtations with electronica and various commercialisms, Paradise Lost have settled into playing a hybrid of gothic tinged, sample laden heavy rock with 2002's 'Symbol of Life' showing that they may well have finally found their feet. Thankfully, the band clearly haven't forgotten their misery filled roots as the British audience have had to wait several... Read review

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Advantages: Original, psychedelic, distinctive Moodys sound, an extra hour of music
Disadvantages: The album without the extras is rather short

...of the source of the tracks on the bonus disc. AVAILABILITY IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD - The Moody Blues (1968) Deluxe Edition (2006) - Two disc set Hybrid SACD DERAM 983214-7 Amazon.co.uk £12.99 CONCLUSIONS I have to admit that the Moody's have been one of my favourite two bands since the 1960s but I hadn't listened to these early releases for many years. Overall this is a more substantial and deeper album than 'Days'. Perhaps it should feel dated given its age and influences but in many ways I was pleasantly surprised it does not. It deserves an audience and will repay you with an understanding of the roots of the group. If you haven't listened to the Moody Blues then this is an ideal place to start. Is the new version worth the extra money (the old CD is still available)? Yes it is. Funnily enough (having bought one anyway... Read review

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Advantages: Diverse sampler for some of Vangelis' extensive discography.
Disadvantages: Lacks context, and ignores much classic material.

...2003 was an eventless year for the music of Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou. The FIFA World Cup anthem he recorded the previous year had been long forgotten, and doesn't even find its way onto this disc. It happened to be thirty years since his third-or-so album 'Earth,' which was quite good, but again doesn't donate any material. Some of the songs here have all been digitally mastered to be improvements on the originals, although this mastering was originally done about five or six best-ofs back. Perhaps it had simply been long enough since the last one to justify a repackaging and re-release under a bloated title. 'Odyssey,' despite its sub-title, has nothing of 'the definitive' about it. In the ceaseless line of best-of compilations for the one-time-Oscar-winning Greek composer, each release has to distinguish itself at least... Read review

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