Paradise Lost: One Second (20th Anniversary Edition) (Music For Nations)

Originally released in 1997, One Second was the sixth studio album from English gothic metal innovators Paradise Lost. The band, which started out with a much heavier doom metal sound had completely moved into a more Sisters of Mercy-inspired gothic rock sound with this release, which was the breaking point for a lot of fans who preferred albums like Gothic and Shades of God.

One Second was the first Paradise Lost album I heard, so it has a special place in my heart. Actually, One Second is my favorite Paradise Lost release after Draconian Times. Yes, it’s a lot less metal than previous albums, and a lot more synthy and keyboard-oriented, but the band played this kind of goth rock really well, and the songs are incredibly well-written. The melodies are insanely catchy, and the songs rock. Some of the band’s best ever songs are on One Second (like “Say Just Words,” “Soul Courageous” and the haunting “Disappear”). If it doesn’t exactly qualify as a metal album, so be it. It helps that Nick Holmes finally found his voice here, not growling or trying to sound like James Hetfield.

If you’re looking for the heavier, doomier Paradise Lost, this isn’t it. Try Gothic or even their more recent Faith Divides Us Death Unites Us. If you’re into the more accessible, gothic-sounding Paradise Lost, One Second is an essential album.

Reissue Notes: To mark the 20th anniversary of this overlooked classic, Music For Nations has released a deluxe, 2-disc reissue of One Second. Disc 1 features the full One Second album, newly remastered. Now, the album already sounded good, and didn’t necessarily need remastering, but they did a good job polishing it up a bit. There’s no dramatic change in the sound, but that’s not a bad thing. The second disc is an 18-song live CD called Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 1998 that’s loaded with songs from the One Second and Draconian Times albums. It’s a nice addition, and sounds surprisingly good. The whole thing is packaged in a thick, sturdy mediabook with expanded liner notes bound inside. It looks good, sounds good, and gave me an excuse to revisit one of my favorite Paradise Lost albums. My only complaint is that they didn’t include any of the b-sides from the singles from this era. I’d much rather have those rare studio tracks than a live album.