Paradise Lost, Vienna
Since I missed them in Belgrade, and my brother was the one who first introduced me to them through the legendary Once Solemn and Forever Failure, when I saw the announcement for Zagreb, I thought — maybe it would be nice to go. But then, while googling, I saw they were playing in Vienna on October 31st for Halloween, and I thought — Zagreb isn’t really “abroad,” but Vienna is Vienna — so why not?
I bought a ticket and patiently waited for October 31st. The trip from Belgrade wasn’t easy for a metalhead my age, but since I’ve been listening to them more intensely over the past year, it wasn’t much of a burden. After checking into my accommodation near BOKU University (Forestry & Agricultural), in Smartments where everything runs on cards and tags, I found myself downtown shortly before the concert. The city looked straight out of Helloween’s “Helloween” video — ghosts and ghouls everywhere, masked people from 7 to 77 years old. I warmed up at an Irish pub, no reservation, just grabbed a table for 15 minutes — enough time for one beer. It was my first time at Simm City. Not hard to find — plenty of metalheads outside finishing the last sips from their cans. I entered near the end of Lacrimas Profundere’s set, partly because of the cloakroom and partly due to the line for drinks and merch.
Speaking of merch — pretty lame. A few CDs, a drumhead, and some T-shirts. The sign said: “2 T-shirts old design — 25€.” Thinking I’d get two shirts for 25€, which sounded unbelievable, I asked if I could pick the size. After confirming yes, and agreeing on size L, the seller handed me two brown envelopes marked “L” in black marker — total mystery packages. Two shirts for 25€ sounded like a decent bargain, but she then said it’s actually 50€. So, I opted for one new design for 35€. After securing my concert souvenir, I went into the hall. Lacrimas Profundere sounded like Sisters of Mercy — a nicely warmed-up crowd, blue haze, and stage prep for Messa. Quick backdrop change and setup. I found my spot to the left of the mixing desk, where, interestingly, a police officer stood the entire time. No idea why — but hey, let’s not give anyone ideas to try that back home.
Messa started with tones reminiscent of Dismal Euphony, but with bass and guitar parts that looped hypnotically. The female vocals flowed throughout, calming yet complete. One guitar, one bass — perfect combination, especially during solos. The guitarist was truly excellent. During the encore, the bassist switched to a synth, creating an atmospheric intro that led into a slow, doomy wall of sound. At 21:12, the backdrop changed again — time for Paradise Lost.
The triggered bass drum shook my kidneys. I expected a lot. The cop finally went on break, accidentally bumped into a girl, turned, and politely apologized — sounds made-up, I know, but this is Vienna after all. Exactly at 21:35, Paradise Lost took the stage. Serpent on the Cross opened — chills down the spine, the crowd erupted. Then came Tragic Idol and True Belief, followed by One Second — the crowd singing every word. Then Nick Holmes took us back to 1995 with Once Solemn — goosebumps again. They still sound just like they did 30 years ago. The tempo slowed with Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us, then jumped back to the past with Pity the Sadness. Without pause, they launched into Beneath Broken Earth. The heaviness of that riff — pure molten sludge pulling the audience in like a black hole. Whoever made that “Domination — heaviest riff in the universe” meme has clearly never heard Beneath Broken Earth — that riff’s gravity is ten black holes combined. Next came Nothing Sacred, then Tyrants Serenade — a newer track that the crowd sang along to surprisingly well. Slightly bitter moment though — the clean vocals were pre-recorded, but honestly, when you’re doing your own backing vocals — been there, done that. They continued with Mouth, one of their earliest demo-era songs, and wrapped up with Say Just Words — “’Cause you presume the winner is you — but that’s not true…” For the encore, they returned after a few minutes of ovations and finished with No Celebration, Ghosts, and Silence Like the Grave.
There are only a few bands left on my bucket list that I’d love to see live — Carcass, Vintersorg, and maybe a couple more I can’t recall right now. The venue was great, the experience unforgettable, and the memory of this concert — eternal.
Review and photos: Dragan Mirković