Back in the early 90s, Paradise Lost had developed into one of the UK’s most significant underground metal bands. Their relentless work ethic had seen them pen four records in as many years from 1990 to 1993, including classics such as 1991’s Gothic and 1993’s Icon, and the Halifax misery merchants’ crusty doom was reaching into more melodious territories. But by the time they reached 1995, and were ready to start work on their fifth album, Draconian Times, Paradise Lost were feeling burnt out.
“It’s a bit of a blur,” guitarist Gregor Mackintosh tells us today, when we ask him to reflect on the record. “We recorded Icon and then we went on tour with Kreator and Morbid Angel in America. Then we did the Chaos A.D. tour with Sepultura in Europe, and then we were told to record a new album straight away. We hardly got to go home for a few years because it was tour, record, tour, record, and when you’re playing this certain style of music for so long without a break, I defy anyone not to get itchy feet. It’s like working in a factory, albeit a nice factory with free drinks. We needed variation; we needed a shift. It became a little bit of a burnout period.”
