This song is the title track from the Album 'Gothic'. This was Paradise Lost's second album. It was more than a groundbreaking album, with it (and their first album) the band pretty much started the whole Death / Doom genre of metal. It featured Death metal vocals, and slow, atmospheric, dark guitar with orchestral harmonies and female vocals.

This style is now commonplace in metal, but Paradise Lost were the ones to start it. At the time metal was all about speed, championed by the likes of Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer. It was quite funny watching folks in the thrash crowds trying to mosh to this new, slow dark metal. It takes a little getting used to I guess.

The band went on to produce some great stuff, and then completely changed direction - losing a lot of their hardcore fans in the process. However, they seem to have returned to the heavier side of things again. Amongst other things the band are credited with pioneering Gothic Metal. They are hugely popular in Europe, and are well worth a listen.

This song is one of their best from the early years. Because of the slow style, it is not beyond beginners. There is also a lot of tension and atmosphere in the music. We've kept to the original tuning of Eb, because it sounds better:

Low Eb:Ab:Db:Gb:Bb:Eb

Gregor Mackintosh is the lead guitarist and has a distinct style. While everyone else was concerned with playing faster, he was more concerned with atmosphere and the music. He could do the fast stuff, but instead played lead to suit the music. Well done Gregor.

For the lead, use lots of reverb, delay and sustain. This helps give those long notes. Gregor is a master of the vibrato technique too - it extends the life of the note, and sounds cool.

Intro - See what we mean about the vibrato ;)

Chorus - A short repetitive riff. Used throughout the song.

Verse - Hammer on and hold the note, applying vibrato. End with this little descending lick (its tricky to get fast, but stick at it). Then just keep repeating.

Interlude 1 - Easy to play, and a great part in the song.

Chorus - Again.

Solo - Typical Gregor, nice and slow with the odd fast flurry. Skip the fast stuff if you aren't up to it yet. He also uses a lot of delay on the first part of the solo. So this Pull off isn't actually played twice like we show, but is repeated due to the delay effect. Just do what we did, and play it twice to get the same effect. Or use lots of delay :)

From here on out all the song parts are just the same as before except for:

Interlude 2 - Another orchestral interlude, which actually runs into the first interlude riffs again.

Sing along now kids 'Slowly passing, timeless horrors'.