INTERVIEW: GREGOR MACKINTOSH (Paradise Lost)

Interview by Thanasis Mpogris.

Paradise Lost is one of the 3 most influential bands of the last decade, for the heavy metal sound, with Dream Theater and Pantera. Shortly after the release of their new masterpiece “In Requiem”, we had the honor to talk with the lead guitarist and music composer of the band, Greg Mackintosh.

Thanasis: Greetings from Greece, Gregor. I'm Thanasis from Hall of music blog/zine. Please accept my congratulations for your new masterpiece. It's gone short time since the release of "In Requiem" album. How do you feel about it?

Gregor: Very happy with it. It turned out exactly how we wanted. The record label seems to be doing a good job too.

Th: The new material, sounds to my ear as a return to the 1992-1994 era of the group. Heavy/doom riffs, dark atmosphere and melancholic mood. Was that return, a decision or something that came natural?

Gr: I can draw comparisons with older albums like Gothic, Shades of God, and Icon, but I think that's because the same people played on all these albums. With In Requiem we wanted a more raw sound. We have done a lot of experimenting
and it just feels fresh for us to do an album like this right now.

Th: I believe that the new album is the best that you released since "Draconian Times". Do you agree with that?

Gr: I think it depends on your perspective. A lot of our records are quite different and i believe they are all strong in different ways. In Requiem is the heaviest and most organic album we have done for quite some time though.Th: The sound of the new album is incredible. How it was to work with Rhys Fulber and Mike Frazer? Does Rhys tend to be what Simon Efemey was for the band, in mid '90s?

Gr: Rhys is involved like an outside view of the songs. He honestly tells us his opinions on things and we trust that opinion, even though sometimes we don't agree. We approached the production of this album very differently. There is a big trend in music to completely edit your music within programs like pro tools, to achieve a perfect sounding album. We deliberately did the opposite. We wanted an album that was not perfect, but retained the energy and life that happened when the songs were first written. The drums were recorded in a day and a half and not edited. Same with the bass and so on. I think Mike Frazer, who mixed the album has done an amazing job. We wanted a big symphonic sound, but also a very live, organic sound. Not an easy thing to achieve but I think he did it.

Th: From the beginning, Paradise Lost made a progress from album to album and every time you appeared a new face, without losing your identity. What kind of progress do you feel that you made on the new album?

Gr: On In Requiem we took the more movie score approach, and less poppy less commercial song structures. This makes it probably less immediate than our last 2 albums, but hopefully it makes it more interesting to listen to.

Th: Some days ago i watched the "The Enemy" videoclip. Amazing work. Very "doomy", in many ways.

Gr: Thanks

Th: I would like to made you a question not so relevant with the new album. Which is your opinion about the music downloads from internet? Do you believe that the whole thing, can work for a band of against?

Gr: Great for exposure, terrible for sales.

Th: On July 8, you gonna be headliners for the Gagarin Open Air Festival, here in Greece. Which is your memories from past live shows in our country, and which are your expectations for that day?

Gr: We have always loved our visits to Greece. We have lots of friends there and the shows have always been great, thanks to the fans. If the next show there is anywhere near as good as previous shows we have done there, it will be great.

Th: I wanna thank you Gregor for the interview. It was such an honor for me and "Hall Of Music" to talk with you. I wish you the best for the future. Take care.

Gr: Thanks.