It was a beautiful, sunny autumn Sunday when Jerneja and I set off for Padua, some 200 km away, for a concert not to be missed — Paradise Lost and Messa. We arrived at the venue, the Hall (as is often the case in Italy, tucked away in an industrial zone), at 14:15, having arranged an interview with legendary guitarist, composer, and Paradise Lost founder Gregor Mackintosh. True to schedule, the interview unfolded in a relaxed atmosphere in the "living room" of the tour bus. Naturally, the conversation ran long, and the tour manager eventually had to cut it short as Greg needed to head to soundcheck.
The interview lasted about 45 minutes – yet even if it had gone on for three hours, we still wouldn't have managed to ask a musician of Mackintosh's calibre everything we wanted to know.
Once the interview was over, we set off to explore Padua – a city of roughly 200,000 inhabitants lying some forty-five kilometres inland from Venice. We had driven past it several times before but had never stopped, though we'd heard it was full of treasures. Sadly, we only had four hours at our disposal – not two full days, which might have been enough to take in all the sights. We parked about two kilometres from the city centre and, naturally, headed straight for a cappuccino. The closer we walked to the heart of the city, the more it teemed with Sunday strollers and street musicians. We passed cafés packed to the brim, scanning for a free table, and eventually found one directly opposite the famous Palazzo della Ragione.
From there, we visited Padua University, dating back to the 13th century, then the Basilica of Saint Anthony, along with a few other landmarks. Afterwards, we wandered through the charming little streets and the splendid square of Prato della Valle. Along the way, we searched for a pizzeria, but to no avail. There were plenty of pizza shops, of the kind where you queue – and the queues were anything but short – step up to the counter, order a slice, and leave. We, however, wanted to sit down at a table and enjoy a proper dinner. Such pizzerias simply didn't exist, or else they only opened at 19:00, which for us – not wishing to miss the concert – was too late. Isn't it ironic that in the homeland of pizza, on a Sunday afternoon, you'd sooner be able to buy ski gear than sit down to eat one? In the end, after many kilometres of walking, we had no choice but to give in and each buy a takeaway pizza – at least it was a whole one, in a box, and without a queue. Then it was time to head back to the venue.
The Hall is sizeable, with a capacity of around 2,000, perhaps more. Modern in design and seemingly with decent acoustics, it has one drawback: nowhere to sit. Before the Italian doom band Messa took the stage, and later during the break, hypnotic dark ambient doom played, creating a thick, gloomy atmosphere even without a band present. The venue was sold out, packed with fans mostly from Italy.
As we've come to expect in Italy – though we still don't much like it – we first had to queue to order a drink, pay for it, and receive a receipt. Only then could we join another queue to actually collect the drink. At least, on this occasion, they weren't selling food as well.
Sadly, the German gothic metal band Lacrimas Profundere were absent from this show, even though they are part of the tour at most other European stops. We knew this in advance, of course. In fact, we had initially considered going to the concert in Zagreb because of them, but having already been there several times, and with Padua being closer, we chose Padua instead.
At exactly 20:00, Messa took the stage to great enthusiasm. No surprise — they're practically locals and currently one of the hottest names on the international doom scene. In just under an hour, the quartet, led by vocalist Sara B., delivered convincing psychedelic, ethereal doom. They played six songs in total, five from their 2025 Metal Blade Records release The Spin. They opened with "Babalon" from their debut Belfry (2016), then continued with new tracks "At Races", "The Dress", "Immolation", "Reveal", and closed with the epic "Thicker Blood".
To me, they sounded like an atmospheric doom version of psychedelic Pink Floyd crossed with Chelsea Wolfe, with touches of Melvins and, of course, Black Sabbath. I enjoyed Messa, even though their style isn't exactly my usual taste. Sara showed excellent vocal ability, while the band's instrumental side was deeply rooted in retro '70s sounds. Altogether, it was hypnotic — I imagine under the influence of certain substances it would be even easier to sink into their sound. The audio was satisfactory, not perfect, but good enough. The audience wanted more, but as the support act, Messa understandably couldn't extend their set.
Around 21:15, to loud applause, the pioneers of gothic doom metal, Paradise Lost, took the stage. They're probably the band I've seen live the most — three times in the past three years, each time with a different drummer. As you may know, Jeff Singer has rejoined the band, having previously been a member in 2007 and 2008. Just over a month ago, Paradise Lost released their seventeenth studio album, Ascension (you can read my review over HERE). They opened with the album's first track, "Serpent On The Cross".
What followed was a wild setlist: the excellent "Tragic Idol", iconic "True Belief", unavoidable hit "One Second", and the driving "Once Solemn" — the only track from the monumental Draconian Times. The sound was solid, though a little shaky for the first minute. The audience was entranced, at times nearly drowning out Nick Holmes, who this time delivered a strong performance. Gregor Mackintosh conjured incredible sounds from his guitar, while the ever-energetic Aaron Aedy unleashed one melodic rhythm after another. Bassist Steve Edmondson stayed in the background as usual, while Jeff was often obscured by artificial fog and lighting effects. Paradise Lost came across as professional, not pompous — a band that, even after 35+ years, can still deliver a convincing show with minimal stage effects.
They continued with the magnetic "Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us", sung loudly by the entire hall. Next came the dark duo: cult classic "Pity The Sadness" from Shades Of God (1992), followed by the slow death/doom treat "Beneath Broken Earth". I was curious about what came next — "Nothing Sacred" from the controversial Host. It turned out to be a perfect choice, and one of the evening's highlights. Then came the new one "Tyrants Serenade", followed by "Requiem", and "Mouth", before the hall nearly exploded at the first notes of the absolute hit "Say Just Words".
That closed the main set, but the encore brought three more songs: a heavier version of "No Celebration" from Symbol Of Life (2002), the catchy gothic tune "Ghosts" from Obsidian (2020), and finally "Silence Like The Grave" from the new album. Amid loud, well-deserved applause, the band bid farewell and left the stage.
Paradise Lost delivered a strong, professional, elegant performance. I had expected more songs from Ascension — the incredible "Lay A Wreath Upon The World", perhaps "Savage Days", or the epic "Salvation". They skipped their first two albums (Lost Paradise and Gothic), as well as Paradise Lost and Medusa. The setlist order surprised me a little; I would have expected "True Belief" and "Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us" later in the show. Of course, everyone has their favourites with a band that has such a vast discography, and I believe they try to offer something for everyone. Understandably, no band can please all of its fans every time.
Personally, I thought it was an excellent show — it could have been just a bit longer, with two or three extra songs. After the concert, the hall emptied in an instant – as if it were on fire – and we made our way home.
Report by Tomaz
Photos by Tomaz
Edited by Jerneja
Paradise Lost Links: Official Website, Facebook, Instagram
Messa links: Facebook, Instagram
