Origin : Sweden
Genre : Gothic Doom Death Metal
Release : 2000 (Demo CD)
Album Info / Review
**Draconian – *The Closed Eyes of Paradise***
*Release date: 1997*
*Label: Doom House*
*Genre: Death‑doom / Gothic metal*
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### 1. Sonic Landscape
From the opening bars, *The Closed Eyes of Paradise* invites listeners into a cavernous soundscape where the somber weight of 70‑minute death‑doom is graced by gothic undertones. The overall tonality lands in a mid‑to‑low register, with a pronounced emphasis on low‑frequency thumps and bass‑backed riff structures that give the record its gravity. The atmospheric layers come predominantly from E-Type guitars drenched in delay and chorus, stacked over a web of textured synthesizer drones, which feel like ambient fog settling over a dark forest.
### 2. Riffing & Composition
Draconian’s riffs on this title run in hypnotic, repetitive cycles. The breakdown sections are brief, but powerful; guitars employ bar‑resonant power chords that lock in with the acoustic tremolo of the drums. Some tracks lean heavily on the repetitive chant‑like riffs that make the songs feel like a ritual, while others diverge into a slower, more melodic exhale. The transitions are smooth, riding on a unified rhythmic foundation but occasionally splintering into faster bursts that feel like quick flashes of a distant battlefield.
#### Highlights:
– **“The Stiff, The Silent”** – A 12‑minute epically built track that pairs steady, low guitars with soaring, yet sorrow‑laden clean vocal runs. The delayed guitar lines feel like waves that crash and recede rhythmically.
– **“The Great Modern”** – Notoriously one of the heaviest tracks on the album. Plays out as an irresistible low‑mid groove, interlaced with subtle piano loops that provide an occasional glint of melancholy.
### 3. Vocal Treatment
The vocal texture flips seamlessly between harsh growls and melodic singing, both handled by male vocalist Alex “Draconian” and his female counterpart, Ingelin. The growls are jagged yet deliberately exaggerated, reinforcing the death‑doom ethos. The clean, vowel‑rich arias rise like incantations, creating a mythic narrative gossiped over a dark backdrop. Vocals sit subsumed under lush reverb, so they blend with the instrumentals instead of dominating the mix.
### 4. Production Quality
Recorded in a modest studio—sometimes the spirit of the “dirt” factor is a perk—production on *The Closed Eyes of Paradise* is intentionally looser than many modern standards. In that looseness, there’s a lovely authenticity: drums ripple over bass with natural decay, and guitars never feel as if they’ve been freeze‑mized. Nevertheless, the mixing demonstrates an awareness of the gothic elements: quieter passages are given air by the expansive reverb and spatial placement. The master seems to maintain an intentional distortion in the lower frequencies, which befits the themes and culmination of the record.
Despite this “raw” approach, the clarity between individual layers remains intact. Guitars cut the mix, vocal lines land where they should, and the ambient synths are audible in the background unmolested by the other instruments.
### 5. Overall Impression and Context
*The Closed Eyes of Paradise* is a strong example of late 90s death‑doom that wields its gloomy source material without flinching. The album’s structure adapts the genre’s theme of sustained melancholy while making it accessible enough for a broader listening crowd. Draconian demonstrates an ability to combine the often head‑banging heaviness of doom with a gently melodic atmosphere that invites listeners into the world’s haunting beauty.
While some may find certain repeat riffs a little monotonous, the collective restraint across the tracklist keeps the feeling of a purposely drawn-out nighttime dream. The record offers the kind of sonic safety net that invites the listener to sit and bide their time, aligning perfectly with death‑doom’s signature decline and emotional culmination.
On a spectrum of doom‑heavy releases, *The Closed Eyes of Paradise* stands out for its generous use of gothic texture while preserving a quintessential doom canopy. For fans of heavy, dark atmospheres and those looking for an immersive session of poetic sorrow, the album remains a milestone that caps Draconian’s early chapter with an unmistakable, melancholy brushstroke.
