Crucify”, a brand new song from British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST, is available for free download at CenturyMedia.com (e-mail sign-up required). The track comes off the band’s new album, “Tragic Idol”, which will be released on April 24 (one day earlier internationally) via Century Media Records. The CD was recorded in part at The Chapel studios in Lincolnshire, England and features cover art by by Parisian designer Valnoir, who has previously worked with MORBID ANGEL, LAIBACH, ULVER and WATAIN, among others.

Stated PARADISE LOST singer Nick Holmes about “Crucify”: “My father always used to say that typical life stresses were crucifying him. I always thought it was such a dramatic way of stating that. He was just uncomfortable with a situation that would soon be remedied. I also refer to an actual person as a literal crucifixion at the end. The words ‘for eternity you’re my sentence’ is my favorite line on the whole album.”

In other news, PARADISE LOST will embark on a U.K. headlining tour this April. To celebrate the event, PARADISE LOST will have a very limited number of VIP tickets available (10 per show) which you can purchase online from the band’s web site.

Commented singer Nick Holmes: “This is a pretty extensive U.K. tour for us. I’m speechless and excited. It’s nice to know there’s a WH Smith in every town we play”

The dates are as follows:

April 16 – Cardiff, England – Great Hall 2
April 17 – Southampton, England – The Brook
April 18 – Folkestone, England – Quarterhouse
April 19 – Colchester, England – Arts Centre
April 20 – Stoke, England – Sugarmill
April 22 – York, England – The Duchess
April 23 – Glasgow, Scotland – King Tuts
April 24 – Sheffield, England – Corporation
April 25 – Wolverhampton, England – Slade Rooms
April 26 – Nottingham, England – Rescue Rooms
April 27 – Manchester, England – Club Academy
April 29 – London, England – Scala
April 30 – Norwich, England – Waterfront

PARADISE LOST’s last full-length effort, “Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us”, came out in October 2009.

The band recently released the “Draconian Times MMXI” DVD via Century Media.

Sony Music reissued PARADISE LOST’s seminal 1995 album “Draconian Times” through the “Legacy” series; featuring the entire digitally remastered album, including a 5.1 Dolby Surround mix in a brand-new collector’s edition digipak box set, so fans could hear the album like never before. Along with this release, the band performed “Draconian Times” live at a series of seven exclusive gigs this past spring in Utrecht, Bochum, London, Paris, Athens, and Thessaloniki.

“Draconian Times MMXI” features the London show at The Forum on April 1, 2011, a documentary from the whole tour filmed by the band’s bass player Steve Edmondson, interviews about the history of “Draconian Times” with producer Simon Efemey, Nick Holmes (vocals), Greg Mackintosh (guitar), Aaron Aedy (guitar), Steve Edmondson (bass) and Andy Farrow (manager since 1990) and the two promo videos from PARADISE LOST’s latest album, “Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us”.

Source: www.blabbermouth.net