Host (Paradise Lost album)

Following One Second, Host saw the band moving further away from their previous metal sound to something more akin to a melancholic style of synth-pop incorporating downtempo, leftfield, and trance electronic styles. Songs were constructed primarily of programmed drums and synthesizer melodies, with simple, rock-style guitar added for choruses. Vocalist Nick Holmes resolved to simple melodies with his clean singing style, often doubled and harmonized; the resultant material resembled crossover acts like Psykosonik^{[citation needed]} and electronic band Depeche Mode.

The singles "So Much Is Lost" and "Permanent Solution" both have music videos released; in an interview, Holmes and Mackintosh explained that the videos were higher budget compared to other videos they made.^[7]

Due to an injury, Gregor Mackintosh often played keyboards instead of guitar while touring the album with his guitar technician Milton "Milly" Evans playing his guitar parts.^[8]

While the album was critically well received, opinion about it continues to be split. Holmes commented on this album in 2007, stating:

"From Host through to Believe in Nothing, we didn't really kind of know where we were going. We were really in a dilemma."^[9]

Aedy said Host is the "darkest" Paradise Lost album, but noted the band was not happy with the production.^[10] The album was remastered and re-released in 2018.^[11]

The album eventually served as the inspiration of Holmes' and Mackintosh's side-project Host; in the press release about the formation, Mackintosh noted that "We always stood by Host as an album".^[12]

• Nick Holmes – lead vocals and lyrics
• Gregor Mackintosh – lead guitar (tracks 1–11, 13–16), keyboards, programming, string arrangements (1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 13), and all music
• Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitar, lead guitar on "Year of Summer"
• Steve Edmondson – bass
• Lee Morris – drums, backing vocals