The first reason must be that in metal magazines of that time, it was stated that, after the "Draconian Times" album was released back in 1995, Paradise Lost surpassed Metallica in some of the North-European metal charts, and as a result Paradise Lost received "The European Metallica" nickname.
The second reason for this approach is that Paradise Lost has been influenced by Metallica's music when they decided to adopt clean vocals, and represents Nick Holmes' first favorite band when he started to listen to metal music!
That being said it can be imagined almost each Paradise Lost album paralleled, somehow to a Metallica LP.
Let's start with "One Second" LP and there are some elements to compare it with "Load" album.
Both are the bands' first less metal and more rock oriented albums. One being labelled Hard Rock and the other one Gothic Rock.
Also, they adopted a new look when they gave up their long hair.
Easily the most appreciated and successful album from their discography containing iconic, memorable songs.
For example "Forever Failure" can be taken as their "The Unforgiven" hit single.
"Icon" would be the black album part one!
Paradise Lost doesn't have a ballad (thank God for that!) but "True
Belief" represents for their fan base the "Nothing Else Matters"
emotional reprise.
The album being still within the metal genre. A perfect combination of doom, gothic and heavy metal.
The beneficiary of a strong
Arena-Rock sound, and a very compact sonic display from the beginning to the end.
The powerful starter "Embers Fire" resounds supposedly like a Paradise Lost's replica for "Enter Sandman" and "Forging Sympathy" being just like their "Sad But True" with its crushing groove.
Moving back in time "Shades Of God" and "...And Justice for All" both has the three points to sustain the plan;
Blackened, ...And Justice for All and One respectively; Mortals Watch the Day, Pity the Sadness and As I Die.
On the other hand, the album is very "riffy" Gregor Mackintosh, Nick Holmes and Stephen Edmondson stated in an interview, that the main influence for this album is Black Sabbath's "Master Of Reality". Especially at the general guitar and drums sound...aaand the fan-base are not complaining about the bass lines.
On "Gothic" album Paradise Lost found and consolidates their
artistic identity, much like "Master Of Puppets".
Also,it is clear that they marked out the boundaries of the
music style they've created, Gothic Metal!
Exactly how Metallica created a stellar and a defining jewel for the Thrash Metal genre there!
"Lost Paradise" is a strong musical statement who
killed 'em all with the attitude and big sound, especially at the vocal delivery.
The
album created the Doom-Death genre much like Metallica started the
Thrash-Metal mania in 1983 and continued that musical statement with
"Ride The Lightning".
"Host" is some kind of a natural continuation (some say a little
bit exaggerated as the guitar section was drawn back in favor for the
electronica arrangements) of "One Second" and seems to be the Paradise
Lost's "Reload" LP.
The infamous (NU-metal?) "St.Anger" has the counterpart collection of songs gathered under the name of "Believe in Nothing".
In Paradise Lost case it is a blend of Gothic-Rock and Alternative-Metal.
Unfortunately, the band is not very happy with it as they stated it contains some compromises and they were in a quite confused, pointless times in those couple of years.
Even
though, the album has at least three strong points ; "I Am Nothing" ;
"Mouth" (a very memorable and definitory Gothic-Rock masterpiece) and
"World Pretending".
Starting with the "Symbol Of Life" album Paradise Lost re-establish their music within the Metal genre
creating unforgettable songs up to this day much like (one of) their heroes did from "Death Magnetic" and their follow up LPs.
In reality the only link between Paradise Lost and Metallica must be the Black Sabbath musical influence.
