Hailed as The European Metallica, the 1995 masterpiece solidified the British bands position at the top table of British metal. With some success already in the bag, the bands rising status allowed them to deliver their most accomplished sound to date, and a collection of songs that are magnificently heavy, but with a cool, gothic sheen. It remains Paradise Losts most acclaimed and adored body of work, and era of the band. Paradise Losts fifth and most critically acclaimed record provides a mix of stark, oppressive gothic rock with crunching British heavy metal. Commercially, Draconian Times easily outstrips anything the band had done before, achieving their highest, and first, charting album in Britain, reaching number 16.Paradise Losts fifth and most critically acclaimed record provides a mix of stark, oppressive gothic rock with crunching British heavy metal. Commercially, Draconian Times easily outstrips anything the band had done before, achieving their highest, and first, charting album in Britain, reaching number 16.