Paramæcium "Echoes From The Ground"

The third album, A Time to Mourn, was released in 1999 and marked the departure of all previous band members except Tompkins. The band no longer had a touring lineup, so guest musicians were used, including guitarist Ian Arkley (formerly of Seventh Angel, Ashen Mortality and My Silent Wake). 

After a five-year break, Paramaecium returned in 2004 with Echoes from the Ground. The album again featured Tompkins as the only original member, but held firmly to the band's doom and death metal roots while again incorporating soprano and violins.

Echoes from the Ground is about a young man's journey through the Holy Lands to find a justification for his faith.

Tracklist:

1. Night Fears Morning 06:22   
2. Over the Sea 07:14
3. The Chosen Land 06:43  
4. They Tend to Die 05:46
5. I 04:32   
6. My Failing Heart 05:38  
7. Echoes 06:18   

Time:   42:33  

Recording information:

Recorded and at The Operating Theatre and at Guna Studio.

Mixed at Toyland Recording Studio, Melbourne.

Mastered at Crystal Mastering, Melbourne.

Paramæcium "Repentance (EP)"

Repentance es un EP de la banda australiana de Death/Doom Metal Paramæcium, editado en 1997.

Tracklist:

1. Silent Carnage 06:09   
2. Dead to Death 04:12   
3. Sogno di Morte 01:32  
4. Silent Carnage 05:56  
5. Dead to Death 04:15   
6. Abstraction 05:40   

Time:   27:44

Tracks 3 to 6 are the 1991 "Silent Carnage" demo recordings. 

Recording information: 

Track 1 and 2 were recorded in 1994.  

Paramæcium "A Time To Mourn"

A Time to Mourn is the third album by Paramaecium. It was released in 1999. According to Andrew Tompkins the album art is of a Los Angeles model, the band actually does not know who the woman is.

A Time to Mourn explores themes such as betrayal ("Betrayed Again") and the album also deals with issues related to church life ("Live for the Day") and how we need to make sure that our commitment to a church doesn't override our commitment to God. It makes the point by telling the story of a woman who won't have to think for herself again because she's now a part of the church.

The second song on the album, "I'm Not to Blame" is written from Jesus' perspective and is essentially a comment about the fact that Christians have a tendency to understate the importance of self-control, allowing sin to control their lives and crying out to God to forgive them over and over again without making any effort to alter the behaviour themselves. This is not the behaviour of a repentant individual even though, unfortunately, it is often the mark of a modern Christian. Many Christians cry out to Jesus to give them the strength to resist the temptation to sin. Then, when they succumb to temptation again, it seems to them that Jesus has let them down, that he's to blame. If you ask Jesus to give you the strength to resist sin but go on to sin, part of your mind concludes that Jesus didn't give you the strength. But scripture is clear that you won't be tempted beyond what you can bear which means that there is no excuse for sin. And, even though Christians will continue to sin on a daily basis in some way, the life of the Christian must be one of continual self-improvement: to seek to become more like Christ every single day.

The songs which frame the album are the first and last songs on the CD: "A Moment" and "Unceasing". These songs deal with the paradox of the basis for the understanding of eternal life. Namely, that as Christians we accept that we are not merely mortal but have everlasting life, eternal life beyond the grave, and yet this also means that life as we know it on earth is viewed more as a drop in the ocean of eternity, or as a mere moment in time. Understanding this is one of the first things a new Christian must deal with and this it is the theme for the beginning and conclusion to the album.

Track listing

1. "A Moment"  – 3:12
2. "I'm Not to Blame"  – 4:44
3. "My Thoughts"  – 4:46
4. "Betrayed Again"  – 5:16
5. "Enter in Time"  – 5:22
6. "Live for a Day"  – 9:09
7. "Even the Walls"  – 5:03
8. "Unceasing"  – 3:11

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed variously at Toyland Recording Studio and The Operating Theatre, both in Melbourne.

Mastered at Studios 301, Sydney.

Paramæcium "Within The Ancient Forest"

Paramaecium added rhythm guitarist Chris Burton in 1995 and released their second album, Within the Ancient Forest, which was accompanied by a fantasy novel of the same name written by Tompkins. The album was more diverse and technical, and involved female vocalists, harpsichord, piano, flute and cello.

Track listing: 

1. In Exordium 04:39   
2. Song of the Ancient   06:57   
3. I Am Not Alive   09:14  
4. The Grave, My Soul 09:01   
5. Gone Is My Former Resolve 08:31   
6. Of My Darkest Hour 07:36   
7. Darkness Dies   08:46   

Total Time:  54:44  

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Toybox Studios, Melbourne, from November 27 to December 15, 1995.

Mastered at 301 Studios, Sydney.

Co-produced by Paramaecium.

Paramæcium "Exhumed Of The Earth"

Paramaecium (sometimes typeset as Paramæcium) was an Australian death/doom metal band formed in 1991. There is use of instrumentation like flutes, cellos and violins on some albums. Paramaecium is one of the few doom metal bands that focus on Christian lyrical themes and Christian concepts. According to Doom-metal.com, "what sets Paramaecium apart from other bands in the doom metal scene, is the fact that they are the only Christian death/doom band that made it to the top of the genre."

Exhumed of the Earth is the debut album by Paramaecium. It was released in 1993. Exhumed of the Earth is considered to be one of the landmarks of both doom metal and Christian metal movements.

Exhumed of the Earth was recorded from 12 April to 1 May 1993 at Toybox Studios, Northcote, Melbourne, Australia. The band incorporated several classical instrument arrangements on the album, most notably on the 17 minute epic "The Unnatural Conception". Rosemary Sutton played violin and Judy Hellemons flute. Sutton also did the soprano vocals. The storyline of the album based on the Bible: it begins at the birth of Christ, continues through his resurrection, speaks of the disciples, and ends with Christians coming to life from the dead. Because the biblical references in the lyrics are elegantly written, the album has been often compared to old My Dying Bride. Musically, Exhumed of the Earth is mostly slow paced doom metal with few death metal influences, most notably on the death growl vocals of Andrew Tompkins and on tracks like "Injudicial".

The record was produced by Paramaecium, engineered by Mark Tulk, and mixed by Paramaecium and Mark Tulk.

Paramaecium self-released Exhumed of the Earth in 1993 and later allowed several labels to distribute the album.

HM Magazine wrote that with the album Paramaecium "essentially delivered the most powerful and moving death/doom recording in the history of Christian metal."

Track listing

1. "The Unnatural Conception in Two Parts: The Birth and the Massacre of the Innocents" – 17:00
2. "Injudicial" – 4:38
3. "The Killing" – 6:29
4. "Untombed" – 10:38
5. "The Voyage of the Severed" – 9:24
6. "Haemorrhage of Hatred" – 7:20
7. "Removed of the Grave" – 10:37

Layout and design by Paramaecium.

Recording information:

Produced by Paramaecium.

Co-mixed by Paramaecium.

Recorded and mixed at Toybox Studios, Northcote, Melbourne, Australia.

Recorded April 12 to May 1 1993.