PARAGON
“CONTROLLED DEMOLITION”
Album Review by Iron Mathew

10/10

Paragon are a heavy metal band from Germany formed in 1990, continuing a legacy that began with Accept, Grave Digger and Helloween. As pioneers of German power metal, these bands forged a path that Paragon followed. The band released their debut album in 1995, releasing ten more over the next twenty years, with ‘Controlled Demolition’ the bands twelfth studio album release.

Through their lengthy career, Paragon have shared a stage with the likes of Gamma Ray, Saxon and Iron Savior, and have appeared at various festivals, including Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock and HammerFest. The band are legends of the power metal genre and with their new album, Paragon prove why… ‘Controlled Demolition’ is a rocket fuelled blast of very heavy power metal, at times stepping over the borders into the speed and thrash metal genres. The opening song, also the title song, is the instrumental ‘Controlled Demolition’ building the atmosphere as it builds to a crescendo, launching head long into the fast paced ‘Reborn’. Displaying thrash metal tendencies, ‘Reborn’ is an aggressive head banger, a savage thunderstorm of brutal riffage and a belter of a beginning. A beginning that just gets better, with the devastating brute force of ‘Abattoir’. Power metal has never sounded so good, but then what would you expect from these veterans, bordering on thirty years since their formation. Paragon are a mean machine when it comes to delivering heavy hitting heavy metal, and in the shape of ‘Mean Machine’, the band demonstrate why they have lasted so long. Melodic power metal rises to the surface as ‘Mean Machine’ marches on, as much majestic as it is magnificent.

Slowing the pace right down low, ‘Deathlines’ is a dark, menacing and quite frankly scary doom metal styled slumber. A pummelling rhythm will flatten anyone and anything that gets in its way, you have been warned sports fans, be wary…very wary, as ‘Deathlines’ stretches out past the eight minute mark. Blistering pace returns to the album in emphatic style as ‘Musangwe (B.K.F.)’ explodes into life, breaking bones and crushing skulls such is the devastating force it unleashes. One of the fastest songs on the album ‘Musangwe (B.K.F.)’ is a thrash metal/speed metal combination that makes the heart beat faster and the adrenaline flow like lava down the side of an erupting volcano. What a song, and one of my favourites on the album. Hustling and bustling like shopping malls on Black Friday, ‘Timeless Souls’ is raucous yet melodic, and has a superb chant style chorus for one and all to sing a long to.

At two thirds the way through the album, Paragon have not disappointed at any point, and as ‘Blackbell’ lurches forth, I doubt very much there will any disappointment at all. Top notch power metal aplenty ‘Blackbell’ is a stunning full force foray that stands tall and proud, confirming the position Paragon holds at the forefront of the European power metal genre. And without a single warning, Paragon turn the heat up and set a scorching pace with the speedster ‘The Enemy Within’. Combining thrash metal aggression with the force of power metal and the classic sound of traditional heavy metal, Paragon have delivered a superb song. The best song on the album without a doubt. Whoa, hold the fucking ‘phone, I just changed my mind. The best song on the album now is ‘Black Widow’. Everything I could ever want in a metal song is right here, right now, in the formidable shape of ‘Black Widow’. Pace, power, urgency, speed, aggression, sing a long ability, there is just not enough superlatives in the world to describe this song. Oh man, I’m breathless right now…and there’s still one more song to go! ‘…Of Blood And Gore’ carries on the wonderful feeling set by the previous two songs, and completes a terrific trilogy of songs, proving that Paragon still have what it takes to make an impact in the worldwide heavy metal scene. Despite their thirty year career, Paragon are still a hungry and highly passionate outfit, delivering heavy metal of the highest quality. What a band, and what an album…

Overall, a blistering fifty minutes of ferocious and aggressive thrash tinged power metal from one of the masters of the genre.

TRACKLIST

Controlled Demolition
Reborn
Abattoir
Mean Machine
Deathlines
Musangwe (B.K.F.)
Timeless Souls
Blackbell
The Enemy Within
Black Widow
…Of Blood And Gore

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