CD review PARAGON ‘Controlled Demolition’

(8/10) Hamburg – Rock City? This can be clearly answered with ‘Yes’. Not only that band like Helloween and Gamma Ray and many more have their homebase in the Hansestadt, also German metal veterans Paragon call Hamburg their home.

The quintet never made it to the top, but the fact that they add with ‘Controlled Demolition’ already album number 12 to their discography speaks volumes and proves that the guys are doing something right.

Paragon, that’s traditional heavy metal with a Teutonic touch. Bands like Accept and Saxon delivered the blueprint for this quintet. Paragon takes these influences and turn them into heavy metal that’s straight to the point. There isn’t much room for intros, interludes or calmer section. Paragon’s music is right into the face and ‘Controlled Demolition’ is full of it.

Powerful riffing fuses with a merciless pushing rhythm section and it’s the melodic vocal lines that invites for a sing-a-long of songs like ‘Abattoir’. Furthermore it’s the moderate paced ‘Blackbell’ being a true metal anthem and the same goes for ‘Mean Machine’. That’s how heavy metal should sound. Just power, no frills.

There’s a moment though when Paragon reduces pace. ‘Deathlines’ is a epical hymn mainly built on a slo-mo riff. The chorus of this doom monster is again pretty melodic without taking away the epic darkness that comes with this tune.

Over almost three decades, Paragon didn’t lose any power nor they lost their authenticity. These five guys from Hamburg live heavy metal and playing this kind of music has more worth to them than any big-seller album based on massive compromises.

(8/10)

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