What I love regarding bands like PARAGON is that you get what you want exactly: nothing more or less than Heavy fuckin' Metal. If it's the German way, it's even better. Nuff said...
This is the new PARAGON album, Screenslaves. This is not major news for the Metal community since it's not 'bout monumental bands like METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN or JUDAS PRIEST and 'wannabe' trends like NIGHTWISH or SLIPKNOT or don't-know-who's-considered-Metal else. PARAGON performs an in-your-face aamalgam of ACCEPT and GRAVE DIGGER, with a minor touch of IRON MAIDEN and the likes of 'direct pounding' US Metal. Being around since 1990, they were unlucky enough to get signed to some B.O. Records and Remedy Records labels; meaning, near-zero promotion.
Thankfully, a premier label got hold of these magnificent warriors and the PARAGON merciless assault is coming straight at you. I don't know if Martin Christian still writes most of the band's songs, but again there's a wide feeling of 'Metal fist' music that shall grab you by the balls and will not let you go by any means until the album's audition is over. Still reading? If you're 'into' PARAGON why wasting time since you'll buy the album anyway?
Because the lucky metalheads familiar with this honest German bands are the minority in an era of 'fake' Metal trends. PARAGON does not care, anyway. Steamroller riffs, pounding drums, thunderous bass, various tempos (slow, mid, fast, up), GRAVE DIGGER-ish vocals, a RUNNING WILD neatness, the ghost of ACCEPT blessing each note...and the rest is obvious. The production is striking, with volume and equilibrium in the mix, the cover artwork is nothing impressive but it may relate to some/any lyrics maybe (the asongtitles are kinda unusual for the PARAGON tradition), the BACKSTREET BOYS cover is awesome (already out on CD single since August 2008) and the Italian version of The Legacy (from 2003's The Dark Legacy album) can be reviewed as funny Japanese (Satan bless the English langusage!) ...
Produced by Uwe Lulis (REBELLION, GRAVE DIGGER), Screenslaves is not a 'true Metal' album as (maybe) assumed. Nope, it's a Heavy Metal album you cannot resist if into Metal music. Nothing to hide, this is another dissent PARAGON release that stands tall defending the Metal ideals. That simple; it's you to look in the mirror and count your trust. PARAGON - in low profile and high 'steel' quality - takes no prisoners.