PARALANDRA formed in the summer of 2013 when Casandra Carson and her dad, Paul Carson, began writing songs together to play a one-time event at their local county 4th of July celebration. The response was so positive, and they enjoyed it so much, they decided to continue booking shows and writing songs. They recorded and released a homemade CD titled “Rise Up” which sold over 1,000 copies at local shows. Shortly after, friend and local musician Sawyer Rikard joined the band on bass guitar in 2015, bringing their stage sound and performance to another level. In March of 2016, they released a follow-up EP “All Fall Down” which debuted #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. They soon began touring and being invited to festivals such as Rocklahoma, SXSW, Rockfest, Dirtfest and Loud in Lima. In 2018, they joined forces with Legend Recordings and released another EP “Ascension”. Shortly after they added local powerhouse drummer (and childhood friend of Sawyer) Dakota Watson to form the rhythm section which gained even more radio play and placed them on numerous national tours supporting artists such as TANTRIC, Yngwie Malmsteen, DOKKEN and being added to the KISS Kruise and NAMM Show. With renowned producer/songwriter Elvis Baskette on board they released their first professionally made full length album “Street Magic” in 2021. I was introduced to PARALANDRA in 2023 when I saw them playing at a local concert venue and was immediately blown away not only by their music but also their high energy stage presence and chemistry. I feel it is my sworn duty as a music lover and reviewer to help propel any band or artist into the spotlight and get the word out to the music public.

Opening full throttle, balls out on “Can’t Quench the Fire” gives a blueprint for what I was expecting with a thunderous, heavy riff that sets the tone for the powerful vocals of Casandra Carson to enter and immediately take charge and let us know it’s time to buckle your seat belts and enjoy the rocking ride. The next two tracks “Only Human” and “Repeat Offender” not only showcase the eccentric and intoxicating vocals that are a staple of the band but the musicianship puts their talent on full display with arousing melodies and tight, crisp guitar work complemented by a strong and steady backing of the bass and drum precision. “Despicable” comes in with a double shotgun delivery of assaulting in-your-face vocals laced with nasty, over the top guitar hooks and the insightful lyrics of Casandra explaining that the song is about the judgement she was getting from people in her life about playing music in bars, with some even suggesting she can’t practice Christianity if that’s her occupation: “You’ve lived, but I’ve learned, You’ve touched, but I’ve burned, we’re all just the same, but you need me to blame, gotta make yourself feel whole, whatever keeps you in control.” The album ends magnificently with “Weightless” a tender, warm melody and tempo passionately portraited by the sensual and hypnotic vocals delivering a heightened level of passion and intensity over a symphonic and velvety framework building to an explosion of pragmatic emotions.

PARALANDRA has all the arrows pointing up, they bring all the necessary tools to the worksite with strong straight forward, smash mouth rocking, accelerated chops and galloping, electrifying riffs all fused together by the inexorably powerful vocals that delivers on all levels. They’re latest album “The Body Electric” is due out April 4, 2024.

Check out our Podcast interview with PARALANDRA on Creativity Talkin on YouTube