Paragon
REVENGE

June 2005
Released: 2005, Remedy Records
Rating: 4.7/5
Reviewer: Evil Rocker

Hard to believe that this is the seventh full-length album by Paragon. The first two are out of print and HARD TO FIND. The rest are readily accessible. From Hamburg, Germany. Paragon are probably the best traditional metal band in existence today. The awesome dual guitar riffs, a gravelly vocalist (no happy shrieking here), pounding drums, and good bass support are all the ingredients for a good band. But Paragon takes it further by creating H E A V Y M E T A L as it should be with a slow and deliberate to the 80's while still maintaining a crispness that often is hard to find. Paragon riffs also tend to contain flat chords that give the band a distinct sound that I can pick out anywhere. Martin often likes to use the A-flat power chord to give his progressions a uniquely sinister trend.



Paragon albums have a distinct pattern. There are both fast and slow metal tracks, all placed with high energy and enthusiasm. But track 1 is usually an up-tempo speedy track and track 3 is always a slow-mid paced headbanger, at least this has been the case over the past five albums. This album has "Impaler" as track 1 and "Traitor" at spot 3, which were both debuted for me and others at Keep it True IV. These two tracks are amongst the best on the album. There is usually also an acoustic intro power ballad, in this case "Empire of the lost". The variation of speed on Paragon albums usually lead to some below average filler type tracks. This album is no exception and has the track "Masters of the Sea" to take that spot.



As a bonus Paragon provide a Manowar cover (The Gods made heavy metal) at the end, performed straight and true with no variations. Nice job!



The last four Paragon albums are all very similar and many tracks could be mixed and matched into any combination of a single album. REVENGE offers nothing dramatically different, perhaps a bit darker than the others in lyrical content and in second guitar line with a new member in the band, but clearly consistent. LAW OF THE BLADE remains the pinnacle for a single Paragon album but the band is consistently excellent and has no glaring weak points.