PARAGON – Metalation

vote
6.5

• Bands:
  COMPARISON
• Duration: 00:51:06
• Available from: 08/11/2024
• Label:

• Massacre Records

Streaming not yet available

Paragon hadn't been heard for five years, following the previous good album “Controlled Demolition”, released in 2019. The group even risked breaking up when it had to go through the dark times of the pandemic, with some songs already ready and few prospects towards an uncertain future. And this led to some painful line-up changes, now overcome with the entry of new drummer Jason Wöbcke. But such a long pause and the many difficulties to overcome were certainly not enough to make the German group change their mind about their impact and their vocation, always faithful to the classic Teutonic metal, the hardest and most gigantic one. And in fact this new “Metalation” follows perfectly what the group had previously made us listen to, with an aggressive and full-bodied heavy-power that owes a lot to bands such as Grave Digger, Running Wild and early Blind Guardian.
A band that never reached the general public and that over time has probably sinned for lack of personality, but that has never lacked a massive dose of dedication. Right from the start, Paragon make things clear, putting their foot on the accelerator to give life to “Fighting The Fire”, an earth-shaking piece as expected from a band like this. The production is entrusted to the expert hands of Piet Sielck, a master when it comes to this type of sound; in particular – as in his Iron Savior – regarding the care of the choirs and the sound of big guitars with a powerful and at times modern touch, as we learned with his band, although Paragon are more tight and aggressive, also from the of guitars.
Andreas “Buschi” Babuschkin's uvula is rough and rocky and could, even only in part, recall that of an early Hansi Kursch, adapting rather well to the sonic impact of the German band. Thinking of the always compatriots Accept, the edgy “Slenderman” arrives decisively, another direct song to be fired at full volume from the speakers. “Battalions” continues headlong on medium-high rhythms with powerful guitars that lead to the classic melodic chorus. In fact, compared to the previous release, on this album Paragon seem to want to hit with more impactful choruses and refrains. However, a nice kick in the teeth comes with “MarioNET”, which builds its foundations between flows of thrash metal only to then present a nice full chorus à la Grave Digger.
Among the moments to remember, also the darkest atmospheres of “Burn The Whore”, which explodes on a more incisive refrain that winks at Iron Savior, flowing on the detonating notes of the bass played by Jan Bünning and on the vocal approach even rougher than Andreas. Finally the metallic anthem of the title track, banal perhaps, but perfect to detonate live.
Paragon put us in the situation, as happens with many of their other colleagues, of having to evaluate a record that does not present any form of originality within it, but which remains very faithful to what the group has always proposed. On the one hand, this could be a lifeline for fans to rely on, and on the other, it could be a slightly too repetitive formula for many others. What is certain is that “Metalation” is a powerful, rocky and aggressive record and that has, in some moments, the right melodic bite; in short, it's everything you could want from a Paragon album. A band that will always remain in limbo, never capable of giving life to over the top works, but constantly standard bearer of this smoking and full-bodied Teutonic heavy metal that is always a pleasure to activate with each of their new releases.