Paradox Riot Squad
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
Ok, this will surely come off a bit uninspired, uncreative, and clichéd, but only one phrase—archaic and overused as it may be—can be used in association with German thrash legends Paradox’s latest release: you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Though saying that may be a journalistic no-no, after one listen to the 10 tracks on Riot Squad, it would be hard for even the most literary headbanger to deny the sentiment. Nearly 25 years into their often praise-filled career, Paradox have delivered a record that shows virtually no growth from their 1987 debut, the perhaps once appropriately named Product of Imagination.
Riot Squad sees Paradox living up to their name, as illustrated by its anomalous blend of high-quality musicianship, slick production, and generally uninspired songwriting. Despite a slew of shred-tastic solos, Helloween-inspired double lead breaks, and beat- perfect drumming, it’s virtually impossible to find any distinguishing or memorable moments amongst the songs contained herein. Seven out of ten tracks feature the same Judas Priest-meets-Testament riffing over standard thrash drum patterns, all played at what feels like exact same tempo. It’s almost as if the band set the click track once for the entire record, and when coupled with the indistinguishable guitar and vocals melodies, what’s left is something that sounds great and means nothing.
There are a handful of interesting moments on the disc, mostly during the songs that break away from the standard formula. “Nothingness” proves to be rather substantial, serving as a nice mid-paced break from the monotony and featuring an excellent, catchy chorus. “Dream Hero,” despite some rather cheesy lyrics (a trend amongst German metal bands), would not have been out of place on Anthrax’s Spreading the Disease (feeling vaguely reminiscent of “Lone Justice” at times), though the band just can’t resist the “standard Paradox beat,” which pops up during the bridge.
The shining moment for the record comes in the form of “Planet Terror,” a driving, epic, diverse track that shows that the band isn’t entirely out of fresh ideas. The extended instrumental section is well-crafted and showcases the lead skills of guitarists Charly Steinhauer and Kai Pasemann. It’s just too bad that this moment of creativity didn’t stretch itself across the rest of the album.
With the unfortunate announcement that Deutch heroes the Scorpions are retiring soon, it would seem that there is a hole in the German metal monarchy. But if they hope to have even the slimmest of chances to fill the gap, it’s going to take something much more brutal than Riot Squad.
Label: AFM Records
Web: www.myspace.com/paradoxbangers
Band Lineup:
Charly Steinhauer (guitar, vocals)
Kai Pasemann (guitar, backing vocals)
Olly Keller (bass)
Roland Jahoda (drums)
Tracks:
1. Suburban Riot Squad
2. Hollow Peace
3. Riptide
4. Rise In Rank
5. Evolution Reset
6. Nothingness
7. No Place To Survive
8. Dream Hero
9. Planet Terror
10. Psychofficial
Hardrock Haven rating 4.8/10