Monday, January 10, 2022

ITP V.022 REVIEW: PARANORM: "EMPYREAN"

 


 

 BAND:  PARANORM (UPPSALA, SWEDEN)


GENRE:PROGRESSIVE, THRASH METAL/MELODIC DEATH METAL

LABEL: REDEFINING DARKNESS RECORDS

RELEASE DATE: 2/26/2021

TITLE: "EMPYREAN"



 

 





PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG) :
 
"THE EDGE OF EXISTENCE" (EP), 2/11/2014 via BANDCAMP. 
"PANDEMONIUM'S RISE" (EP), 10/15/2011 via BANDCAMP.


BEST RELEASE (S):  "EMPYREAN" (2021)

 

 

PARANORM: "EMPYREAN"  TRACK-LISTING: 

1. "CRITICAL MASS"

2. "THE IMMORTAL GENERATION"

3. "EDGE OF THE HORIZON"

4. "INTELLIGENCE EXPLOSION"

5. "CANNIBAL"

6. "EMPYREAN" 

7. "LOST CAUSE"

8. "DESOLATE WORLDS (DISTANT DIMENSIONS) "

 

 

 

 

ITP RATING:**** 1/2
PRODUCTION:****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:**** 1/2


PARANORM:ate a progressive thrash metal band from UPPSALA, SWEDEN. After a few EP's, PARANORM finally unleashed their full length debut creating an unprecedented buzz. 

ITP just got on the PARANORM: band wagon with a review of "EMPYREAN". 

 PARANORM'S  "EMPYREAN" kicks off with "CRITICAL MASS",  a track full of riffs, melodic guitars and black metal rasps. At 2:24, "CRITICAL MASS" picks up the tempo with some awesome solos and a cauldron of mesmerizing riffs. 

PARANORM'S  "THE IMMORTAL GENERATION" melts faces with shred tastic riffing, emotive solos. 

Clocking in at over 9 minutes, PARANORM'S "EDGE OF THE HORIZON" feels epic from the tracks acoustic and ominous start. Within a minute "EDGE OF THE HORIZON" blasts off into thrash madness with a heavy, well written riffs complimented by melodic solos. "EDGE OF THE HORIZON" keeps the listener occupied by simply adding more riffs, (without repetition) to the bands arsenal. PARANORM'S "EDGE OF THE HORIZON" is an epic experience.   

PARANORM'S  "INTELLIGENCE EXPLOSION" features technical riffing with excellent solos."INTELLIGENCE EXPLOSION" combines melodic thrash metal and technical riffing with exceptional precision. There are many riffs featured in PARANORM'S  "INTELLIGENCE EXPLOSION" complimented by some awesome guitar solos. 

PARANORM'S  "CANNIBAL" features a sick riff backed by a good groove as the track progresses into thrash madness. "CANNIBAL" is complimented  by some good, diverse drummer via SAMUEL KARLSTRAND. 

The title track of PARANORM'S ."EMPYREAN" shreds balls with cauldron of great riffing often melodic in nature. At 4:05. PARANORM'S ."EMPYREAN" slows down to an acoustic interlude with melodic solos soothing the soul as the band paces itself in epic fashion for an awesome guitar dual. 

PARANORM'S "LOST CAUSE" features riffs that dance in and out of each other to form a synergy of quality melodic, death metal.

PARANORM'S ."EMPYREAN" closes with "DESOLATE WORLDS (DISTANT DIMENSIONS) " crushed with some amazing riffing, wondrous melodic moments and enough of a variety of riffs to feast upon. At 3:25,DESOLATE WORLDS (DISTANT DIMENSIONS) " slows down into a beautiful acoustic interlude seguing into a ballad. Slowly,DESOLATE WORLDS (DISTANT DIMENSIONS) " segues into an insightful guitar solo and back to the melodic metal. 

 

 

How did PARANORM duck under my radar in 2021? 

Better late than never. 

.PARANORM: "EMPYREAN" is an amalgamation of metal influences. I hear shades of "SYMBOLIC" era DEATH. NECROPHAGIST and "MASTER OF PUPPETS" era METALLICA. 

Throw all of those aforementioned influences together in a blender and WAH LA, you have PARANORM'S: "EMPYREAN". 

PARANORM'S: "EMPYREAN". shreds with awesome musicianship, creative, technical riffing and melodic tones. 

.PARANORM isn't simple music as they segue and expand riffs quicker than the blink of an eye, and combine the riff o rama with good songwriting. 

I'm going to pull a fast one here and add  PARANORM in my top 5 of BEST debuts of 2021. No hard feelings to any artist I bumped. 

PARANORM'S: "EMPYREAN" is a brilliant release of insightful, thought provoking melodic death metal. 

I would love to hear more from PARANORM' as they are just getting started. . 

 

ITP RATING:**** 1/2
PRODUCTION:****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:**** 1/2

 PARANORM: "EMPYREAN":
https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2022/01/paranorm-streaming-empyrean-via-bandcamp.html

 

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