Germany's Paradox has come a long way since their debut album, Product of Imagination, which was essentially an homage to Metallica. What has not changed is founding member Charly Steinhauer's dedication to thrash, particularly the Bay Area sound pioneered by Hetfield, Ulrich and crew. Heresy II: End of a Legend is the band's eighth album and picks up the narrative where their second album Heresy (1990) left off.
Heresy II is an extremely well-written album. The riffing is sharp and tightly played and all the songs are entertaining. The lead work is intricate but not ostentatious with each working fluidly within the framework of the song. The whole album has a Master of Puppets vibe, yet does not directly lift anything from that classic. You've got mystical/religious lyrics, longer compositions that breathe more than your traditional three-and-a-half-minute thrash song and a crisp production that is neither too warm and loose nor too cold and sterile. It's a lengthy release and, while most of the songs are top-notch ("Mountains and Caves", "Journey into Fear" and "Unholy Conspiracy" are some of the standout tracks), Heresy II does bog down in the middle with not quite enough energy to sustain "Priestly Vows" or especially "A Meeting of Minds." It's a small price to pay when the rest of the album is so unwaveringly good, and it sure doesn't feel 75 minutes long. I can't speak to the lyrics (they weren't included in my promo materials) but I'm sure there is plenty to sink your teeth into.
Heresy II is fast and heavy yet also melodic and catchy which is not a combination often struck in such fine balance these days. Thrash fans, especially those of the Bay Area sound, and fans of good metal in general need to check this out as this is the best album from Paradox I've ever heard.
