First things first: It is a fact that the state of Ohio was a home to a remarkable part of the 80s heavy metal scene and PARAGON from Springfield, Ohio, was one of the finest bands to appear back on those glorious days.
The band was formed in 1987 when guitarists Jon Faber and Keith Wood recruited bassist Steve Smith to form a band which would pick up the mantle from influences like QUEENSRYCHE and FATES WARNING as well as the musicianship of bands like RACER X and CACOPHONY.
After honing their twin lead guitar technique, along with Steve Smith a bassist, who could trade licks or hold down the low end, the trio recruited drummer Marc Mitchell and singer Dwight Bowden. Both Mitchell and Bowden have also participated in the band WRATHSKELLER from Washington Township: Another important piece of the Ohio metal scene with remarkable demography that has been reissued on the “Eve of the End” compilation CD -Arkeyn Steel Records – 2016-.
“Heed the Prophecy”, the debut demo tape of PARAGON, was released two years after the band’s formation: It included four magnificent compositions that combined heavy, power and progressive metal in a strange, darkly reflective and all in all unique way: Technically developed, blessed by Bowden’s vocal performance and even carrying some neoclassical touches, those four songs approached an absolute level of greatness. 250 copies of the tape were first made and sold out quickly, so another 250 copies were produced.
“A Change of Season” LP tape was released one year later (1990) showcasing the talent of this young band who still combined heavy, power and progressive metal, creating their own enigmatic soundscape, through a remarkable evolution in songwriting. 500 copies of this cassette were produced.
To cut a long story sort, I have to mention that here we are dealing with top class prog / power metal with classic heavy metal elements, developed through an adventurous, complex way as per performance and structure. The vocal melodies are amazing, the guitar work is taking the songs to the next level.
Arkeyn Steel Records is releasing both of the band’s recordings on CD format for the very first time. All audio material has been remastered by Kostas Scandalis at Infinity Studio (Thessaloniki, Greece). The artwork was developed by Kostas Athanasoglou, and the booklet includes a complete set of lyrics plus never-before-seen photos and liner notes, revealing valuable information about the band.
The band split around 1992-1993. The final line-up included guitarists and founding members Jon Faber and Keith Wood, plus three members from SHADOWCAST — a great progressive / power metal band from Dayton, Ohio. Their demography was reissued on “The Premonition” compilation CD -Arkeyn Steel – 2016-.
Release date: December 12th. Pre order: here.
