PARADOX from United States, Charlotte in North Carolina had been a very talented Hard Rock and Heavy Metal band, with immense potential that was founded by the guitarist Mark Crotts and the vocalist Sonny Reynolds and they made their impact in the fruitful – full of young bands local scene in the late ‘80s – early ‘90s. A glimpse of their music was included in the Metal Mythos Volume I and II collections of original young bands in the southeast of the country and they have recorded a couple of EPs in 1990 and 1992.
Unfortunately, these recordings were never released and the fans were able to relish the music mainly from their live performances or from video footage on the internet in the recent years. Now, thanks to Heaven and Hell Records, these ‘’lost’’ recordings have finally been unearthed, meticulously remastered, and presented to a global audience for the very first time on CD.
‘’I’’, which is the band’s inaugural recording in 1990, bursts forth with the raw energy of a young group with undeniable talent. The song ‘’Sensation Sweet’’ is a beautiful US Power Metal song totally reminiscent of QUEENSRŸCHE, where the voice of Sonny Reynolds shines with its impressive range and reminds Geoff Tate, yet retaining a distinct character. Another song that leans to the melodic metal side of the band is ‘’Head Over Heels’’ with a captivating riff that immediately grabs the attention and is fulfilled with a chorus that possesses a rich warmth.
The rest of the four songs of this EP, ‘’Old Germany’’, ‘’Love Is Right’’, ‘’Fantasy’’ and ‘’Sweet Memories’’ lean to a Hard Rock and AOR appeal, which seems not unusual or strange, taking into account that from their formative years, the band used to pay homage to bands such as RUSH and LED ZEPPELIN. I would say that these four songs bring a lot in mind the ‘80s era of RUSH.
In general, although very young as a band, the quartet of Sonny Reynolds (vocals, synthesizers), Marc Crotts (guitars), Glenn Blackburn (bass), and Scotti Montagnino (drums) exhibit a remarkable interaction and musicianship, which leads to a collection of beautiful and passionate songs with strong melodies and memorable hooks.
Sadly, I need to mention that the release of these EPs in early 2025, now carries an even deeper significance due to the recent and untimely passing of Sonny Reynolds in February 2025. Thus, they will be highly appreciated by those fans who are fond and nostalgic of the rich tapestry of early ‘90s melodic US Metal, AOR and Hard Rock.
‘’ I’’ has been released on the 17th of January 2025 by Heaven and Hell Records and is available on CD and Digital format.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
