By Justin Smulison
In their 44th year, German thrash metal veterans Paradox have released Mysterium, their ninth studio album — and arguably their heaviest and most personal to date. When I spoke with founder Charly Steinhauer, he described the album as a labor of pure dedication: a project he single-handedly wrote, performed, recorded, and produced. “I worked on it day and night until everything was perfect,” he told me, with only the final mastering entrusted to engineer Patrick W. Engel.
Released by High Roller Records, Mysterium isn’t a traditional concept record, but its songs are thematically intertwined through reflections on mysticism, loss, and human experience. Longtime lyricist Achim “Daxx” Hömerlein (formerly of Vendetta, another iconic German metal band) contributes verses inspired by world events and emotional narratives — from “Abyss of Pain and Fear,” influenced by the film Midnight Express, to “Grief,” an instrumental tribute to late co-founder Axel Blaha. The title track delves into dream interpretation, forming the album’s haunting thematic center.
As a fan of recent Paradox albums like Pangea and Heresy II, I assumed the pace could not get any faster. But Steinhauer exceeded any expectations, demonstrating how speed and power can combine while maintaining a strong sense of melody.
Steinhauer considers Mysterium his finest work since the 1989 classic, Heresy: “The songs all have their own identity, are catchy, and when the album is over, I want to listen to it again right away.” True to his perfectionist streak, he’s already envisioning the next Paradox chapter — ensuring that, after four decades, the band’s creative fire still burns bright.
Clips: “Kholat,” “Mysterium,” “One Way Ticket To Die.”
Paradox:
https://www.facebook.com/paradoxthrash
https://www.instagram.com/paradox_metal
https://www.hrrecords.de/PARADOX
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