PARAMOUNT

"Paramount" is the seventh full-length studio album by German progressive metal act Sieges Even. The album was released through Inside Out Music in September 2007. It´s the successor to "The Art of Navigating by the Stars" from 2003 and features the same quartet lineup who recorded the predecessor. Sieges Even have existed in different lineups since 1985 albeit with a couple of longer hiatuses, but "Paramount" was the last full-length studio album released before their 2008 split-up. A split-up that has now lasted 14 years (this review was written in 2022). Guitarist Markus Steffen and lead vocalist Arno Menses went on to form Subsignal, while the Holzwarth brothers (Alex on drums and Oliver on bass) went on to work on several other projects and ultimately became permanent members of Rhapsody of Fire in 2011 (and are now working on other music projects).

The material on "Paramount" continue the melodic and dynamic progressive rock/metal style of "The Art of Navigating by the Stars" (2003), but it´s a slighly more accessible release featuring more memorable vocal melodies and choruses. It´s not necessarily a less progressive release, but it´s a little less complex and instantly catchy album than its direct predecessor. Menses carry a lot of weight here and his strong voice and passionate vocals give the music a lot of power and emotion. The many backing and harmony vocals are also quite a treat. Steffen has a subtle playing style which is often non-distorted and clear, but even when he plays distorted riffs there is a nice sophistication to his playing which isn´t completely unlike the playing of Jim Matheos (Fates Warning, Arch/Matheos, OSI). I also hear a lot of Rush influences in the music. The Holzwarth brothers of course also deserve a mention as they as always deliver a varied, technically complex, and clever performance. You couldn´t wish for a more skilled and classy rhythm section.

The songwriting is intriguing, varied, and dynamic, and although there is generally a melancholic atmosphere to the album, there´s also often an uplifting and light mood present in the music. The tracks appear one after one like pearls on a string until the two closing tracks, which are slightly different sounding. "Mounting Castles in the Blood Red Sky" is an atmospheric instrumental featuring voice samples from Martin Luther King´s "I have a Dream" speech, and the almost 9 minutes long title track which closes the album is one of the more progressive tracks on the album. Every single track on the album is however a high quality composition and although the album features 10 tracks and a total playing time of 61:46 minutes it never feels that long and when it ends I want more. That´s always a sure sign of greatness.

One other asset which deserves a mention is the clear, detailed, and powerful sounding production job. "Paramount" is an incredibly well produced release, where you can clearly hear all instruments and vocals in the mix. So upon conclusion "Paramount" is a high quality progressive rock/metal release. It´s subtle, sophisticated, and clever, and often leans a bit more towards progressive rock than metal, but it does pack a bit more punch a few times during the playing time, and as mentioned above it´s both a diverse and dynamic release. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)