Musical Style: Heavy Metal	Produced By:
Record Label: Independent / Retroactive	Country Of Origin: USA
Year Released: 1987 / 2020	Artist Website:
Tracks: 8	Rating: 80%
Running Time: 35:40

This is going to sound like a carnival huckster shouting at you but...  Pick an adjective, any adjective. Powerful.  Bombastic.  Authoritative.  Dynamic.  Energetic.  Totally awesome, dude.  All fit, and maybe you’ve got a few others where Paradox and its 1987 custom cassette Ruler are concerned.  It’s what sets the San Antonio, Texas based five piece apart in a crowded field of unsigned bands to have come out of the eighties ‘white metal’ scene, comprising but not limited to Soldier, Armada, Apostle, Taker, Revelation and others.  It also is what further separates it in terms of a potential label deal that might allow it to be mentioned in the same sentence with well-known signed acts of the time (too numerous to adequately detail). 

Outside of the track “Meet The King” on the Underground Metal compilation from 1988, my exposure to Paradox was limited.  Perhaps it was a review in a popular (but unnamed) Zine back in the day suggesting that the Ruler songs are ‘somewhat average and at times quite boring’ that deterred me.  Now that I have had opportunity to become better acquainted with Ruler from repeat listen to the spring of 2020 Retroactive re-issue, I could not more disagree!  Yes, everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but Ruler leaves impression with this reviewer as one of the finer full-length independently released demos from the period.

It reveals in Paradox a group musically mature beyond its years in presenting with eight equally goods songs of high energy, technical heavy metal that walks a fine line between that of the melodic (although wisely avoiding hair metal territory) and power kind (noting the occasional neo-classical influence).  It is also worth noting Paradox is heavier than many of its peers, with the group having more in common with Barren Cross, Bride and Soldiers Under Command era Striper as opposed to Guardian, Fear Not and Holy Soldier.  In other words, no ‘wave your lighter’ in the air ballads, overdone backing vocals and syrupy production. 

Speaking of which, Ruler might not bring the type of big budget polish afforded label based releases but sounds fine for a self-financed work recorded using mid-eighties technology.  A good measure of this attributes to the Retroactive re-mastering (courtesy of Rob Colwell of Bombworks Sound), which allows for a crisp and clean sound in filtering out any potentially muddiness that can hold back independent recordings from the time.  Equal kudos to packaging (crediting Scott Waters of No Life Til Metal) in featuring write-ups from Doug Van Pelt (Heavens Metal) and vocalist Manuel Castillo in addition to a montage of vintage band photos, magazine cover scans, newspaper articles, etc.

Opener “Long Live The King” is indicative of the high-spirited Paradox sound.  Albums shortest at just over three minutes, it proves up-tempo manifest with hooks aplenty, shouted ‘long live the king!’ backing vocals and rousing demeanor that has exuberant written all over it.  “Long Live The King” does an equally choice job introducing classic tenor front man Manuel Castillo, whom can reach for the stratosphere with a high end falsetto but also lower his register for periodic grit and gravel touches.  The song also proves indicative of the Paradox upfront lyrical direction:

In the greatness of His vastness
He had left it all
To come upon this earth
Breathing, loving, life in all
To give the message of life
To all who would receive
By faith, the power of life
That Jesus Christ would live

“Singing All Night” backs from the mercurial form of “Long Live The King” with a crunching mid-paced sound reveling in heightened heaviness and ample doses of brash double kick drum from Efrain Galicia.  Accessibility is not overlooked either, revealed in a melody to rise above the surface somewhat reminiscent to that of Kiss’ “Heavens On Fire’.  Instrumental interlude slows to a near crawl in realizing a bluesy direction.

Of all the albums tracks, “We Are The Temple” is the most melodic with its heavy metal semi-ballad bent.  Opening to a customary Castillo falsetto, the song gently gravitates through its amicable verse sections to distant keyboards but elevates exponentially as propulsive rhythm guitars cut in to back the lightly worshipful refrain.  It is good to hear a group from the time lend an element of backbone to the ballad genre.

I enjoy how albums title track opens its first minute instrumentally as classic influenced keyboards gradually transition to arresting guitars.  With added kick drum leading the way, “Ruler” moves ahead as a full on power metal slab with riffs digging and biting and ‘nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh’ backing vocals setting a contrasting melodic tone.  Lone complaint is how the song is first of three to include mid-point narration, which can come across forced or abrupt.  Perhaps it is personal taste, but I prefer any narration to instead be included as a separate track ahead of a song in similar fashion as how Recon’s “Lost Soldier” is preceded by “In The Beginning” (off Behind Enemy Lines) or Deliverance’s “This Present Darkness” follows “Supplication” (Weapons Of Our Warfare).  Lyric snippet:

Strolling through the streets in life
Spreading out the light
Jumping over Satan’s schemes
We have got the light

Singing to a word that’s bound
Feeling there’s no hope
But if God can save the worst in me
He can cut your rope

Jesus ruler over everything
He has the victory over life and death

With its effervescent qualities, “Last Race” roars its length to relentless abandon in playing up equal parts virility and the type of jostling hooks to ensnare with repeat listen.  In the meantime, guitarist Fernando Hernandez turns the song into personal shred fest, culminating with a lengthy instrumental run to make his breathtaking soloing its focal point.

“Can’t You See”, albums second with mid-point narration, is still quite good.  I identify with it as bluesy metal with a melodic flair to highlight Phil Galicia’s start to finish agile bass line, but it delivers decisive doses of muscle all the same.  Of equal import is the heart and soul attributing to Castillo’s soaring vocal performance.

“Stand Up For Jesus” is one of my album favorites with its at times ploddingly doom-like and others symphonic power metal laced components.  It starts darkly tinctured and ominous to trudging riffs - with an encouraging spiritual warfare based message - only to open up at the halfway mark as impetus accelerates with angelic ‘hallelujah’ backing vocals floating over brazen riffing.  Lone complaint is the radio broadcast narration depicting events in wake of the Rapture.  Where have we heard this before?  Lyric snippet:

Time is nearer than before
We should have already learned to fight
Pick up you weapons to light
Put on your armour of righteousness

Isn’t it about time that you made a choice
Give gratitude where credit’s due
And stand up for Jesus

“You Must Be Saved” revisits bluesy metal territory, unveiling a romping boogie low-end presence (check out the high-strung licks and chops adorning the backdrop) along with layered (but not overdone) backing vocals to hint of Stryper.  The pure brilliance further reveals in the lengthy instrumental jam carried by added blues drenched soloing.  Final two songs are more than enough to justify Paradox landing a label deal; crime of the century it never happened!

Rather than ‘average’ or ‘boring’, what I hear in Ruler is a talented young band beginning to hits its prime stride.  Yes, there are certain initial demo releases from young bands of the time whose songwriting had not matured beyond the moderate to not quite memorable stage, but such is NOT the case with Paradox.  Affix another two songs of equal quality and give the group any type of production budget and outcome would be a work that potentially ranks among the decades top 10 to 15 best.  It is too bad Paradox was not given such opportunity.  Fish stories aside, credit Retroactive Records for making Ruler - long an out of print and hard to find collectors item - available for the first time in decades in such a highly upgraded format. 

Review by Andrew Rockwell

Track Listing: “Long Live The King” (3:12), “Singing All Night” (5:19), “We Are The Temple” (4:33), “Ruler” (4:52), “Last Race” (4:09), “Can’t You See” (4:13), “Stand Up For Jesus” (4:34), “You Must Be Saved” (4:48)

Musicians
Manuel Castillo - Lead Vocals
Fernando Hernandez - Lead Guitar
John Vidaurri - Rhythm Guitar
Phil Galicia III - Bass & Keyboards
Efrain Galicia - Drums