Paradoxx - Atomika

Atomika (3:58)
Catwalk (4:00)
Radium-Lover (5:26)
Alien (5:04)
Mysterious (5:33)
Intermission (1:19)
Vampyr (5:04)
Teknologi (4:28)
Wait (7:56)
Atomika (Mimetic Mix) (5:30)
Cd-Rom Video

This is the second album from Paradoxx, following 1999's "New Devotion". This time the band has shifted the focus away from the more gothic elements of thier sound, into a more high-energy dance sound that emphasizes the catchiness of the chorus, and the high-paced hard-hitting beats. "Atomika" is a excellent example of that, as the verses honestly are almost forgettable when compared to the way the chorus will lodge itself in the brain.

The tag-team vocal approach taken here is another new addition, and it lends a very fresh feel to each song. The primary and backup vocalist role shifts between 3 members of the band, and between Lissa, Phoenix and Ralph, the three manage to keep you guessing as to who will sing when throughout the album (although Lissa handles the majority of the lead vocals). Kris' guitar work also adds a very edgy feel to the songs, in particular in the track "Teknologi", where the grinding guitar sets the tone for this gritty song about technology's role in the decline of the world. It's somewhat ironic for a (primarily) electronic music band to make a song like this, but it's still enjoyable.

The only time the tempo is lowered below the 120 BPM mark is for "Wait", a 8 minute song of regret about, well, as the band puts it, "a song about someone who didn't make it". Very spiritual in nature, I found this song to be one of the best on the disc. Songs that make me think, question myself and look deep inside myself, those are always the songs that stay with me the most. This is one of those.

The biggest weakness of this album comes in it's closing, however. There's nothing wrong with closing a album with a remix, but when it constitutes the 10th track, I can't help but feel like it's padding out the length of the disc, when another new song would have worked just as well. While this remix does leave the vocals intact, a lot of the melody of the song has been stripped away from the song. So what's left is a very pounding club beat, and the original vocals, but little to nothing in the way of a melody. A less than impressive way to close out the disc, I thought. The included video is a neat added feature though, as it seems to be a combination photo shoot and video shoot for several of the songs. A little disjointed, but still entertaining.
Overall, I like this new direction for Paradoxx. It's still very different, but a little more accessible. I think if you enjoyed System22 or maybe Seize you'll really enjoy this album. It's not as trancey as those artists, but similar enough that I think you'd find something to like here.

Added:  Sunday, January 16, 2005
Reviewer:  Jason Baker
Score:
Related web link:  Official Site
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Language: eng