Band
The Story so far…
PARAGON was formed in 1990 by guitarist Martin Christian in Hamburg, Germany. After 3 years of being on smaller labels with moderate success, PARAGON signed a deal in 2000 with the Hamburg based label Remedy Records. This pairing resulted in the release of 3 highly successful albums, STEELBOUND, LAW OF THE BLADE and THE DARK LEGACY.
Several European tours soon followed with high profile acts such as IRON SAVIOR & GAMMA RAY. This time period also found PARAGON performing at all of the biggest festivals including Sweden Rock & Summer Breeze and sharing the stage with legendary bands like SAXON & VIRGIN STEELE. In 2004 PARAGON attained their crowning achievement; performing on the main stage of the Wacken Open Air Festival in front of 48,000 diehard metalheads. Shortly after, the follow up album REVENGE found PARAGON reaping massive success and praise with both critics & fans alike and is still considered a pinnacle of their career. The following 2 albums FORGOTTEN PROPHECIES & SCREENSLAVES were received with the same level of enthusiasm however due to unexpected lineup changes the band was unable to promote them to the level they deserved with only a handful of shows being played.
In the early part of 2010 Martin Christian decided to leave PARAGON but was firm in his belief that Andreas Babuschkin, Jan Bünning and Chris Gripp should push forward with PARAGON. This led to the recruitment of Wolfgang Tewes several months later as Martin’s replacement and a completed lineup in 2012 with the addition of 2nd guitarist Jan Bertram. With new blood in the band and a renewed sense of energy, PARAGON returned to the stage and also began the songwriting for the highly anticipated follow up to SCREENSLAVES.
In May of 2012 PARAGON entered Piet Sielck’s „Powerhouse Studios“ to begin the recording of their 10th album FORCE OF DESTRUCTION, which saw an aggressive return to form in the style of their previous albums LAW OF THE BLADE and THE REVENGE, still considered some of the band’s strongest albums. The album was released in October 2012 and earned the best reviews the band ever had and many fans and critics praised it as their best album ever.
After the very successful German Metal Attack Tour with Grave Digger in October / November 2013, PARAGON parted ways with their drummer Chris Gripp who was replaced by Sören Teckenburg (Ex-Buried in Black, Ex-Time Has Come, Iron Savior) in the beginning of 2014. With fresh energy the band was eager to deliver the Metal goods to more fans in Europe by paying shows in Greece (Up The Hammers), Germany (Dong Open Air), Wales (Hammerfest UK), Austria (Black´n´Thrash Inferno) and Denmark (Metal Magic).
The end of 2014 saw PARAGON put the full focus on writing the songs for their 11th album. Going back to their roots, PARAGON met in their rehearsal room, drank some beers and started jamming the songs they already demoed the last two years. Nothing was taken for granted and after working on each riff, melody, break and even the tiniest detail PARAGON had finished eight songs at the end of February 2015.
Right before their co-headlining show at the German Swordbrothers, Wolfgang Tewes left the band for personal reasons. For now PARAGON will continue as four piece, with none other than PARAGON founding member Martin Christian and Ex-PARAGON guitar player Günny Kruse sharing studio and live duties.
Drums have been recorded by Schrödey at his Absurd Studios (Holy Moses, Hardbone, Blitzkrieg) and in the beginning of April PARAGON (including Martin Christian handling the second guitar) entered Piet Sielck´s Powerhouse Studio to record new songs like „Buried in Blood“, „Heart Of The Black“, „Devil´s Watingroom“ and „Hell Beyond Hell“. With Sören behind the drumkit there are no boundaries and so this is the most thrashy, fastest and most aggressive PARAGON album ever with extreme guitar duelling between returning band founder Martin Christian and Jan Bertram.
So be prepared for another dose of lethal German Heavy Metal!
Album Facts:
• 11th album by one of Germany’s longest enduring metal bands
• World class production by Piet Sielck
• The return of PARAGON founding member Martin Christian
• Artwork by Valgorth
Line Up:
Andreas Babuschkin – Lead Vocals
Jan Bertram – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Martin Christian – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Jan Bünning – Bass, Backing Vocals
Jason Wöbcke – Drums, Backing Vocals
Discography
1994 Into The Black MCD (Self Release)
1995 World Of Sin (Tricolor / Blue Merle)
1998 Final Command (B.O. Records)
1999 Chalice Of Steel (B.O. Records)
2001 Steelbound (Remedy Records)
2002 Law Of The Blade (Remedy Records)
2003 The Dark Legacy (Remedy Records)
2005 Revenge (Remedy Records)
2007 Forgotten Prophecies (Remedy Records)
2008 Screenslaves (Massacre Records)
2012 Force Of Destruction (Napalm Records)
2016 Hell Beyond Hell (Remedy Records)
2019 Controlled Demolition (Massacre Records)
2024 Metalation (Massacre Records)