Year of release: 1993 / 2018 (this release)
Label: Metal Race Records
Rating: 7 / 10
Another classic piece from Metal Race - reissue of the album of the Moscow band PARANOIA, firstly released in 1993. This album remained the only one for a very promising formation, so soon everyone forgot about it, except for those who listened to the original cassette / CD / LP back in the 90's. Metal Race corrected this historical injustice, making the most fashionable reissue in several formats, among which was an exclusive wooden box with fancy stuff inside. Did this album deserved a re-release? Perhaps, yes. Preparing for the listening, you must discard thoughts about ASPID, ЖЕЛЕЗНЫЙ ПОТОК and so on. PARANOIA is softer and more musical, it's almost half Heavy Metal. But I must say that the group blended the styles very correctly, without transforming into MEGADETH-type shit rock. The basis of the music is a mid-tempo thrash without excessive technical tricks, and in the choruses the heavy melody is starting to work, adding to them the high lethal force. The vocalist often charges high notes, and this is cool, but only when he does it moderately. For example, the chorus for the song "Царство мёртвых теней" is wholly performed on a high note, which is annoying, since the voice lacks expressiveness. But when the vocal techniques alternate, everything falls exactly on the target. The rhythm section in all the songs works perfectly, making you shake your head even when the guitar riffs do not offer anything interesting. The lyrics of the songs, probably, were the separate pride for the group. For all its pretentiousness and excessive eloquence, it impresses with the richness of Satanic... no, infernal... no... the wildest ever - yes! - images. Taking this opportunity, I will draw a parallel with КОРРОЗИЯ МЕТАЛЛА, especially pronounced in the song "Mass psychosis"which allegedly is the sister of the KM creativity of the second half of the 90s. The lyrics and the music are just the same.
The album also did not work without a ballad ... okay, without a heavy slow song “Чёрный ворон”. I can not say that this is just a disastrous number, but still, as usual, most of the song here is senseless, so it's not really necessary. Although the idea with the children's choir in the end almost saves the whole song. Fortunately, "Месть зла" ends with the wicked track "Адская тварь" and not this pretty dull thing. It is a pity that in solo-parties musicians were too shy to turn to their fullest. And this is the problem of the whole album. Many times it felt that the guitar solos had a much greater potential. "Адская тварь" finally once again draws attention to the excellent sound of recording - of course, completely analog, and at the same time qualitative and heavy. Digipack from Metal Race adds excellent design to the technical characteristics of "Месть зла" - perhaps one of the best in the history of the label. Colors, arrangement of elements, quality of digipack - everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Perhaps, only the resolution of the photos is not enough, but I guess the source pics were not good enough. The booklet contains the texts of all songs and the biography of PARANOIA - short, but detailed. Look at the beauty on a video, and order it here. Summing up: "Месть зла" is not necessary to listen, but you definitely will not regret if you give a little time and money for this album. Although it can not compete with the works of giants of the Russian scene of the early 90's, it is just better than most of the t(h)rash albums that this scene releases today.
English (UK) 
Крыўская