Having only released their first ever single last year and a handful of others since, metalcore heavy rockers Paradise Slaves are back, this time with the release of their debut album, With Hell In His Eyes. The ten-track LP features six new songs and all four of the band’s previously released singles. Full of vim and vigor and spilling over with raw emotion, With Hell In His Eyes is an anthemic, atmospheric work with a little bit of something for rock fans of all walks to enjoy.
The key to this flawless execution of musical versatility may be due to the band’s five members hailing from different rock styles. Made up of 36 Crazyfists’ Brock Lindow (vocals), Diecast’s Jon Kita (guitar) and Brad Horion (bass), solo artist Tyler Stroetzel (guitar), and Blitzkid’s and Pentagram’s Ryan Manning (drums), Paradise Slaves may be a new band, but the members are no stranger to creating and releasing music.
"This band is something I didn't expect. After it fell in my lap, I was making new music with new people, and we became brothers, and for that, I'm so grateful,” Lindow shares, continuing, “When you get a gift like this, you need to put your best foot forward and have some fire. I definitely still have the same fire and love for making music I always had, and it manifests in Paradise Slaves."
With Hell In His Eyes kicks off with a haunting yet invigorating opening track, "For Those Who Watch The Sea," followed by "Aesthetic Of Serpents," and then "A Fever To Defeat," previously released as the band's first ever single. "For Those Who Watch The Sea" begins with soft synths and a light piano melody that beautifully adds to the song's emotional depth, but don't let that fool you. Around the 1:20 mark, there's a killer bass drop that kickstarts an exhilarating breakdown, making the track certifiably moshable. Alternatively, with loud, intricate guitars and powerful drums, "Aesthetic Of Serpents" is galvanizing from start to finish. Written at the height of the COVID pandemic, "A Fever To Defeat" shifts between thrashy and harmonic, a staggering display of both the band's versatility and the feelings of uncertainty of the time.
From there, the album moves into "Dreamers," initially released as the LP's first official single, and then the titular track "With Hell In His Eyes." With aggressive instrumentals, plenty of throaty growls, and a chantable chorus, "Dreamers" is both a bona fide headbanger and a true metalcore anthem. "With Hell In His Eyes" has all the intensity of the previous track but adds a dash of angst, constantly walking the line between vulnerable and vehement.
The official music video for "Dreamers" by Paradise Slaves.
Next up on With Hell In His Eyes is "Glass Mountain," followed by "Swim North" and "How Far From Fragile." Gritty in sound but moving in lyrics, "Glass Mountain" takes the energy down a notch with a bit more of a mellow aura. However, Paradise Slaves turn the dial back up for "Swim North," featuring Unearth's Trevor Phipps, whose gnarly growls perfectly complement Lindow's melodic vocals. With funky bass riffs, intricate guitars, and lively drumming, "How Far From Fragile" marks another certifiable anthem for the album's tracklist.
As With Hell In His Eyes comes to an end, "Somebody To Shove" plays, and then finally "Always Have Always Will." Putting a heavier, modernized spin on the classic Soul Asylum song, "Somebody To Shove," fits in beautifully and cohesively with the rest of the album's tracklist. Closing out With Hell In His Eyes is "Always Have Always Will." At six minutes and 14 seconds, it's the longest track on the LP, taking its time to build up the intensity but ending With Hell In His Eyes with the same level of emotion it started with.
With the release of their stellar debut album finally here, everything can only keep going up from here for Paradise Slaves. Make sure to keep this band on your radar, because they won't be going anywhere anytime soon, and you won't want to miss it.
Stream the debut album from Paradise Slaves, With Hell In His Eyes, on Spotify.
