To Gaius! (For the Delivery of Agrippina)

We return to the time of the great Roman emperors for this full-length of Paragon Impure. Being their fourth release (after two demos and a compilation), ‘To Gaius!’ is a blow! The concept of this CD is all based on the person of Gaius Caligula, a Roman emperor with excessive cruelty, immoral sexual escapades and disrespect toward tradition and the Senate. Paragon Impure consists out of two members: Noctiz, who composes everything, and Storm, who takes care of the drums. They’re also known for playing in other bands like Gotmoor and Verloren. ‘To Gaius’ has been released through Goatowarex on CD/digipack, through Painiac on 12” and through Meurtre Noir on tape.

And I must say what a theme! I’ve always been interested in Roman history, and I really appreciate it when there’s a band that makes a CD about something or someone from that period in time. And for me, this is even more interesting than just another lame Viking story, telling the same over and over again. All the lyrics on this album are based upon ‘De Vitae Caesarum’ (translated as ‘About the life of the emperors’) of Suetonuis. Paragon Impure have already made an EP about another historical man, Ish Kerioth (from Judas Iscariot).

Lets have a look at the music itself. The first thing that came to mind when I pressed ‘Play’ was Darkthrone. Very hypnotizing riffs, supported with aggressive vocals. And when you feel the hypnosis doing his job, there are some very aggressive parts (e.g. the part with ‘Ave Caligula’ in the first song) or just parts where (almost) all music stops, followed immediately by another riff or a spoken text, that are excellent to awaken you once again and make you capable to keep concentrated for the next passage of this masterpiece. ‘To Gaius’ shows definitely that P.I. is one of the best bands Belgium has to offer nowadays. This is almost as pure as Black Metal gets, half an hour filled with the best the bands of the north created some time ago. Nothing more has to be added.

I end this review with a quote from Caligula that stands on this CD: ‘I have existed from the morning of the world and I shall exist until the last star falls from the night. Although I have taken the form of Gaius Caligula, I am all man as I am no man and therefore I am… a God!’