Black Sabbath - Paranoid (cover)

This is a cover by Cygnus that can be, should be and must be discussed in superlatives only.

This cover is a bit less than 3 minutes of pure beauty, the clearest, most profound manifestation of the talent, creativity and virtuoso skills of four wonderful musicians.

The original song is considered to be the cradle of metal music. It's not only an essential song of rock history, it's the foundation stone of everything. There's no excuse at all for not knowing it. Either you know it or you don't belong to this planet, kindly quit and head to the Andromeda galaxy or right into the Sun, it's up to you.

The thing is, the rhythm section hits you in the groints right with the intro and they don't even apologize. They are like a heavy, punctual, radioactive clockwork, on which Blu lets the distinctive, dusty/distorted riff of the song flow. And here, in the intro comes the surprise: Reny and his Hammond organ sound.

It's amazing how much the keyboard adds to this song. Here it appears as just some majestic tapestry on the wall of the wonders these 3 musicians are making, but keep your ears and heart wide open, dear Reader, because this amazing Mexican has got much more behind his piano to offer.

Ruxx starts to sing.

In the original version Ozzy gives a certain eerie atmosphere to the song with his very distinctive, cold, creepy vocals that is the voice of the man going insane while fighting with his demons. Ruxx's vocals are full of fire, full of vengeance and pride, the voice of a man who has not only fought his demons, but who finally won and became their leader.

And keep your ears wide open, dear Reader, because here, at the bridge after this stanza, as the rhythm section is bombarding you with nuclear radiation, the guitar rubs the skin off your flesh and the Hammond organ is conducting electricity right into your veins

and you fkin enjoy it!!!

this part ends with Ruxx flashing a filling. It comes out of nowhere and it kicks you into the stomach. You try to find your breath, but you don't have too much time as Deneb appears to sweep you off your feet. (He does!) His mellow, rich baritone completely opposes Ozzy's original haunting voice; it soothes the mind that is exhausted from the delirium of battling with its own monsters. This flavorful, warm voice is there to hold you tight, to give you shelter and to make you feel protected. 

After the bridge sung by Ruxx ("Can you help me? Occupy my brain, oh yeah") grab something, dear Reader, that you can hold on to, because what's on the way will sweep you away if you're not careful enough.

It's Reny's moment. The Mexican keyboard player has a fantastic improvisation here and it's a joy to watch and listen how the others follow him and support him to make this part even more hitting. Blu and Deneb are pouring radioactive gasoline onto the already burning furnace, heating it up until almost melting point - but until that we have some more surprises.

Deneb is back with the vocals. His baritone has a cooling effect on the heavy glow of this nuclear fuel, while the flavors of his voice are slowly but surely dropping down through your auditory meatuses to your heart. 

And get ready, dear Reader, because here comes the solo.

Blu starts it. At first it looks like the regular solo of the song, but then, dear Reader, then Reny takes it over.

Ruxx starts to play with the rhythm, completely driving the dumbass average music consumer

we know who you are 😒

into a total confusion. 

And I bet for them it was just a little "musical wink at each other" - and I fkin love them for this!!!

Not just for this, of course.

Reny masterfully rules the keyboard, meanwhile Ruxx keeps playing with the tempo.

I think it was Mike Portnoy, who once said about Dream Theater's epic song Pull Me Under something like "the tempo for this song was 4/4 and the others told me that I could be as creative as I want within that" and I have the impression that something like this might have happened at the recording of this cover - the tempo and the bpm were given and Ruxx got free hands to improvise and be creative the way he wants. 

I think it was the best thing that could happen to a by default genius song.

And I LOVE what Deneb is doing there. I admit, I can't help but think of that beautiful and badass Go-Pro camera he has got on his bass lately and these are those moments when I play with the daydream that perhaps one day he will show us the magic he is doing in songs/covers like this. Because being a magician he is, he deserves all the attention and admiration for that enormous work he is doing.

Ruxx returns with his irresistible, flowing, powerful voice, kicking you out of the insanity, delusion, crippling doubt and depression.

Much better than benzodiazepine, I can make anyone sure!

The song's original dark, evil, uncanny atmosphere gets here a blast with a fireball. And now, dear Reader, get ready. Get ready for the burning, melted uranium rods of Reactor no. 4 in Chernobyl to fall onto your from their concrete sarcophagus. Because as Deneb, the Magician starts to sing, the catharsis arrives, it tears you into a million pieces and the best of it all is that you love it, enjoy it, absorb it, you open your arms for it and you beg for more. Deneb is singing, and for the last two lines of the final stanza a fantastic improvisation happens by all four musicians together. 

I can tell you, dear Reader, I have heard a number of covers for this songs, good and bad. This one outshines ALL of them with its power and creativity. Yes, this one as well. And believe me, this is a HUGE thing, because this linked band here (and the cover they made) was among my favorites for a long long time.

And again Deneb is doing magic - and tapping - on the bass!

Bass cam, please!!! 

The outro is a gem. Mouth-watering as it is. Reny returns with his improvisations, and along with him the other musicians also give a last hint of their creativity before your microscopic pieces would eventually flame up into a huge nuciear explosion.

Believe me, this is what you missed from your life. And the best is that you can start it over any time! Just don't forget to turn on the volume and get the neigbourhood involved!