Started finding it kinda hard to keep up with Paranoid (a.k.a. 偏執症者) if I’m honest, and I think this might be the first release I’ve ‘properly’ engaged with since 2018’s ‘Heavy Mental Fuck-Up!’ Barring a tweaked production ‘Out Raising Hell’ finds Paranoid continuing on a similar trajectory, the band having spread their ragged wings and flown beyond the pure crasher crust outbursts of their earliest days. While some D-beat elements still cling to the band’s leathery torso like old skin that hasn’t quite been sloughed off, the overriding influence now is definitely heavy ruddy metal, with the scything riffs and gargled vocals owing more to Hellhammer or early Sodom than the usual Dis-namedrops. The record itself, meanwhile, comes wrapped in artwork recalling a certain Sacrifice full-length. Overall it’s a decent and thoroughly enjoyable slab, though I have to admit that I do find myself pining for something truly explosive amid the gurning, grinding head-down-and-run thrash action.
