| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Cross Rhythms Magazine |   [1] |
| Imperiumi.net | 6-/10[2] |
| Matt Morrow |  [3] |
Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell/Arachnid Terror Sampler is an EP by black metal band Paradox combined with a sampler album featuring fourteen different artists, released in 2002 by the band's own Tarantula Promotions label.[1][3][4] Limited to five hundred copies, it contains two songs by Paradox, which were the final recordings of that band, along with a compilation of fourteen songs previously recorded by their respective artists.[3] The album's musical style was described as extreme metal, with the various genres on the album falling under black metal, death metal, grindcore, deathcore, and doom metal.[1][3] Apart from Paradox, the other artists represented on the album include Soul Embraced, Sanctifica, Frosthardr, Frost Like Ashes, Kekal, Pantokrator, and Tortured Conscience, among others.[1][2][3][4] According to Paradox founder Michael "John Tarantula", the release was a result of his newsletter project, Fangs of Life, which he published through his Tarantula Promotions label.[5]
Critical reception
Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell received moderate praise from critics: Cross Rhythms gave the album six out of ten squares, Imperiumi rated the album a six-minus out of ten, and HM Magazine writer Matt Morrow rated the album eight-and-a-half out of ten.[1][3] Cross Rhythms labelled the Paradox tracks as "average", and stated that "much of the extreme metal on the remainder of the disc is both a sonic quagmire and structural disaster."[1] However, the appearances of Soul Embraced and Kekal were praised by the reviewer as the highlights of the album, mentioning that both artists "would be worthy competitors in the mainstream market."[1] The reviewer also bestowed praise on Inversion, calling that band's track "a satisfying death-core nugget that is close to perfect, save for its meandering and lifeless finale".[1] However, the songs by Ganglia, Sanctifica, and Encryptor were criticised.[1] Matt Morrow was more favourable to the album, criticising the material by Paradox as sub-par and not produced well but calling the rest of the album "high quality stuff to say the least."[3] Morrow listed the cuts by Frost Like Ashes, Kekal, Stronghold, and Soul Embraced as his favourite on the release.[3] Imperiumi.net also criticised the production quality of the Paradox tracks, but praised Sanctifica, Kekal, and Pantokrator, also noting the appearances of Frosthardr, Frost Like Ashes, Stronghold, Sorrow Storm, and Bleakwail.[2]
Track listing
Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell
- "Overcome (Victory in Christ)"
- "Burning Forever"
Arachnid Terror Sampler
- Soul Embraced – "Unborn"
- Sanctifica – "Red Alert"
- Sorrowstorm – "Chanting the Last Passages"
- Tortured Conscience – "Internal Torment"
- Frosthardr – "Unhuman Morbid Fantasy"
- Ganglia – "Suddenly Destroyed"
- Oblivion – "Sovereign God"
- Bleakwail – "Passionate Peace"
- Encryptor – "Rebrutalization"
- Frost Like Ashes – "Adorers of Blood"
- Inversion – "Independence"
- Kekal – "Mean Attraction"
- Pantokrator – "Divine Light"
- Stronghold – "Tears"
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Foster, Shelby (1 May 2003). "Paradox – Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell ..." Cross Rhythms Magazine (CR Mag 74). Cross Rhythms. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ a b c Ryhänen (14 October 2003). "KOKOELMA – Arachnid Terror Sampler". Imperiumi.net (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Morrow, Matt. "Paradox – Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell/Arachnid Terror Sampler". The Whipping Post. Tripod.com. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ a b "Turn or Burn". Cross Rhythms Magazine (CR Mag 73). Cross Rhythms. 1 March 2003. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
- ^ Michael (January 2002). "Interview with Holy Steel Zine". Paradox Official Website. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
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