Paralyzed – Rumble & Roar

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · June 2, 2025

Paralyzed is a German hard rock band that formed in 2019. Their sound is a mix of hard driven blues, vintage seventies rock, and elements of stoner. The quartet consists of Michael Binder on vocals and lead guitar, Caterina Böhner on organ and rhythm guitar, Philipp Engelbrecht on bass, and Florian Thiele on drums. They have released four full length albums including: 2019’s Hidden Sun, 2021’s Self Titled, 2022’s Heavy Road, and their latest, 2025’s Rumble & Roar. Rumble & Roar was released on May 9th 2025 on Ripple Music and contains nine tracks at forty two minutes long.

“Machine With A Soul” begins with the drums and adds in warm tones of enchanting guitars. The slow brewing rhythms percolate into an overdriven bass riff that pushes the song forward. The vocals of Michael Binder have a smooth and deep, yet raspy tone and really suits the retro rocking sound nicely. The guitar riffing beginning of “Railroad” is so inviting and simmers along with the rest of the instruments exquisitely. The audio mix of sounds is leveled off perfectly, where each instrument has its own unique voice and expression. The music has such a classic and organic rock sound that you would swear that it was birthed in the early to mid seventies. The rocking rhythms and electrifying leads are all involved and in full display. The groove of “Rosies Town” is so infectious, graced with hook-centric vocals, warm distorted guitars, and a beautiful layer of organ to top it off.

“Heavy Blues” is just that with sprinkles of fiery leads enticing the hard driving rhythms. The vocals once again command the flow as the music is a dazzling collaboration of rock n’ roll glory. This song is a rager and really showcases the talents of this band. “The Myth Of Love” is a beautiful passage of acoustic guitar and mellow tones. The guitar playing of Michael Binder and Caterina Böhner are fabulous and fit perfectly with the vibe of the song. It’s very striking and elegantly pieced together. “White Paper” starts off mellow and then kicks back in with the jump rocking boogie. It’s another dynamic track that forges excellent melodies and guitar harmonies. The seventh track called “Leave You” is another bluesy rock classic. The slow tempo is tightened by a solid rhythm section from bassist Philipp Engelbrecht and drummer Florian Thiele. The expressive blues drenched leads are magnificent, as is the emotive singing.

“The Witch” is a fantastic ode to The Doors soundtrack that roars. The layered organs and Morrison-esc vocals are highlighted by the amazing guitar action. Paralyzed are a true retro-fied blues rock band. Steamrolling the classic vintage sounds of the seventies better than most. “Truth And Lie” closes out this amazing record with another master class of hard clustered rock. I am really enjoying Rumble & Roar and the ending sequence to “Truth And Lie” has me moving. The growling bass line at the 3:47 mark and intricate percussion is met once again by the blues infused guitar leads. The band are really grooving on this part and masterfully slow down the pace to a crawling and epic close. Rumble & Roar is a true classic rock ensemble that any fan of that genre would enjoy. The sound quality and production of this record are incredible and refreshing. Paralyzed are the real deal in the experience and expression of vintage sounding blues driven hard rock.