Zutiefst menschlich

100 / 100
➤ "… exotic vibes, samples — this album takes you on a journey through many countries. An explosion of the senses and emotions ... a strong and powerful work ... the end of the album is simply calm, with the last track bringing back the heavy guitars for a final conclusion ... a beautiful artistic output that you should buy without hesitation ..."
(The Metal Mag)

9,5 / 10
➤ "… an extraordinary album, with irresistible charm … utterly captivating … a complete immersion in a parallel universe … a band with a unique identity, full of diverse facets and moods … ambitious artistic authenticity – undoubtedly already one of the most influential albums of 2026 …"
(Pavillon 666)

9 / 10
➤ "… packed with fantastic musical finesse, if you’re into the richness of Progressive Metal that blends both modern and traditional styles, and even world music … a multi-layered, cinematic story unfolds with a complex plot and elaborate orchestral arrangements … they really offer everything the Metal genre has to offer in terms of world music … how would Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull interpret this album?"
(Terapija)

4,5 / 5
➤ "… zeigt, dass Progressive- und Groove-Metal weit über technische Fertigkeiten hinausgehen kann, wenn Emotionen, kulturelle Elemente und musikalische Experimente zusammenfinden … die 10 Tracks bilden ein kohärentes Ganzes, das sowohl für Metal-Fans als auch für Hörer offen ist, die genreübergreifende Klanglandschaften schätzen."
(MetalUnderground AT)

18 / 20
➤ "A fantastic album that sets the bar high for the future … powerful, technically accomplished, massive – yet the mix also features heart, nuance and finesse. There isn’t a single mediocre track to be found here; quality from start to finish … every track has its own identity … a brilliant band …"
(Aux Portes De Metal)

8,5 / 10
➤ "… mit Hang zum Power Metal … es hagelt harte Gitarren, bollernde Doublebass und fette Chöre … bleibt immer Headbanger-tauglich … erinnert manchmal an Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Evergrey, Brainstorm oder Ancient Curse. Der Gesang von Frontmann Stéphanes ist melodisch und kraftvoll zugleich und lässt mich oft an Russell Allan von Symphony X denken … überzeugen, bei allem, was sie machen, auf ganzer Linie."
(Crossfire)

8,5 / 10
➤ "… emotionally, it oscillates between tension and elation … striking rhythms contrast with airier, almost contemplative passages … not simply a Progressive Metal album, but an immersive work, a sensory and spiritual journey … reaffirm a strong artistic vision that manages to unite diverse influences without ever losing coherence …"
(Radio Heavy Metal)

8,5 / 10
➤ "… ihre Spielart des progressiven Metal geht mir doch verdammt gut rein … ´Sufero´ ist ein wilder Ritt auf den Spuren von Symphony X. Die habe ich lang nicht mehr in dieser guten Form gehört, die die Franzosen hier beweisen. Starkes Riffing, fesselnde Chöre und tolle mitreißende Melodien."
(Obliveon)

82 / 100
➤ "… the progressive elements from France are emphasised, often reminiscent of Dream Theater. Perhaps because all the tracks deal with different events that actually took place in various parts of the world, folk or ethnic melodies can be heard here and there, evoking a Celtic or Asian feel and creating an exotic atmosphere."
(Burrn!)

8 / 10
➤ "... aggressives Drumming, hochenergetisches Riffing und extrem variabler Gesang … zeigt, warum man die Franzosen als Modern-Progressive-Metal-Band bezeichnet … und immer wieder begeistern die wechselnden Stimmen der Backing Vocals …"
(Bleeding4Metal)

8 / 10
➤ "The riffs strike with absolute hostility. The guys fuse the aggression of Thrash legends Nevermore and Testament with the brain-twisting math of Symphony X and Pain Of Salvation."
(Heavy Metal Darkness)

8 / 10
➤ "… brilliant performances, great songwriting and a full cast of guest artist that drive the concept this album tries to convey. A superb record but one that you need to make time for 'Cairn' is a pillar of the Prog Metal scene."
(Musipedia Of Metal)

7,7 / 10
➤ "... PARALLEL MINDS with ‘Cairn’ know exactly what kind of Prog/Power Metal they want to embody ... a band that wants to get heavier and, like many others, integrate elements from other musical styles ... more arabesque or with a more Mediterranean flair, and Stéphane Fradet's voice is one of those that has some rougher ideas in it, giving it a much more brutal character ..."
(Metallerium)

7 / 10
➤ "I can see a world in which this album finds favor with many … it is glaringly apparent that this band has no shortage of ideas, the recording itself is of a high caliber, and there's no weak musicianship to be found anywhere … feels like the record before the masterpiece. Parachute into any single track and you'll most likely walk away impressed — for that alone, it is worth a spin."
(The Metallist)

➤ "… bold, demanding, and emotionally uncompromising … rewards patience, attention, and repeat listens. This is Metal that challenges the mind while punching the gut, proving that heaviness and humanity can — and should — coexist … PARALLEL MINDS haven’t just released an album here. They’ve built a monument. And it’s one hell of a thing to stand in front of."
(The Riff Report)

➤ "… they've carved out their own space here. Large-scale album designed for full immersive listening while featuring tracks that can stand alone as singles."
(Papy Jeff Metal)

➤ "Ultimately, 'Cairn' stands out as a solid release, driven by a genuine vision and masterful execution. PARALLEL MINDS clearly consolidates its identity here. A successful album, perhaps a little too demanding for some, but one that fully reveals itself over time."
(Nawak Posse)

➤ "The guitar riffs stand out sharply against the soaring melodies, creating an emotional balance between anger and beauty. It is a curated sensory experience that celebrates human endurance through phenomenal staging, with each song feeling like a necessary building block in a larger …"
(Rancor Metalzine)

➤ "This fourth album is even more in line with Stef and Greg's initial desire to create a band that would know no boundaries or rules. PARALLEL MINDS, with its colorful Progressive Metal, continues its musical journey without setting limits on established musical rules. An album that offers both continuity for those who discovered and enjoyed this band in 2022, but also other songs, with a new musical approach and great vocal diversity, which will appeal to a wider audience."
(OdyMetal)

➤ "… Power Metal, der grooovt, rockt, rifft … dürfte NWOBHM-Veteranen ebenso gefallen wie jungen Metal-Fans."
(Sonic Realms)

➤ "… vertrackte Riffs zu eher geradlinigen, teils schnellen Rhythmen … ausgefeilter, teils harmonisierter Klargesang … dezente Keyboardsounds und auch einigen neoklassische Einflüsse …"
(Babyblaue Seiten)

➤ "… demands attention, availability, almost reverence. Each track is a stone placed on an invisible monument, a cairn dedicated to memory, to pain, to resistance, to dignity. One hour of music. An epic. A historical fresco. A testament. There are albums that don't just tell a story: they bear witness. 'Cairn' belongs to this rare category."
(France Metal Museum)

➤ "… gewinnt mit jedem weiteren Durchlauf an Tiefe, weil man immer wieder neue Elemente entdeckt … ein sehr durchdachtes und ambitioniertes Album. PARALLEL MINDS verbinden hier musikalische Technik mit einem klaren thematischen Konzept und schaffen ein Werk, das nicht nur kraftvoll klingt, sondern auch inhaltlich etwas erzählen möchte. Wer Progressive Metal mit viel Dynamik und erzählerischem Anspruch schätzt, dürfte an diesem Album einiges finden."
(The Anti Archive)

➤ "Each song unfolds its own world of imagination, and some don’t hesitate to push the boundaries … the incredible talent of these three musicians shines once again for the world to see, and their ability to step back and let the music take the spotlight is a testament to their immense humility."
(Metalnews FR)

➤ "It is not only the human experience that makes 'Cairn' a great album, it is also the way PARALLEL MINDS add their influences keeping their Power Metal identity clean. PARALLEL MINDS are a Power Metal with influences, not the other way around and this a very important thing to achieve."
(Metal Addicts)

➤ "… dynamic and elaborate style …"
(Flight Of Pegasus)

➤ "… I highly recommend checking it out … you won't be disappointed … it's a real gem …"
(Radio Metal Revolution)

➤ "… Their Progressive Metal has everything you could want: a sense of gravity. There's stakes and a narrative. With 'Cairn', PARALLEL MINDS has now joined the big leagues."
(MoM - Metal On Metal)

➤ "… super interesting …"
(Groundcast)

➤ "… a revelation … the oriental/tribal influences, which play a significant role, offer not only a broader perspective but also a touch of exoticism that blends harmoniously into the overall picture … emotional depth in their conceptual choices … truly authentic … one of the highlights of the French Metal scene …"
(Du son, des mots)

➤ "… a significant leap forward. More ambitious, multifaceted, and open to the world, this album stands out as a milestone in their discography. Sophisticated yet generous, technically brilliant and deeply felt at the same time … takes time to appreciate but reward you a hundredfold … one should immerse oneself in completely—preferably with headphones to capture the full range and all the subtleties."
(Under A Metal Sun)

➤ "The production is clever and balanced enough to enhance not only the instruments and vocals but also the forays into so-called world music, ensuring that neither element gets in the way of the other but rather that they coexist and thrive within the same musical ecosystem … for fans of the heaviest Progressive Metal … a release not to be missed … my first big favourite of the year!""
(Dioses Del Metal)

➤ "Besonders cool finde ich die Gesamtwirkung der Platte: Alles passt zusammen. Die Synthesizer sind nicht nur Deko, sondern fügen sich mit dem aggressiven Power-Metal-Kern zu einer Einheit, die mal episch-breit und mal kompakt gedrückt wirkt … was 'Cairn' so besonders macht, ist die Balance … ein modernes Metal-Statement … technisch auf höchstem Niveau, verliert aber nie den Groove und die Wucht aus den Augen."
(MetalZone - Support The Underground)

➤ "… compelling and appealing variety, rather than overt technicality being the order of the day for this experience. Delicate folk music passages and gentler exotic interludes is a defining part … array of dark toned, majestic riff and rhythm constructions that to my ears at least refer back to Dream Theater, and much the same can be said for some of the more technical riff patterns occasionally explored …"
(Progressor)

➤ "Sie können so richtig viel. Und das stellen sie hier auch alles zur Schau … es groovt, es speedet, es thrasht, es deathed, und allem voran: es proggt, weil PARALLEL MINDS alles verschachtelt miteinander kombinieren. Zudem nicht nur die Metal-Spielarten, sondern auch den Rest des Instrumente-Arsenals, das ihnen zur Verfügung steht, und das ist riesig."
(KrautNick)

Bisherige Anerkennung für die Band
"Echoes From Afar" • Album • 2022

Metal Gods TV (UK) 10/10
TrueMetal (Italy) 90/100
Metal News (France) 90 / 100
Pavillon 666(France) 9/10
Loud TV (France) 9/10
World of Metal (Italy) 9/10
Aux Portes Du Metal (France) 18/20
Nawakulture (France) 4/5
All Around Metal (Italy) 4/5
Nightfall in Metal Earth (France) 4/5
Music Waves (France) 4/5 – Top 3 April 2022
OgZa (Mexico) 8,5/10
Soil Chronicles (France) 8,5/10
Metallized (Italy) 82/100
Metal Franche Comte (France) 8/10
No Limit (France) 8/10

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