NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – April 27, 2026
Montreal Cult Heavy‑Rock PARADISE Erupts Back In 2026 w/ “Queen of Mars”
A First Taste of New Music Since 2020
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L-R: PARADISE Current Line Up | Frank Kelly (Guitar) | Frédéric Kelly (Bass) | R.L.Black (Vocals) | Samuel Plante (Drums) | Fred CrewGrr (Guitar)
Photo Credit – R.L. Black
After years of silence, speculation, and simmering creative energy, Montreal’s cult heavy‑rock outfit Paradise erupts back onto the scene with their first new music since their 2020 self‑titled album. The band announces their long‑awaited return with the upcoming single and music video “Queen of Mars,” marking the beginning of a bold new chapter in their cosmic, riff‑driven mythology.
Formed in 2002 during a lightning‑strike moment of inspiration, Paradise built their identity on what they call “volcanic rock”, a molten blend of heavy rock, classic metal, and stoner‑rock undertones. Their early albums “Rock Anthropologists on the Kon‑Tiki Voyage” (2002) and “Hotel” (2005) became underground favorites, fueled by wild creativity, tongue‑in‑cheek concept worlds, and collaborations with icons like Voivod’s Michel “Away” Langevin and the late Denis “Piggy” D’Amour.
Their 2020 self‑titled comeback album re‑established the band with a harder, sharper edge. Now, in 2026, Paradise resurfaces once more, this time with a fully realized retro‑futuristic vision inspired by the sci‑fi imagery of the ’60s and ’70s.
The band’s new single, “Queen of Mars,” introduces listeners to a cinematic, hypnotic space‑rock sound that expands Paradise’s sonic universe while staying rooted in their heavy‑rock DNA.
The track paints a vivid portrait of a timeless, wandering figure, the Queen of Mars, who embodies freedom, resilience, and cosmic sovereignty. Moving through a desert of memory and isolation, she becomes a mythic symbol of transformation and inner power. Musically, the song blends atmospheric guitars, ritualistic rhythms, and poetic, controlled vocals, landing somewhere between Hawkwind’s cosmic rock, Dozer’s desert‑space textures, and the dramatic sweep of Muse.
“It’s been a while since we’ve put something out, so I know some fans have been waiting. We’re close to the sound of our last record, but there are surprises. We used ’60s and ’70s sci‑fi imagery to inspire us, sounds and moods from far beyond,” says guitarist Frank Kelly.
Kelly remains the band’s primary music writer, working closely with vocalist R.L. Black on lyrics and melodies. For this new material, they also brought in Luc Bourgeois (Sandveiss) to elevate the songwriting even further.
“We just let it go, whichever song was ready first. We’re doing this for fun and to keep the creativity going. We hope people get it, but honestly, we’re having a blast,” adds Kelly.
Paradise has 8–9 new songs in the pipeline, all shaped by their signature approach: naming tracks early in the writing process to set the tone and guide the lyrical world. This time, that world is drenched in analog futures, cosmic psychedelia, and B‑movie sci‑fi charm, a natural evolution of the band’s long‑standing love for heavy music, from Judas Priest and Dio to Kyuss and Fu Manchu.
Paradise’s live reputation remains intact: high‑energy, high‑intensity, and unapologetically fun.
“We’re a party band. Just five guys having a blast. So many bands take this too seriously; it takes the fun out of it,” comments Kelly.
With their return, fans can expect a renewed sense of adventure, a deeper dive into their cosmic aesthetic, and a sound that continues to evolve without losing the volcanic spark that defined them from day one.
Watch and listen to the music video for “Queen of Mars” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xu3W8ZyA0I
Add to your Spotify playlist – https://open.spotify.com/track/6aF3AuOrjBMl4vcs6xDoV4
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More info:
https://paradiserockband.com/
https://www.instagram.com/paradiserockmtl/
https://www.facebook.com/paradiserockmtl
About: Born in Montreal in 2002, Paradise emerged from a whirlwind of creativity that led to their debut Rock Anthropologists on the Kon‑Tiki Voyage, followed by Hotel (2005). After a long hiatus, the band returned in 2020 with their self‑titled third album, blending hard rock and heavy metal with razor‑sharp riffs and soaring melodies. Now, in 2026, Paradise reclaims their place in the heavy‑rock cosmos with a new sci‑fi–inspired chapter and the upcoming single “Queen of Mars.”
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“The Canada scene has been fire in recent years, and it’s great to see the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll alive and kicking up there. Think about it: in this jaded era of fake music, here’s a group of five genuinely real, thinking, feeling humans who make music that you can also see live. The vibes are infectious. They call it volcanic rock, and the band’s been at it in some form or another since 2002. After two initial releases in the early part of the century, Paradise returned to the recording studio in 2020 ready for a new beginning. Now following the release of Paradise, they’re bringing all the attitude, energy, riffing, and fuzz to bear in the brand single before us: “Queen of Mars.” Beginning with a splash of pedal-mediated wah, the song picks up a groovy, heart-pounding pace, joined by grinding desert revving perfect for the visuals of the music video. Vocals tell the story in gritty and clean tones of “straying beyond the desert’s edge” and encountering the elusive Queen of Mars, depicted as “a gypsy spirit, wandering this ancient land.” Mysteries abound and you are invited to trip with the band into this strange, electrifying realm. Paradise’s new single comes out on Tuesday, April 28th, so this is your chance to hear it first! Stick it on a playlist with Freedom Hawk, Sandveiss, Bone Church, Kal-El, and Blackwülf. Give ear…” – Doomed and Stoned
“Fans of melodic heavy rock, there’s a new sheriff in town!” – Jano Lapin (2020)
“Solid, driving Hard Rock from the quagmires of Quebec!” – Reek Of STOOM (2020)
“Brilliant from start to finish !” – Stoner Rock Army (2020)
“A record that growls like a hungry beast” – ARP Média (2020)
“Riffing melodic hard rock and metal seems to the recipe for Canadians PARADISE, hailing from Montreal. And they do it well!This is a truly giutar driven album including ten songs only, but with energy enough to please you. Among my fave tracks are the cool and heavy riffed ”Who Do You Wanna Be” and the tempo filled ”Away From You” – try to stand still to that one! Like AC/DC on dope, if I exaggerate a bit.” – Melodic.net (2020)
“The synergy of this quintet gives the listener a proper kick in the ass needed to remember why we fell in love with the format. They also lend proof as to why heavy metal is the cornerstone of the myriad of hard rock subgenres. Blistering guitar riffs, thundering drums, and of course ample swipes at stuffy establishment rules.” – Boston Rock Radio (2020)
“The album opens with “Straight From Hell” and it is an adrenaline high. It is an unmistakable straight forward rock construction of verse-bridge-chorus, repeat, repeat, and the dial is set on stadium anthem. RL Black’s vocals are about as rock and roll as you can get – strong clean singing with a gruff edge. The lead breaks are short to fit in with the song structure, and they are pretty metal. I like the brand they have going here. It is great driving music, great drinking music. I would be stoked to see Paradise on the list of bands at a festival because you can just feel from these songs that they are going to put on a good show on stage.” – Flying Fiddlesticks Music Blog (2020)
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