Paranormal
by Alice Cooper
Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. The A.V. Club
    Jul 28, 2017
    83
    Somewhat unexpectedly, Paranormal is even more intriguing when it delves into heavier territory.
  2. Kerrang!
    Jul 26, 2017
    80
    The best thing about Paranormal is that it sounds exactly like an Alice Cooper album. [28 Jul 2017, p.50]
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  3. Mojo
    Jul 25, 2017
    80
    Tremendous fun throughout. [Sep 2017, p.87]
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  5. Paste Magazine
    Jul 25, 2017
    75
    Put together in one tidy and creepy package, Paranormal does the near-impossible: offering something of worth for fans of his ‘70s output, those folks that clued in once Alice popped up in Wayne’s World and those newly minted fans who were welcomed to his nightmare on his recent run of tour dates. There’s almost no other rockers of Alice’s vintage that could pull of such a feat.
  6. Rolling Stone
    Aug 16, 2017
    70
    The result is a loose affair true to his legacy as a golf-club-wielding villain with a dark sense of humor.
  7. AllMusic
    Aug 16, 2017
    70
    Paranormal isn't the return to form one might have hoped for, but it's no embarrassment either, and Cooper appears to be having a grand time while giving his fans a good show for their dollar.
  8. Under The Radar
    Jul 24, 2017
    70
    Paranormal, Cooper's first studio album since 2011's Welcome 2 My Nightmare, is a welcome surprise. [Jul-Sep 2017, p.55]
  9. Slant Magazine
    Jul 24, 2017
    70
    For anyone who thinks Cooper's music has lost its edge, Paranormal is a reminder that loud, lumbering rock never goes out of style.
  10. Classic Rock Magazine
    Jul 24, 2017
    70
    Taken as a whole, it’s a pretty patchwork affair, but so are all Alice Cooper albums, even the great ones. And while this isn’t one of the great ones, it also doesn’t sound like the work of a washed-up has-been who’s out of time and ideas.

Awards & Rankings

65
#65 Most Shared Album of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. StevenX
    Jul 28, 2017
    8
    Alice Cooper shows on PARANORMAL that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve - the Scorpions-esque intro on the title cut, the rollickingAlice Cooper shows on PARANORMAL that he still has a few tricks up his sleeve - the Scorpions-esque intro on the title cut, the rollicking attack of "Fireball", the runaway train that is "Rats". He also falters slightly here and there - the famous Cooper snarl comes and goes a bit, and when he sings "Don't you know there's cannibals / designed to kill and eat you" he's actually self-cannibalizing "Don't you know children / are starving in Korea" from his own "Generation Landslide", and the following angel-dust reference shows that The Coop may have not taken many drugs since he sang the latter. The worst thing here is that "The Sound Of A" is more than a slight rip of Pink Floyd's "Brain Damage". That dipped-in-the-past toe becomes a total dive before the album's over, with nods to both classic Cooper and the "Welcome To My Nightmare" era ("Holy Water" jumps right into that mode with a horn-driven Broadway attack). Whether nostalgic or squarely in the present, no one sounds like they're phoning it in. Who knew that Alice would have his vocal chops, energy and wit intact this consistently at this stage of the game? Then again, Cooper has rarely played by rules other than his own, and if it works, it works.

    This works.    … Full Review »
  2. solar_vortex
    Sep 26, 2017
    9
    It's easy to over analyse an album by someone as iconic as Alice Cooper and compare new material to previous legendary releases. With someoneIt's easy to over analyse an album by someone as iconic as Alice Cooper and compare new material to previous legendary releases. With someone like Alice I think the best test is to ask yourself "Do I find myself singing the songs to myself?". In this case I have to answer "Yes!". The songs are catchy and I can enjoy them all. There are also some very clever and witty lines. Unlike many other aged rockers, Alice Cooper has not lost his magic after all these years and this is one of the best rock albums I've heard recently. If you're an Alice fan or just a fan of proper rock music then you will not be disappointed!… Full Review »
  3. JonahVX
    Jul 30, 2017
    10
    Alice Cooper is simply too good at too many styles and ideas. There is no sign of aging, he sounds as fresh and inspired as he did in 1972.Alice Cooper is simply too good at too many styles and ideas. There is no sign of aging, he sounds as fresh and inspired as he did in 1972. Because of that we see a great variety of songs. He could have made 5 normal albums with this amount of hooks, idea's and arrangements. But it's only one and every song is an entire world, almost an album on its own.… Full Review »
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