Liked ‘King of the Closet’? Harder vocals, harder sounds? Well it’s still as resolutely frantic and punky even if it’s a tad more ‘produced’ and a little less hardcore this time around.
A little while on from fan-favourite ‘A Thought Crushed My Mind’ and Sweden’s Blindside augment their blistering guitar-driven rock with a little mystery, and a little of the mystical.
Beefed-up to the pectorals like Frodo Baggins on steroids, Christian and his band of bristling, gruff cohorts continue to wield the proverbial rock axe to grind. Passionate rather than aggressive and emotional rather than angry, there’s evidently still thousands of badly adjusted youths in bedrooms re-discovering the likes of Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath than there are those warming to Schubert and Dvorak. Lost boys, sad boys – who’s going to argue the toss? Fair enough, you’re not about to impress those sassy urban she-devils with this kind of fare – but is sure going to fill that void between those damp, uncomfortable days as a youth in your bedroom and the long haul to being a man.
The arrangements are all twisty and turny affairs – impossible highs – imponderable lows and there’s enough happening to keep the casual listener from flicking on the kettle and disappearing for half an hour.
Starting out with the nu-metalish “Caught A Glimpse“, the album continues with it’s Off the beat vocals and unexpected riff explosions that guarantee the repair of your 200-watt speakers.
Not really my kind of thing but “Coming Back To Life“ and “She Shut Your Eyes“ do provide some glorious textbook hooks, fills and spills.