BLINDSIDE – Blindside [Rerelease]

Year 2005 looks like a dream year for a diehard Blindside fan. The band is celebrating their tenth year with a flurry of releases. First you get two re-releases with new artwork and plenty of extra songs. Then there’s the brand new studio album, and if that’s not enough, they will even release their first ever DVD later in the year.

A few years back, Blindside cleaned up their sound with the release of Silence, which saw them come out like a Scandinavian version of POD. The fans that got into Blindside with that release sure are in for a big surprise when hearing this self-titled debut for the first time. This is hardcore, not easily digestible Nu-Metal, with only small pieces of later day Blindside shining through.

There are several things that grabs ones attention while listening to Blindside’s debut. There’s the surprise of the aggression that hits you straight from the start. There are the shouted vocals, even though the warm and melodic sound of singer Christian fans are more used to with the later day Blindside releases, does make an occasional appearance, but still it seems that the band is so full of energy and frustration that the sound they end up making is mostly aggressive. Blindside probably couldn’t come up with this kind of intensity anymore since the fact is it’s somewhat of a privilege reserved only for the young and hungry bands. One other thing with Christian’s ear-catching voice that seems to have been there from the start, is the optimistic view in the lyrics.

There are hardly any straightforward songs, most play with dynamics going from slow tempo to aggressive sound and back again or vice versa. This formula continues from song to song. “Invert” and “Nerve” both have Korn influences. The chorus of “Empty Box” has POD written all over it. Only “Born” and “Teddy Bear” have the familiar Blindside sound from the later Silence days. So if you’re looking for more of the same, this is not it. However, if you’re looking for a refreshing kick in the face, then look no further. Blindside still mix desperation with hope but just in a different world of sound.

You also get Blindside’s first demo as an added bonus. Surprisingly, “Forgiven,” which only appears on the demo, has the strongest chorus on the album, and the line of “I would never forgive you if I were you” just jumps out and does not let go. Wonder why it was shelved from the original album?

All in all, this may be a tad too much for the POD loving part of the Blindside fan base, but if you’re interested in hearing how the band has grown and shed their aggressive side, then this release will not disappoint you. There’s even plenty of visual candy in the youthful spread-out cover, with a picture of very young and innocent looking Blindside blokes, and a funny blast from the past with what after a moment of head scratching and pondering, ended in the realization that it is a c-cassette on the inner sleeve picture. Anyone remember those?