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    The Phantom Tollbooth 1998/Blindside
    Blindside — Blindside cover

    Blindside

    Blindside

    (1997)

    Reviewed by Josh Spencer

    DiscogsBandcampApple MusicSpotify
    Label Day-Glo RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth1998
    melodic hardcoremetalcorenu metalpunk

    In a recent issue of HM, Blindside said they're hoping in the future to "learn how to sing and how to play." If they aren't any good, then the other Christian hardcore bands must be really bad! I don't know what it is about Scandinavia, but some of the heaviest music in the world these days originates from those frozen nether regions, be it Christian or otherwise. They must sit around inside and get hacked off that it's so cold, and then go make angry music to generate some heat. These brethren smash out some furiously grinding rhythms for the metal and hardcore fan alike, calling to mind Korn, Zao, and Selfmindead (the last one being friends of theirs). Vocals alternate between the typical shouts, rapcore, and a pained singing, with insightful lyrics like these from "Nerve":

    they are the liberated minds
    I'm a narrow minded fool
    why must it be
    that a discussion is about beating
    my mouth will be
    closed if there's no one seeking

    These lyrics hit home more when you realize Blindside lives in a part of the world where many of the bands hate Christianity, some even going so far as to burn churches and kill believers. Give thanks to Tooth & Nail for importing this band by going out and picking up a copy; it'll stoke the fire within on these cold winter days.

    3.5 tocks

    Other coverage for this album

    7ball #17Reviewed by Brad CavinessWhen you think of music from Sweden, chances are the first thing that springs to mind is the bubbly, bouncy, disco-pop of ABBA, Ace of Base or the Cardigans (not coincidentally, all bands fronted by attractive, blond females). Swedish metal band Blindside is set to change that. Vocalist Christian Lindskog displays a wide vocal range, frequently going from singing a fractured melody to a…Dead Zine 1997Reviewed by FletchThis is, although not bad, not what I would have expected from Solid State. Let's face it, Solid State is pumping out some seriously heavy stuff such as Zao, Embodyment, Living Sacrifice, etc., so what would possess them to put this out? I guess the answer to that would be that it sounds pretty cool. Don't buy this cd expecting metal or for your brain to be warped after listening to it, but…Dead Zine 1997Reviewed by dEaDsMilEThis does not seem like something Solid State would release, but that is no disappointment here. You may have heard that Blindside is crustcore, a mix of punk and hardcore, but that is not completely accurate. Yes, there are many crust-like parts on this disc, but they really do have their own style going here. There are some "nice" sounding emo-like parts with singing, mixed with lots of fast…Garlic Press #4Reviewed by tedcoreWith a very original sound and vocals reminiscent of Skipline, they rip & tear through 8 tracks of punk and grind influenced hardcore. The best element of this record is the lyrics. Combine the militance of Earth Crisis and Christianity and you have Blindside's lyrics. In 'Rebirth of Anger' they state "I have no tolerance for your complaining...my fuse is now burning, the heads are all turning to…

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