“Nothing is scary as when your dreams come true..” Blind Channel “open up” on new album Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous. The banger loaded record detailing their rollercoaster journey to the top will be released on 8 July 2022 via Century Media Records.
Eight years of hunger and hard-work have culminated to a fiery rebirth for Finnish sextet Blind Channel. As the Violent Pop pioneers rise and continue to soar higher, this era sees fans and new listeners being treated to an autobiographic record which oozes blood, sweat and tears, documenting the group’s lows, highs, fears and moments of euphoria all in one deeply passionate and personal package.
The record’s title pays homage to the Good Charlotte track ‘Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous,’ and though the band now possess fame and acclaim just as their idols do, Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous is a unique tale that only Blind Channel can tell, having carved their own distinct path.
The eleven-track LP begins with striking statement ‘Opinions.’ A calm before the storm atmosphere lurks in its opening lines, where measured vocals swoop and merge effortlessly into cutting rap. Brutal guitar-work breaks the climax built, snapping with the high voltage immediacy of a lightning bolt which precedes its thunderous chorus. Dripping with sarcastic attitude, the lyrics pack a ruthless venom – a theme and feeling which is present across much of the album’s material: “Do you recall when I lost myself and asked your help? / Yeah me neither. / I don’t wanna hear opinions.”
Hit singles: ‘Dark Side,’ ‘Don’t Fix Me,’ ‘Bad Idea,’ ‘Balboa‘ and ‘We Are No Saints‘ are dispersed throughout the LP, each offering their own full throttle bursts of dynamism ranging from mighty middle-finger anthems to rebellious Rock centred around a refusal to conform to a perfect “idol” image.
Arguably the heaviest of the record, ‘Alive Or Only Burning‘ is a pure inferno. Poetic lyrics are recited in an incantation-like manner before listeners are plunged into a furious breakdown that bleeds with even more urgency than on ‘Opinions.’ Embodying a rollercoaster structure thanks to experimental moments of suspension and whiplash tempo changes, when combined with the screaming vocals layered on top a searing heat can almost be physically felt upon consumption. The palpable energy that has been squashed into one song brands ‘Alive Or Only Burning‘ as a highlight of the album.
Stand-out track ‘Autopsy‘ is laced with a haunting swagger, vocalist Niko Moilanen‘s hypnotic growl rendering listeners into submission along with the track’s spooky smooth R&B sound. The song takes a refreshingly different route sonically, even against the band’s entire discography. Overtly shadowy subject matter is tackled, detailing the heavy expectation placed on artists to spill their inner worlds for public perception. This track contains an intoxicating spirit that seems powerful enough to cast a curse on its enemies, but a pure magic emerges at its core. ‘Autopsy‘ is a dark spell we happily surrender to.
The unforgiving call-out ‘Glory For The Greedy‘ acts as another chapter of sorts in the band’s narrative, fusing crushing guitar-work and catchy hooks all while expressing blunt yet cheeky clapbacks within its lyrical content. After staying true to their vision and building their own success story from the ground up, ‘Glory For The Greedy‘ hits at past bigwigs who insisted on attempting to change the band’s sound and values, not believing in their dreams.
‘Thank You For The Pain‘ is an emotive and bittersweet closure to the record. Remaining fierce in its vocal delivery and bravado, this track simultaneously presents the band’s most sensitive side to date, showcasing a breathy vulnerability lodged between chanted sections and boisterous instrumental breaks. A nod back to their roots, the song’s dreamy and shimmering outro samples an early interview from the band, vocalists Joel Hokka and Niko Moilanen speaking in their Finnish mother tongue as the track fades out very gradually.
Blind Channel‘s latest serving of Violent Pop goodness is a sick siren song which is sure to beckon in even greater things for the group. Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous is a beast of an album that is equal parts raw and eye-opening, charged with touching undertones of sincerity. Though the band’s dreams are becoming realised, their insatiable hunger for more is persistent and admirable – a testament to their unshakeable force as a musical unit. The journey has been long and it’s no where near over; for Blind Channel, this is only the beginning.
Follow the writer @linesoflaura on Twitter!
The group will be embarking on their headline European Sick & Dangerous Tour later this year. Get your tickets here. Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous is available to pre-order now.
UK HEADLINE TOUR DATES – SEPTEMBER 2022:
12th – Bristol, Thekla
13th – Glasgow, Cathouse
14th – Manchester, Rebellion
15th – London, O2 Academy Islington
16th – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
17th – Birmingham, O2 Academy 3
TRACK LISITING:
1. Opinions
2. Dark Side
3. Don’t Fix Me
4. Bad Idea
5. Alive Or Only Burning
6. Balboa
7. National Heroes
8. We Are No Saints
9. Autopsy
10. Glory For The Greedy
11. Thank You For The Pain