Customer Reviews

Thought Crushed My Mind

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This is the album that put BlindSide on the map. At this point you either loved thenm to death or you hated their guts. No band goes from alternatve rock to hard core metal but this band managed to somehow pull it off and with style. From the crazy opening of the now classic "King of the Closet" to the beautifully structured epic "Nothing but Skin" this album mixed all the harmonic elements of their first album with a new sound that caught everyone by surprise. It's light years better than "Silence" and matched only by the sonic velocity of "About a Burning Fire". The bonus tracks are a real treat and the bonus cover art makes this one really worth getting. If you own the first release of this record (and its probably worn out by now) than you owe it to yourself to get this version.

Since this record BlindSide have moved on from the hardcore scene but you can still see the remnants of it in their new songs.

I am an avid listener of all of Blindside's music. This is decidedly the most beautiful, passionate, gut-wrenching, and innovative of Blindside's albums. It is the album that gained the attention of reviewers and establishes Blindside as a potential, devastating force to establish a new realm of heavy rock/punk/metal what-to-call-it?!!. Silence, while a good album, only shows they can also conform well to popular standards. Their real art is right here. This is not a first-listen album! It is, in the words of disappointed reviewers, "screamy." The guitars are thick, more than the comfortable power chords people are used to, the harmonies, phrases, and meters are very untraditional. They will switch between 4/4 and 6/8, throwing your ear for a loop. On "Where Eye Meets Eye" there is even a section in 9/8! The sound is raw, the vocals are loud, passionate, and beautiful. The use of strings in several of the tracks, especially cello is especially impressive. At first listen, "A Thought" sounds like an unrelenting, noisy mess. But acclimating yourself to the havoc is certainly a rewarding experience. A handful of the tracks, "My Mother's Only Son," "Nara," "Nothing But Skin," "As You Walk," and "King of the Closet" stand out among the rest, but all contribute something of a punk/hardcore artfulness to the whole album. I listen to Silence regularly, the self-titled now and again, but A Thought Crushed My Mind is the album I return to most of all, especially for catharsis in moments of angst. Nothing I've heard, outside an orchestra performing the beautiful, despairing modern works of the likes of Shostakovich, can quite compare. This album is most suited for those who are young, not easily queazy, apt to stray far from the pop fold, used to loud guitars and screaming, and ecclectic in their approach to music. For everyone else, including fans of Silence, enter at your own risk.

The Good
The best part about having both of the Blindside re-issues is that you get to hear how they evolved and defined their sound. On their self-titled debut, Blindside struggle with finding their sound. You can hear that they become torn between sounding sort of like Clutch or sort of like Shadows Fall. "Invert" comes barreling at you like a 16 wheeler out of control on a steep hill (long way to go for a simile), with its monster riffs and manic vocal delivery. It's almost like Blindside is messing with you on "Born". The track takes a completely different direction with more subdued vocals and minimal distortion. The track is defined by a simple guitar lick.

It's back to releasing the fury on "Empty Box". This time theirs a soulful bass line matched by heavy breakdowns. A meaty chugga-chugga riff runs rampant on "This Shoulder". The vocals are melodic yet still edgy. "Teddy Bear" has a clean arpeggio lick and somber drum rhythm. By the time the chorus kicks in, the riffs become thunderous and driving. It's nice to be able to compare the four demo bonus tracks to their final product.

On A Thought Crushed My Mind, Blindside have settled on what they want to sound like (more like Shadows Fall). It's also apparent that they had a bigger production budget when this was originally released. "Vow of Silence" is everything but silent. It's pure assault of heavy distortion and furious vocals. It's amazing that vocalist Christian Lindskog's lungs haven't exploded. "King of the Closet" is a tale of vampires that chugs along with breakneck unruliness.

"My Mother's Only Son" briefly flirts with the soulful sounds of Blindside's debut, but reverts to the angst they so relish in. Think bass riffs take hold of "Nara". The intensity builds when the guitars and vocals kick in. Instead of including demos with this reissue, Blindside decided to include two hard to find 7" vinyl releases and two previous unreleased tracks. If you want to hear a completely different side of the group, listen to the final track "[Phatbeat 1303]".

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
The Blindside reissues are a great way to witness the evolution of a powerful heavy metal band. It will also hold over their fans with demos and unreleased material, until their new album is released later this year.

i dont know what that last entry was about...BLINDSIDE is one of the most spirtual bands i know, and this album is amazing. the 9 minute song is one of the best composed songs ever. the lyrics to this cd are extremely thought provoking and unique. buy this cd its the best cd ever made

This album is exactly what it takes to quench your thirst for fast and furious hardcore, and its Christian hardcore at that. From the ripping vocals from christain, to the heavy guitar riffs from simon. This album doesnt slow down much either, and just when you get a breather from a few all but silent moments, you get a loud "back of the throat" scream right in your ear! Get this album, and get it now!

This is the ultimate. Blindside has really come through on this one. Though it took forever to be released, you can really tell they've improved musically. They're so much tighter, and they really show their versatility in their different ranges. You can tell they were thinking when they did this one. Better than the first, which is saying alot.

I actually bought this CD AFTER I bought "Silence" *call me a backwards fan if you must*, and yes, I was extremely surprised. I'll be honest, "A Thought Crushed My Mind" was difficult to adapt to, mostly because of all the screaming *and there is a LOT*. But if I ever had to listen to someone scream for almost an entire album, it would definitely have to be Christian Lindskog. The guy's amazing, as are Simon, Tomas, and Marcus. I bought this album with big expectations because I loved "Silence" so much, and though it took a while, they were well and entirely fulfilled. "A Thought Crushed My Mind" somehow manages to combine hardcore with melodic, and the result is pleasing. Worth every penny. The Bottom Line: If you can't handle LOUD music, don't buy it. If you're a fan of "Silence", be prepared for something different, but something equally as excellent.

By far the best hardcore cd ever created. This album is teeming with ingenuity, talent, bravery, genius, integrity, etc... There is simply not one bad song on the entire cd and there is no annoying repetition as on their freshman project. The music is much harder but also much more complex and sophisiticated, doing away with annoying repetition and tendency to sound like every other swedish hard core outfit. The screaming is absoulutely incredible and mixed beautifully with singing; the gamut run by the vocalist is pulled off perfectly. The record has an intensity that i have found unmatched in the genre in that the entire album is structured around the immense integrity of the lyrics. Blindside's first cd can barely be referred to as hard core because of its annoying pop sound and songwriting. It is obvious, however, that this band has matured musically and spiritually. THe sounds on this cd will connect with everyone who has ever honestly pursued the Christian life. Essentially, blindside has created a worship album that moves away from the recent shallowness of the Christian music industry and places all of its energy in honest communion with God. If you're not a Christian you should pick this up for its musicianship, if you're a Christian pick it up to learn how to better relate to your God.

hi! this cd rocks so hard i can't believe it. i took some time before i could really enjoy it but now i just think it's so awesome. dynamic and melodic hardcore at it's best. so far all hardcore fans this is a must buy. it's not as technical as refused for example, but more beutiful and emotional. yeah...this is a must buy!

One word: spectacular. Blindside's innovative use of orchestral stringed instruments (bass, cello, violins) is unconventional, but perfectly timed, and complimentary to thier unique hardcore style. Not all of their songs are full of melodic violins, however. "Vow of Silence", "King of the Closet", and "Act" (to name a few), demonstrate Blindside's ability to really rock. Hard. Overall, this CD is excellent, and one of my personal favorites. I highly recommend it to any hardcore music fan.