ALBUM REVIEW: Exit Emotions – Blind Channel
“Rohkea rokan syö” (“fortune favours the brave”); never has a saying applied to a band more than BLIND CHANNEL. Since their breakthrough competing in 2021’s Eurovision Song Contest with their infectious nu-metal, LINKIN PARK-esque banger Dark Side and following it up in 2022 with their triumphant fourth album Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous, the band have worked hard to keep the momentum going with their scintillating fifth album Exit Emotions.
BLIND CHANNEL’s rise has captivated the metal world, as most of the metal exports from Finland are either satanic black metal, epic symphonic metal, doom or something similar to LORDI. So, to be presented with this highly energetic, visceral and dynamic nu-metal band with big riffs and infectious pop melodies is incredibly refreshing and has won BLIND CHANNEL a lot of fans in a short space of time. Balancing tenacity with sincerity, the Finnish sextet have a dogged determination to take their brand of nu-metal to the masses. Embracing their influences and unapologetically being themselves, they have been on a long journey to the top since 2013.
Exit Emotions feels like the third part of a quadrilogy that started with 2018’s Blood Brothers, evolved with Violent Pop and continued with Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous. They’ve moved away from the heavier metal influences and backed themselves with their RnB and hip-hop influences. As a result, the band have struck the effective balance for a catchy and punchy nu-metal sound, something some bands in the scene never achieve. This is testament to BLIND CHANNEL’s determination for domination.
Lyrically, Exit Emotions sees BLIND CHANNEL ruthlessly open up about personal struggles, love, loss, depression and anxiety with strongly emotive lyrics, incredibly catchy melodies, crushing riffs and venue ready anthems. All of this offers an incredibly energetic catharsis to anyone who listens. If Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous was the band coming to terms with their rapid rise, Exit Emotions is them taking it in their stride and tearing the place up. As a unit they sound stronger and more cohesive than ever before, primed to hit the bigger stages of the world and eagerly waiting for an opportunity to seize.
There’s definitely a swagger about Exit Emotions that isn’t present on the band’s previous two albums. It’s a newfound and extra punchy confidence in themselves and their mission that is manifested in the songs. The heavier songs have an added punch, as if to say “Hey, shut up and listen” – this is best demonstrated in the full breakdown during Not Your Bro and Wolves In California. Meanwhile the softer songs show an increased vulnerability, especially Die Another Day, which sees the band recruit the talents of British singer-songwriter RØRY to create an emotional nu-metal ballad with powerful vocal melodies. Outside of that, this is a highly energetic and dynamic album that you will find it difficult not to move your body to.
Exit Emotions opens up with a bouncy, djenty riff with Where’s The Exit and shows hints of an early LINKIN PARK influence with soaring vocals and old school RnB beats. Next is one of the album’s leading singles Deadzone, visceral rap verses slowly build up into an anthemic chorus that will have you singing along in no time. Wolves In California follows a similar formula but with a punchy riff and a breakdown towards the end that will have you disrespecting your surroundings as you vent out your frustrations at the world. XOXO is a straightforward BLIND CHANNEL track about the pain of love and loss that is reminiscent of songs like Breaking The Habit or In The End.
Keeping It Surreal is a poppy anthem that feels like a potential crowd favourite; there’s something intensely cathartic about it, telling you about the struggles of life but still trying to find hope and trying to feel something despite the pain. Die Another Day bisects the album and gives you a bit of a break from the high octane tracts that have come before. Taking it slower and utilising RØRY’s vocals there is a brilliant dynamic between the male and female vocals which makes the song emotive. Phobia is an all out party track with an upbeat dance rhythm that gives way to Happy Doomsday which is riff-led and harks back to the Violent Pop days. Red Tail Lights keeps the energy high with another solid riff and dance grooves while Not Your Bro is a pit-starting chaotic track that shifts dynamic multiple times and sets up nicely for the anthemic Flatline. One Last Time…Again closes the album in scintillating fashion as the band throw the kitchen sink at this song to give Exit Emotions the finish it deserves.
BLIND CHANNEL have once again put together an album that is action-packed, cathartic, and filled with earworms. You’ll be hard pressed to find a band in nu-metal that do it better at the moment.
Rating: 9/10
Exit Emotions is set for release on March 1st via Century Media Records.
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