ALBUM REVIEW: Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous – Blind Channel

Between the release of this record, Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous, and their previous album from 2020, Violent Pop, Finnish nu-metal band BLIND CHANNEL have gone on a pretty a massive upwards trajectory. From competing in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021, coming in 6th and receiving a total of 218 televotes from the public, to signing with Century Media Records and touring with bands like FROM ASHES TO NEW across the USA, as well as supporting ELECTRIC CALLBOY on their European run, it’s safe to say the band have built up a lot of hype and anticipation for this new record. Does it live up to the expectations the band have set for themselves or does the album fall flat?

At first, it looks to be the latter with the opening track, Opinions. Whilst it’s great to hear the sound continue from Violent Pop from the get-go, the lyrical content in the song is jumbled with a lot of ideas and topics quickly sung through without any depth or connection between them. As such, the song feels disjointed. Maybe that’s intentional as the song’s theme, as the chorus talks about not wanting different opinions. Even so, first impressions feel rocky, and if a potential new fan was to listen to just the first track, they would want to switch off before seeing what else the band and album have in store. 

However, as soon as the second track Dark Side begins, the album vastly improves. As iconic as the Eurovision entrant is, the rest of the album continues to deliver fantastic songs throughout the record. Speaking of ‘rocky’, the themed Balboa adds in all the best references to the Rocky series to make one empowering anthem. A lot of the songs in fact talk about being strong and confident against adversity, which is great to hear as songs like this are empowering to the listener. However, moments of quiet, like in Bad Idea, are welcomed as it shows a vulnerable and tender side to the band that makes them and the album as a whole well-rounded and varied. Autopsy, whilst minimalistic, emulates LIMP BIZKIT in the verses, with beautifully rich harmonies in the chorus. It’s a dark song but very lush too. 

Overall, it’s evident the band are fans of bands like BRING ME THE HORIZON and LINKIN PARK, but they also marry the two sounds to make it their own and elevate it. Whilst the weakest track in the album is sadly the opening track, the remaining 10 tracks make up for it in spades. They shape the record into an empowering, confident and strong record musically and lyrically, like the drumming in We Are No Saints and riffs in Alive Or Only Burning. Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous proves that BLIND CHANNEL are a force to be reckoned with in the metal world by developing on what their peers have showcased and making it their own to great success. Certainly a brilliant album for the year. 

Rating: 8/10

Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous is set for release on July 8th via Century Media Records.

Like BLIND CHANNEL on Facebook.