LIVE REVIEW: Blind Channel @ O2 Academy Islington, London

To the unassuming eye, this is just another regular Thursday night in North East London, just a quiet Autumn evening – but stepping through the doors of the O2 Academy Islington reveals anything but a quiet atmosphere inside, the walls brimming with excitement. Many in attendance tonight have been not only queuing for hours in the crisp British air, but even following BLIND CHANNEL around the rest of the UK shows so far and in some cases in fact all over Europe also, and whilst this show undoubtedly means a lot to their devoted fanbase, tonight arguably resonates even deeper with BLIND CHANNEL themselves.

Between penning lyrics such as “carrying our gear in the London subway” (Lanterns from 2020’s full-length Violent Pop) to more cutting lines such as “be sending you flying kisses from Wembley” (Glory For The Greedy from most recent album Lifestyles Of The Sick & Dangerous), it’s no secret that headlining their very first London show is a landmark moment and their performance tonight ensures that everyone in this packed room knows it.

It should be noted that BLIND CHANNEL hand-picked their support act for this tour carefully, and who better than fellow Finns LOST SOCIETY who only last month drew one of the biggest opening crowds the Main Stage has ever seen at Bloodstock Festival and with good reason – their fresh brand of thrash-turned-modern nu-metal, shockingly raw lyrics and electric performance is hard to resist and, from glancing around the room to see hundreds of smiling faces and even a few cardboard signs dedicated to them, has definitely won over many here tonight. Filling their raucous setlist with a healthy mix from previous albums (Riot remaining a standout crowd-pleaser and inciting loud chants from wall-to-wall) combined with the likes of latest single What Have I Done, a bouncy affair with much darker subject matter than it’s upbeat rhythm would a first glance suggest, they decidedly go out with a bang during instant classic Stitches as lead vocalist Samy Elbanna ascends from the stage to the balcony without missing a beat. Let’s hope that with the release of their new album, If The Sky Came Down fast approaching it isn’t too long before they raise hell on these shores once again.

Rating: 8/10

Cutting their teeth in local clubs and basement shows in rural Oulu and building themselves up to stadium level support slots long before the dizzying heights that May 2021 brought, the Finnish sextet BLIND CHANNEL have thoroughly honed their live presence and its crystal clear tonight from the opening beat how much they thrive from it. Swerving slightly from the predicted opening track and album prelude into We Are No Saints, we are greeted with an alternative version of National Heroes which garners piercing screams even before the band take to their stage.  

Latest single Alive Or Only Burning is filled with major aggression and naturally fits upfront alongside existing hard-hitters Over My Dead Body and Timebomb, with everybody having the time of their lives on both sides of the barrier and feeding off of each other’s energy straight out of the gates. Pop-punk rager Don’t Fix Me delivers a much bigger punch live than on record, meanwhile goosebump-inspiring trap number Autopsy shifts the gears once again as vocalist Niko Vilhelm asks London “what the fuck you staring at?”.

For BLIND CHANNEL, remembering and honouring their roots has always been an integral part of who they are, so adding ENTER SHIKARI-esque lead single Unforgiving from their 2014 full-length debut Revolutions is a notable surprise and yet feels particularly fitting amongst more well-known choices fans tonight have came to expect, although interestingly they leave off all material from sophomore offering Blood Brothers entirely in favour of paving the way for more forward thinking nu-metal and displaying their utterly triumphant first release under new label Century Media – Lifestyles of The Sick & Dangerous, and a clear indication of a sound which is perhaps heading in a darker direction.

Firm fan favourite Feel Nothing slows the pace down momentarily for a brief breather in a magenta haze and glimmering display of a much softer side. Carrying the theme of twisted romance into follow-up ballad Bad Idea with every lighter and phone up in the air and a feeling of time being suspended as everyone here in attendance is witnessing something truly special. 

Every step of BLIND CHANNEL’s success story so far has been an act of defiance to those who believed they couldn’t, and lyrically their near six minute epic Thank You For The Pain resonates even deeper being screamed back to them by the fans who form their very lifeblood – this one is for them, and it’s this band’s ability to pen truths others would perhaps shy away from with real authenticity and vigour that’s such a key part of the devout fanbase they’ve amassed all over the world to date.

By the time an encore rolls around, the rumbles of excitement and anticipation can be heard (and felt) all the way to the back – everybody knows what’s coming; yet for a song which must’ve been performed close to 1000 times by now BLIND CHANNEL whirl and throw themselves into every second of mega-hit Dark Side as though it’s the very first time they’ve ever played it, inspiring a sea of middle fingers held high as they firmly leave their mark on London tonight. It’s true that some simply go through the motions on stage, but for Joel, Niko, Alexsi, Joonas, Olli and Tommi it appears to be home, and tonight they feel absolutely unstoppable.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Chelsea Cochrane here: 

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