This is a Hyper CD, which contains regular audio tracks and also provides a link to the artist's website with the help of a web browser.
Blindside: Christian (vocals); Simon (guitar, background vocals); Tomas (piano, bass, background vocals); Marcus (drums, programming).
Additional personnel: Emma Hardelin (vocals); Billy Corgan (guitar); Neel Hammond (violin); Jen Kuhn (cello); Jon Rekdal (trumpet); Howard Benson (Vox organ); Petter Winnberg (double bass).
Recorded at Bay 7, Valley Village, California; Sparky Dark, Calabasas, California and Decibal Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.
Personnel: Emma H„rdelin (vocals); Billy Corgan (guitar); Neel Hammond (violin); Jen Kuhn (cello); Howard Benson (organ); Petter Winnberg (double bass).
Audio Mixer: Chris Lord-Alge.
Recording information: Bay 7 Studios, Valley Village, CA; Decibel Stockholm Studios; Sparky Dark, Calabasas, CA.
Photographer: Kris McCaddon.
At first listen, Swedish rockers Blindside might sound similar to their American pals P.O.D. However, Blindside's fourth album, ABOUT A BURNING FIRE, is their most fully realized effort to date, bringing the band's unique take on heavy rock into distinct and full focus.
Refreshingly light on the kind of screaming vocals that have become a cliche over the years (Christian Lindskog's tuneful self-harmonizing is one of the group's major assets), Blindside's anthemic rock, with its direct, uplifting message of youthful redemption, is forcefully conveyed here. On tracks such as the churning "Eye of the Storm," which comes closest to traditional emo-core; the stuttering, filmic "Hooray, It's L.A." (featuring former Smashing Pumpkin Billy Corgan on guitar); and the atypically subtle and atmospheric "Shekina," the band shows its mettle. With its combination of creative aggression and sensitivity, ABOUT A BURNING FIRE firmly establishes Blindside as the pre-eminent European wing of the heavy-rock movement.
Professional Reviews
Rolling Stone (3/4/04, pp.62-3) - 3 stars out of 5 - "On their fourth album, these metalheads sound restless....[The band's] newfound experimentation ends up being a strength."
