Blindside

A Thought Crushed My Mind (Solid State)
by Tim Den

Solid State is doing the right thing by getting European hardcore bands on their side. The likes of Blindside and Selfmindead will no doubt give their American contemporaries a run for their money. Learning brutality and catchiness from their continental heroes Entombed, Blindside and Selfmindead have given the American crazy-core that Coalesce helped invent a much-needed focus. They don’t give way to power for power’s sake, instead holding down solid, rough, muscular riffs and repeating them for a memorable hardcore experience (pay attention, American art school “metallers!”). Okay, so both bands’ vocalists sound like they’re imitating Dennis from Refused, but hey, there’re worse people to look up to. Metallic fury with gritty, Sunlight Studios-rough guitars (see Dismember and Grave for examples), Blindside and Selfmindead will surely kick some ass this side of the Atlantic.
(www.solidstaterecords.com)