26 Apr 2024
Blindfolded and Led to the Woods - Single/Video Review: Methlehem
28 Feb 2023 // A review by Kev Rowland
2023 promises to be an incredible year for
New Zealand metal and rock, and one album everyone is looking forward to is the
forthcoming Rejecting Obliteration from Christchurch’s very own
BALTTW. The first time I saw these guys play was supporting Death Angel and
Sepultura and certainly holding their own, and the last time was up here in Auckland
at Dead Witch, where they took the place to the cleaners with their brutal
brand of death metal. Methlehem is the first song to be released from
the album, which is out in May, and anyone who wondered if the guys were going
to throttle it back at all need not worry as instead they have thrown themselves
even further into the maelstrom.
This is heavy stuff, with lyrics to match, as they discuss religious fanaticism, showing the similarities which can be drawn between drug addicts and those who devote their lives to their deity. As Stacy says, “The church is a cartel, and billions are hooked on their premium product.” The rising intertwined guitars riff and swell, with a rhythm section underneath them which never settles into straightforward signatures but instead keeps mixing it up, so the sound is brutal yet unsettling with a strangely commercial overall sound. It may still be the sound we have all come to know and love over the years, but it has been refined and distilled so it hits on every level. The video is bound to upset a few people, with imagery which leaves nothing to the imagination, just in case anyone was missing out on the message.
Rating:
( 5 / 5 )
About Blindfolded and Led to the Woods
After getting down half a set the band decided to recruit a vocalist, and the songs were becoming too complex for J-Rad and Stuart to continue singing over, so the decision was made to ask friend, Stace Fifield to join. He accepted and immediately gave the band a new feel and sound with his black metal high screams and brutal low growls. The band played thier first show at Als Bar on April 9th, 2010. At this show Stuart was approached by Nick Smith, and he made the offer to play bass for Blindfolded. The band talked it over and decided to give him a shot... Nick learned the whole set in 9 days and went on to play his first show with the band, nailing the performance securing his place as bass player for Blindfolded and Led to the Woods.
In the next stage of BALTTW Jazz was relieved of his duties in the band, and they continued to advance as a 5 piece, travelling the country destroying crowds young and old. 2011 saw Blindfolded and led to the woods sign to Swimming with sharks records USA, not bad for some drunken dudes from CHCH, New Zealand.
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