Mainstream music isn’t always the most appealing category, considering it’s full of bands that aim to please the masses and therefore forget about the beauty and integrity of musical creativity. The idea of expression through music is lost beneath the layers of over-simplified and over-produced people pleasers.
The point here is not to bash mainstream music, but rather to provoke the recognition that mainstream rockers Blindside deserve.
With the release of their second album under a major label, Blindside gives fans another satisfying piece of their hard-rocking creativity. Slightly more subtle than their previous album “Silence,” “About a Burning Fire” still possesses the strength and passion so prevalent in their music.
“Eye of the Storm” opens the album with a perfect example of lead singer Christian Lindskog’s vocal ability. He manages to scream at one instant and suddenly descend into a run of melodic beauty. The richness and power behind Christian’s voice is certainly one of the band’s greatest strengths.
Musically, Blindside possesses a creativity that doesn’t always seem to make an appearance in their genre. Unexpected arrangements give their music a flavor often lacking in mainstream hard rock.
Powerful lyrics also serve to complement their music as Christian belts out meaningful compositions reflecting mainly on the band’s Christian beliefs.
Wandering briefly from the trend of the album is the enchanting sound of the fourth track, “Shekina.” It opens and closes with a Swedish solo by Garnama’s Emma Hardelin, creating a sweet escape into a unique vocal arrangement.
Also collaborating with the band is former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. “Hooray, It’s L.A.” features Corgan on guitar, although it’s not much of a “feature.” The track is energetic, yet still succeeds to be one of the album’s weakest songs, and Corgan’s addition proves almost unnecessary.
Despite brief moments of a repetitious feel, “About a Burning Fire” remains a good investment for Blindside fans. The lyrical content and commanding force of their music shows Blindside’s distinctive achievements under the light of mainstream music. Creative hard rock isn’t the most commonly used description in music today, but Blindside steps slightly outside of the box and earns it well.