BLYND – Liber Sum
- Posted on 12-12-2015
Greek modern groove/thrash band Blynd enter the third studio platter portion of their careers, as "Liber Sum" hopefully establishes their credibility. Previously aware of their 2012 album "Punishment Unfolds", it’s always interesting to see how the years play out and what directional changes (if any) occur to differentiate new material from old. In the case of Blynd, "Liber Sum" seems to continue their penchant for crossing familiar thrash riffs or tempos with the sense of modern, half-time, low-tuned hooks and breakdowns while being very cognizant of lead breaks that are melodic and catchy.
A love of Machine Head and Lamb of God helps mid-tempo chug-a-thon material like "Barbarians" and "Al-Kimiya" set different tones on both sides of the record, as more frantic offerings such as "Invictus" or "Phobos" showcase a little bit more of Blynd’s relentless, adrenaline-oriented nature for the riffing and manic vocals. Symphonic keyboard flourishes occasionally flesh out certain refrains and choruses, especially when the quartet wishes to emphasize more of the groove or hook aspect of a particular song. A track like "Aes Cyprium" contains a lot of bouncy parts including an interesting off time semi-blast section from drummer Alex that could be a future Blynd set list favorite.
When the band choose to go for the jugular it’s in that thrash/death vein that puts them beyond the expected norm – check out the title track for some serious heads down riffing and equally intense bass action from vocalist Andreas, a sledgehammer sonic assault sure to level anything that dare venture into its path. Add in a symbolic/ ethereal black and white cover concept and you’ll understand that Blynd indeed have taken the necessary steps to become a contender and serious player in the modern groove/thrash scene. Followers of everyone from Sepultura and Gojira to the aforementioned Lamb of God and Machine Head will certain need this.