BLIND MESS - The Storm Within (Album Review)

Release Date: May 09th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

The Storm Within  - Tracklisting

1.The Bell 04:33

2.On The Edge 03:08

3.Mirror Of My Soul 04:32

4.The Hemlock Cup 04:12

5.Sick Society 04:58

6.Bleeding Hearts 02:49

Members

Daniel

Martin

Oskar

Review

BLIND MESS new album The Storm Within is a record that allows the band to expand their style of Hardcore Punk, Doom, Desert Rock and Stoner Metal with a classic 1990’s Alt Rock attitude. If you ever wondered what early era The Offspring would sound like if given a Stoner Rock/Metal makeover then this is the closest result you can possibly get. There is some wicked sounding Thrash and Speed Rock attitude within the opening tracks of The Bell and On The Edge.

The vocals are an inspired take of melodic rock and hardcore punk attitude with the right amount of metallic energy being delivered. The music itself is quite loose and ready but with a catchy Hardcore Punk Rock style allowing the Stoned Out elements having a jagged approach with everything being played at an intense fast-paced style. The production is quite abstract with a subtle LO-Fi sound that develops from the very start. 

The Storm Within is quite a short album lasting under twenty five minutes but there’s sure a lot of catchy grooves that are downright aggressive at the best of times on tracks such as On The Edge, Mirror Of My Soul and Sick Society.

BLIND MESS do offer moments of vibrant Psychedelic passages on the later stages of the record whilst not giving up their Hardcore Punk Rock identity. This style of music has served BLIND MESS well over the course of their career with this perhaps being their most melodic and politically charged record to date but the band still offer moments of highly addictive dangerous fun along the way.

BLIND MESS have once again delivered the goods with The Storm Within and I recommend you to check out this superbly entertaining record that has a high turnover of sublime riffs that will have you headbanging in no time at all.

 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Blind Mess - After The Storm (Album Review)

Date Released: September 18th 2022. Record Label: DeadClockWork Records. Formats: DD

After The Storm: Tracklisting

Left To Do

Fight Fire With Fire

Twilight Zone

Sirens

Killing My Idols

Damage

At The Gates

Save A Bullet

What's The Matter Man

Review

Psych Stoner Metallers Blind Mess return with their new album After The Storm and it sees the band explore their Punkish roots even further with a dose of Motorhead fast-paced grooves. The Stoner Rock/Metal influences draw upon Clutch, Fu Manchu and early era QOTSA. The album is lively throughout with Blind Mess being quite rebellious with their Punk Rock vibes.

Opening song Left To Do is a gloriously hip blast of aggressive Stoner sounds with a classic Hard Rock appetite that draws in the Motorhead influence for everyone to feel and hear. The music is quite melodic and even though maybe nothing groundbreaking, Blind Mess still play a mighty fine style of catchy Stoner Metal sounds with spiky lyrics and vocals to match.

Second song Fight Fire With Fire has a more blues rock appeal with fans of CLUTCH can seriously get behind. The song is quite atmospheric and catchy with the 80's Heavy Metal inspired lyrics having a cracking singalong chorus that will grab you by the scruff of your neck. The song is one part love letter to the classic Heavy Metal scene and the next moment, Blind Mess are playing a more Alternative style of music. The riffs feel like a product of their time with that timeless classic sound being played on the later stages of the song. One of the most enjoyable songs on the album that has quite a few epic jams and guitar shredding towards the end of the song.

Third song Twilight Zone is QOTSA inspired through and through if they jammed with bands from the NWOBHM scene. This is still a Stoner Rock/Metal album but with Blind Mess merging the Punk Rock and Heavy Metal themes with superb creative vision. The vocals are on the aggressive side with the grooves being more on the melodic side. 

Blind Mess have six more songs to impress listeners with and they take their hybrid style of Punk Rock, Stoner Metal and Heavy Metal to more intense levels of PURE RAWK heaviness on tracks such as:  Sirens, Killing My Idols, Damage, Save A Bullet and What's The Matter Man.

The band don't stray from the winning formula from the opening three songs though don't be surprised if Blind Mess throw a curve ball by including little snippets of different styles of music you wouldn't expect. Check out Sirens for prime example of this.

The instrumental work is excellent with Blind Mess doing overtime within the riffs division. The vocals are handled superbly well for the most part of the album. Though, there are some parts that don't gel with the music as they really should. However, that won't stop you enjoying After The Storm. As Blind Mess play to their absolute strengths on this release. 

The album sounds excellent with Blind Mess handling recording and mixing duties themselves. They did leave mastering duties to one of the coolest dudes within the underground scene with Jan Oberg (Earthship, GRIN and Slowshine) handling that role. 

After The Storm is a superb and action packed release with a high amount of sublime grooves to impress even the most jaded Stoner Metal fan. Blind Mess have done themselves proud with this release. Great stuff.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Blind Mess for the promo.

After The Storm will be available to buy on DD from DeadClockWork Records from September 18th 2022.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Twitter

Blind Mess - The Good, The Bad & The Dead (Album Review)

Release date: May 16th 2019. Label: DeadClockWork Records. Format: CD/DD

The Good, The Bad & The Dead – Tracklisting

1.Pompeji is Lost (Intro)

2.Dead Blues

3.Relief

4.I'm In A Hole

5.Ironing The Sky

6.The Enemy

7.The Next Empire

8.Speed And Bones

9.Lights Out (Outro)

Members

Oskar, Martin & Daniel

Review

German Desert/Stoner Rockers Blind Mess return with their 2^nd album – The Good, The Bad & The Dead. This album is a darker and heavier affair compared to their 2017 debut album. The album feels inspired by Motorhead in places. As the riffs feel more aggressive and Blind Mess stay pissed off as hell for the majority of their album.

The trippy and psychedelic Desert/Stoner Rock vibes don’t feel as forced compared to their debut album and the Blues Rock undertones creates for a more direct sound. The album primarily has a modern Stoner Metal sound but fully comes alive when the band switch gears and play their heavier and aggressive style of music. The vocals are quite raw in places especially on the opening songs Dead Blues, Relief and I’m In A Hole.

The Good, The Bad & The Dead is a hugely entertaining album from start to finish with a strong collection of songs showcasing how the band have improved as musicians from their debut album. The lyrics are perhaps the most improved with Blind Mess writing some catchy lyrics with the excellent music they’ve written for this album.

The production isn’t the best but that’s perhaps down to the band recording this album live in their studio and no instrumental overdubs were made for this album. That’s a very brave and bold move to make for your second album but Blind Mess deserve credit for trying to capture the best sounding LIVE experience they can possibly aim for.

Blind Mess create and play some of the albums finest and heaviest moments on the second half of the album with The Enemy and Speed And Bones being the standout songs on the entire album. Overall, The Good, The Bad & The Dead is an album that has something for everyone to enjoy and fully appreciate no matter genre of music that you follow.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Blind Mess - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: June 16th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Blind Mess – S/T – Tracklisting

1.Ship Of Fools 04:07

2.Your Bliss 03:45

3.Black Mess 05:41

4.Capricorn 05:07

5.Crach 06:14

6.Supernova 04:25

7.Empire 04:30

8.The Monkey 04:40

Band Members:

Oskar, Martin & Daniel

Review

German Stoner Rockers - Blind Mess - debut self-titled is a confident and self-assured affair with the band influenced by the usual Desert/Stoner Rock Bands of past and present. Blind Mess deliver a more turbo-charged affair compared to other bands. The lyrics are fine for most parts of the album as the band embrace their Desert/Stoner Rock roots. There are a few rough moments where the vocals and lyrics don't necessarily gel with the top-notch music as they should.

Opening track - Ship Of Fools - is a very good track to open the album as shades of Kyuss appears but with a more punk driven sound. The vocals take a few songs to get fully used to as they're more suited to a punk rock environment.

Second track - Your Bliss - opens with a thrash based riff before the anarchic stoner riffs appear. This is another song where Blind Mess can't decide whether they want to be primarily a Stoner Rock Band or a Punk Rock band. They do try their hardest to merge both sounds but it's only the stoner rock parts that impress the most. I cannot deny that the song has an addictive and rebellious quality to it.

Third track - Black Moss - sees the band settle more into a Thrashier/Stoner kind of sound and this is where the album finally starts to improve for the better. Boisterous riffs, vocals and lyrics hold your attention throughout. Sure it still has a punk rock sound but the band are now starting to feel like a proper Stoner Rock band.

The next three songs - Capricorn, Crach and Supernova - has the usual Kyuss and Fu Manchu influences but the band start to add a more fuzzier psychedelic sound that brings back memories of Truckfighters. Even the vocals feel they were sung by Mr Ozo from that legendary band. Despite a bumpy and varied start, Blind Mess album really starts to impress from the third track and doesn't disappoint for the remainder of the album.

The second half of the album is a lot stronger than the first half as the band become more confident and even start take risks with their music. The final two tracks - Empire and Monkey - carry on the punk driven Stoner/Desert Rock riffs with the band creating an almighty loud noise with heavy guitars and confident vocals.

The album contains two bonus live tracks with Ship Of Fools and The Monkey. Truth be told I preferred the live version of Ship Of Fools compared to the version held on this album. I have a feeling that Blind Mess songs need to be truly heard and experienced on the live stage. As you cannot really capture the live environment on a studio recording.

Despite a shaky and rough start, Blind Mess debut album is a very good and thrilling album indeed.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp