Another band that jumps into the path of NORTER, SKYFIRE, CHILDREN OF BODOM and all the other Metal bands that play this style of melodic Death Metal. What makes BLIND STARE different than these other bands: well, all of the above didn’t release an album yet this year! Joke aside, BLIND STARE’s debut album “Symphony Of Delusions” may be more than just a copycat of the already renowned bands mentioned above. It may just be that Arise Records is trying to add more depth into its already overcrowded Power Metal-only roster.

Like the newest album of SOILWORK, the clean vocal parts in BLIND STARE’s music are poppy and DEPECHE MODE like, which brings an interesting contrast between them, the Black and the Death vocal lines. Guitar wise, the sound found on “Symphony Of Delusions” is the typical sound of the Gothenberg Metal movement that we are already used to. The keyboard work, similar to some early ELDRITCH material, is modern and used more as an atmospheric element than as a standout instrument, although there are some tasty piano parts and a solo to be found throughout the album. Some orchestral parts found on the song “An Insane's Diary Pt. II” would have been more than welcome to appear more often, as it gives the band a true epic feel.

The quality of the overall music of BLIND STARE may counterbalance the lack of originality and uniqueness, but what the future looks like for them, only time and what the other bands similar to them will release, will be able to tell! (Online July 28, 2005)