The Blind Leading the Blind (album)

Last updated

The Blind Leading the Blind
The Blind Leading the Blind (album).jpg
Studio album by
Released11 November 2018 (2018-11-11)
StudioMuzProduction (Lviv, Ukraine)
Genre
Length59:16
Label Archaic Sound
1914 chronology
Eschatology of War
(2015)
The Blind Leading the Blind
(2018)
Where Fear and Weapons Meet
(2021)
Singles from The Blind Leading the Blind
  1. "Stoßtrupp 1917"
    Released: 9 October 2017

The Blind Leading the Blind is the second studio album by the Ukrainian metal band 1914, released on 11 November 2018 via Archaic Sound. [1] The release date is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, the end of World War I. On 31 May 2019, the album was re-released by Napalm Records. [2]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Blabbermouth.net Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Metal Hammer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Metal.de Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Rock Hard Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

The Blind Leading The Blind received positive reviews from the music press. Critics appreciated the band's approach to understanding the events of World War I. Robert Mueller of Metal Hammer wrote in his review: "The Ukrainians have managed to make an impressively competent death metal statement about a key event of the 20th century with their second album, which understands war not only as an aesthetic fantasy of extinction, but seeks, finds and appreciates human nuances between the barrage of music". [4] Also noted was the successful use of fragments from war films and music of the time, which create a special atmosphere. [6]

The musical component of the album was also praised. Critics noted the harmonious combination of doom, black and death metal, which creates a melancholic and "doomed" mood of the songs, and the combination of fast and slow parts allows the latter to sound more weighty and "crushing". [7] [1] Christian Pop, in his review for Metal.de, described the atmosphere of the album as "dark, depressing and oppressive", also noting the frequently changing tempo of the songs, which prevents the album from sounding monotonous. [5] Dom Lawson, in his review for Blabbermouth.net, spoke highly of the album, concluding: "The Blind Leading The Blind shows that this band has the potential to grow beyond the underground and put Ukraine on the world metal map." [3]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."War In"1:14
2."Arrival. The Meuse-Argonne"6:20
3."A7V Mephisto"8:13
4."High Wood. 75 Acres of Hell"5:27
5."Beat the Bastards" (The Exploited cover)5:02
6."Hanging on the Barbed Wire"2:28
7."Passchenhell"7:01
8."C'est mon dernier pigeon"5:22
9."Stoßtrupp"6:13
10."The Hundred Days Offensive"10:01
11."War Out"1:55
Total length:59:16

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic and the The Blind Leading the Blind liner notes: [8]

1914

Additional musicians

Production

References

  1. 1 2 Vince Bellino (9 November 2018). "Full Album Stream: 1914 – "The Blind Leading the Blind"". decibelmagazine.com. Decibel. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. Axl Rosenberg (3 April 2019). "1914 Is Your New Favorite WWI-Themed Ukrainian Band". metalsucks.net. MetalSucks. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 Dom Lawson (10 June 2019). "Reviews — 1914 — The Blind Leading The Blind". blabbermouth.net. Blabbermouth. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  4. 1 2 Robert Müller (31 May 2019). "1914 — The Blind Leading The Blind". metal-hammer.de (in German). Metal Hammer . Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  5. 1 2 Christian Popp (3 January 2019). "1914 — The Blind Leading The Blind — Review". metal.de (in German). Metal.de. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 Sebastian Schilling (22 May 2019). "1914 — The Blind Leading The Blind". rockhard.de (in German). Rock Hard . Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  7. RaduP (23 December 2018). "1914 — The Blind Leading The Blind review". metalstorm.net. Metal Storm. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  8. The Blind Leading the Blind - 1914 - Album - AllMusic , retrieved 15 March 2024