The Razorblade Romance of Chugga Chugga

THE BLED were a strange "phenomenen". Undoubtly another one of those bands, being in the right place at the right time, they took a profit from the ever-growing popularity of Hardcore, Post-Hardcore and Metalcore in the early to Mid-2000s. Then again, it's not like they were some kind of beneficiaries, who wouldn't have made it without the trend. No way! In fact, they let the quality speak for themselves. "Pass the Flask" was a fleshed out, pretty much perfect debut album and a bold statement for the future. What makes THE BLED's legacy strange is the fact, that they couldn't build upon their success and also that they weren't able to fully exploit their potential. Instead they faded into insignificance over the years. If it wasn't for this album here, they'd probably be forgotten a long time ago...

Every time I'm spinning this record or every time one of its songs pops up in my playlist, what always stands out to me, is the power, the harshness and the urgency of this band. It's an upfront-kind-of-affair, if there ever was one. This records jumps into your neck and won't let got for the next 40 minutes. But that's also the beauty of it. It remains timeless and also kinda unique in its blend. THE BLED somehow placed themselves in the middle of the Melodic Metalcore and the Post-Hardcore of this era. The best comparison I can come up with are FROM AUTUMN TO ASHES and "Too bad, you're beautiful" probably left an impact on THE BLED. But other than FATA, who were all about the harsh contrasts, THE BLED went for a more coherent sound. The songs don't differ as much, though the record thrives on its intensity and its homogeneity. In that regard they remind me more of POISON THE WELL, another band they took a lot from. Speaking of PTW, just like them, they kept the clean vocals to a minimum (good decision) instead of dealing with so-so-sung harmonies (see FATA or FEAR BEFORE). Then again, they combined the idea of PTW with the drama of THURSDAY and the Teen Angst of THE USED. Whoever loves this "Razorblade Romance"-kind-of-stuff from the 2000s (PTW, SKYCAMEFALLING, early THIS DAY FORWARD) will feel right at home with "Pass the Flask".

The songwriting is superb and they succeed in different settings, from the epic journeys like "Porcelain Hearts and Hammers for Teeth" or "We are the Industry" to the Mathcore-ridden "Get up you Son of a Bitch, cause Mickey loves ya" to their trademark pieces "Red Wedding" or "You know who's Seatbelt", where they combine their chug-storms with dramatic melodies, stop'n'go-dynamics, fast rhythms and that typical predictable, moshy breakdowns of the 2000s. Speaking about them, there weren't many bands doing it any better. Those breakdowns are fire and it's still so much fun to rock out to these tunes. To add one last thing to the curious legacy of THE BLED: Without getting any innovative, they were able to set themselves apart with "Pass the Flask", and wrote a record that was always here to stay. At least for those who grew up with this kind of music...

However, they weren't able to follow up on "Pass the Flask". Part might be due to all the lineup changes, part due to some poor decisions. With their sophomore album "Found in the Flood" they started to experiment which resulted in their most complex, layered and ambitious record of their career. The three melodic, mainstream-y tracks were the low points, but other than that they were able to cleverly put the "Pass the Flask"-energy into a new light. I never got the heat this record got from some fans. It can't match "Pass the Flask" in the slightest, yet I dig their intention. However, their third one "Silent Treatment" -with a new label in the form of Rise Records- was a failed attempt at catering to a broader crowd. It was cleaner and simpler, the standard "sellout" record of the 2000s, yet no one bought. Their last album "Heat Fetish" then was the low point of their career and rightfully so, they disbanded two years after its release.

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