Finnish nu metal – or “violent pop”– band Blind Channel released their latest single, ‘DIE ANOTHER DAY’ on December 1st. The band consists of vocalists Joel Hokka and Niko Moilanen, guitarist Joonas Porko, bassist Olli Matela, drummer Tommi Lalli, and producer Aleksi Kaunisvesi (also known as Alex Mattson). Back in September, the band announced they would embark on a European tour in 2024 called the ‘Exit Emotions’ tour, named after their upcoming album, and this new track is its most recent single.
Following up ‘HAPPY DOOMSDAY’ and ‘DEADZONE’, two very heavy songs, ‘DIE ANOTHER DAY’ had some big shoes to fill. To do so, Blind Channel reached out to British singer and producer RØRY. This may have come as a surprise to some of Blind Channel’s fans as she does not normally work within the metal genre, but she has in fact worked with member Alex Mattson before. On top of that, Blind Channel and RØRY are very in line when it comes to the topics they discuss in their tracks, singing about the hardest parts of life and the darkness that quite often overshadows the light.
The same can be said for this collaboration, a dark pop rock ballad that opens with a verse completely sung by one of Blind Channel’s lead vocalists, Joel Hokka. “I need a meaning to make me whole again” he sings “this world is gonna fuck you up. It’s gonna get dark and it seems too tough”. Hokka seems to be struggling while looking for reasons to stay alive, such as love and luck and faith. Interestingly enough, the vocals of Niko Moilanen can only be heard in the choruses of the song– he does, however, play the piano that can be heard in the intro and throughout the song. As soon as the verse leads into the chorus, the drums, played by Tommi Lalli, kick in.
The second verse is sung by RØRY, with the drums banging on in the background. “All my scars are a work of art” she sings, possibly referring to how she copes with the darkness this world holds. However, these scars could also be referring to mental ones rather than physical. After the second verse and chorus, the vocals of Hokka and RØRY perfectly mash together in the bridge with both of them screaming that they will tear out their heart – because it might make life easier.
This track is a lot less heavy, a lot less metal than other songs in their discography, but not in any way less dark or relatable. It might be a bit repetitive in its lyrics, but the way it builds and manages to create this climax in the bridge where one can just feel the desperation in their voices absolutely makes up for it.
With this single they also announced the complete tracklist for their upcoming album EXIT EMOTIONS, which is coming out on March 1st, 2024. The album can be pre-ordered here!
Written by: Mandy Huibregtsen
Edited by: Vee Deuling
