Review Summary: Blindead but seeing the light
Deuterium is the new album from Blindead, or more specifically, Blindead 23 - the new incarnation of the long-running Polish post-metal outfit. For anyone who missed their original run, Blindead were one of the most interesting bands in the European post-metal space throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, crafting this melancholic, deeply human blend of doom, sludge, and progressive metal. Their 2010 opus
Affliction XXIX II MXMVI still stands as a highlight of the genre and one of the best post-metal records of that decade — a dense, emotional, beautifully sad concept record told from the point of view from a child with autism. It won them a strong cult following in various internet circles but their following efforts couldn’t quite live up to it and as a band they ultimately kind of trailed off.
After years of silence and a major lineup shift, the band has re-emerged as Blindead 23 — a name that isn’t exactly imaginative, but does signal this as a new chapter with a new vision. The members involved come from various corners of the Polish heavy metal scene, bringing experience from stints in bands such as Behemoth, Vader, and Katatonia.
Deuterium is their first full-length in this updated form, and it’s a fascinating, if uneven, statement of intent.
The album opens strong with
“Immersion I” built on these massive chuggs and choppy, staccato riffs.
“Immersion II” follows with a heavier death-metal-leaning start as you get cold, industrial chugs and a thick, oppressive atmosphere. Clean vocals and ominous melodies break up the brutality, along with a solid guitar solo, and even some long, dirge-like piano chords. But its also the first of several tracks which suffer from an overly long outro that drags the energy down, making the heavier sections feel like they lose some of their impact. And that becomes a bit of a theme across the album: Blindead 23 do a LOT of things very well… but rarely excellently.
A big part of what made the original Blindead special was that mix of melancholy, heaviness, and emotional weight — and that humanity is still present. Tracks like
“Wither” lean into soft, atmospheric soundscapes with clean guitars, pianos, and moody vocals. It feels like it should build toward a bigger climax, but instead it just sort of settles. There’s atmosphere in spades, but not as much catharsis as I’d like.
“Worst Laid Plans” brings the intensity back with knotty riffs, pounding drums, and some of the album’s best heavy moments. The hypnotic rhythmic chugging is awesome, and the crescendo is pretty exciting — but again, the track overstays its welcome. A bit of trimming would’ve made the payoff hit harder.
“Deuterium”, the title track, is where the band find their best balance as more rapid-fire mechanical chugs, harsh growls, and death-metal adrenaline give way to eerie, brooding atmospheres. If every track walked this line as confidently, we’d be talking about a genuinely great record.
At the end,
“Towards the Dark” leans back into clean guitar picking and off-kilter, ominous vibes, while
“You Are the Universe” piles on dirge-like riffs and pulsating electronics that give the track an almost Neurosis-like weight. Big, emotive clean vocals lift it nicely. But ultimately, albums like
Deuterium are a balancing act — heavy vs. soft, dark vs. light, aggressive vs. gentle — and across a long runtime, I wasn’t always consistently engaged here. The slower, stretched-out sections often last just a bit too long, and the pacing suffers because of it.
But the foundation is solid. There’s a ton to enjoy if you’re into moody, dirge-laden post-metal and doom, and this new iteration of Blindead clearly has potential. With a bit more focus and a tighter grip on dynamics, they could absolutely reach the emotional heights of their earlier work again. I’d call this a solid re-start, and I look forward to seeing more from this new Blindead in future.
video review - https://youtu.be/V3J1069_OgY?si=0n-zeOjv3NArabij
