Blinded Black was a six-piece post-hardcore band from St. Louis, Missouri, United States. After forming in 1999, when the youngest member (Jake Rohlmann) was just twelve, the group self-released their debut album and began touring both locally and around the Midwest. After success on the internet with sites such as MySpace and Absolute Punk, the group signed with SideCho Records and began working with producer Marc McClusky. Their latest album, Under the Sunrise, was released February 27, 2007 on SideCho Records; following its release the band toured with LoveHateHero and Vanna.[1] The band have just dropped out of the Artery Tour, which will still go on with the other bands originally on the tour through March, (A Skylit Drive and Dance Gavin Dance, as well as supporting bands Four Letter Lie, Oh, Sleeper, Before Their Eyes, Memphis May Fire, and The Hottness.)[2]
Sadly, Blinded Black called it quits in March 2008. The former members of the band claim to still be best friends and some of the members plan on exlporing other musical ventures in the future.[1]
The band had a small farewell tour in Indiana and Missouri from May 16- May 30th, with their last show ever being in Missouri on the 30th of May, 2008.
On January 4, 2017, Blinded Black announced that they have reunited after a "decade of silence", and the following month the band announced the release of their new single titled "The Next Chapter," which released on March 3, 2017.
Members:
Jeff Nizick (Lead vocals)
Mike Smith (Guitar)
Nick Rohlmann (Guitar)
Chuck Kraus (Keyboards, synthesizer, backing vocals)
Tyler Hanks (Bass, backing vocals)
Jake Rohlmann (Drums)
Discography:
2007 - Under The Sunrise (SideCho Records)
2006 - Sealed With A Stitch (Self-Released)
Songs on Compilations:
Under The Sunrise – Warped Tour 2007 Tour Compilation
Set In Stone – Automaton Transfusion Soundtrack
Bio from their Myspace in 2007 after the release of Under The Sunrise:
Hard work, determination, persistency and a little love from the media are
some of the key ingredients that comprise the success of St. Louis-based
Blinded Black. And with its SideCho Records debut, Under The Sunrise, the
empty fuel tanks, days spent on guitar overdubs and hours spent maintaining a
vital online presence have all come to fruition in a succinct recorded
package.
Vocalist Jeff Nizick co-founded the melodic rock band two years ago with Jake
and Nick Rohlmann, recruiting members from his immediate vicinity. Young
(most of the band were still in their teens), driven and ready for a fresh
challenge, Nizick said the band was founded with one main goal: to write and
performing engaging music. We just tried to make music we liked to listen to
ourselves, Nizick recalls. We just rock out and play whatever we wanted.
Blinded Black recorded and self-released its debut album, but the band knew
hitting the road would be its key to success, and sure enough, a Midwest
jaunt proved fruitful, thanks in part to a little technology.
We ended up getting these crowds just because we pushed it on MySpace a
lot, says Rohlmann. We ended up getting 100 people, we play another show
in a couple months, and the crowd would be even bigger.
Soon, Blinded Black realized that it couldn't sustain its growth on its own
merits. That's when the band soon went hunting for labels. Without the
backing of a label, it's hard to get your name out there, he says. The
doors open up so much more when you're signed.
Before the band inked any record deal, Alternative Press gave Blinded Black
some much-needed and well-deserved ink. After submitting its music to the
magazine, an interview took place, which eventually ran on the magazine's
A.P. pages, a section of the publication dedicated to spotlighting
unsigned, up-and-coming acts.
Impressed with SideCho's roster, Blinded Black approached the label. After a
few meetings, the deal was signed. We ended up showcasing for a few other
labels and no one treated us as well as SideCho did, says Nizick. It made
want to sign up with such a hard-working label.
With a contract in hand, Blinded Black headed back to work with producer Mark
McClusky (Hit The Lights, Norma Jean), with whom it already recorded five
tracks before the signing. The process was an educational ù if not exhausting
ù experience. It was 12 hour days, says Rohlmann. We'd get in at 12 noon
and literally go until midnight.
The resulting album found Blinded Black tackling subjects from all corners.
Of course we've got our songs about the girlfriends and whatnot, but we try
to add some weird turns and it make it more curious, says Nizick.
Such curiosity easily swells around Set In Stone, of which Nizick says is
about the heartbreak of relationships and being able to get away from a bad
relationship and move on. Behind The Scenes' finds the band singing about
an obsessed fan of an actress who ends up stalking her, and A Perfect
Murder makes references to deep anger. The title says everything, Nizick
says, but I swear we're not like that!
With the release of Under The Sunrise, the members of Blinded Black are
looking forward to taking their show on the road throughout the nation
(though the support from its St. Louis homebase could fuel the act on its
own). In addition to the heavy amounts of local press coverage, Blinded Black
has been interviewed and played on major alternative rock station KPNT The
Point 105.7 FM and the band also played the Vans Warped Tour 2006 in St.
Louis.
As for the band's future, Nizick isn't making too many predictions but also
isn't about to place any restrictions on what Blinded Black can offer.
There's really no limit, we're not going to set a bar for ourselves, says
Nizick. That would be giving in too quickly. We're just going to push it and
not stop anytime soon.
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…shrink me down again