If you haven't yet heard any music by Blizzard At Sea, don't worry. You aren't "behind the times" or even "slow." It was only by pure chance that their debut EP fell into our laps in August of 2011. Knowing that they were from Iowa - Iowa City to be exact - my initial thought was that they would end up being a Slipknot clone or knockoff, something I wasn't prepared to waste my time on. I, myself, wasn't all that familiar with the metal subgenre known as sludge. But after listening to "Invariance," I knew it was something I needed to explore.
The EP was better than most. It had something intertwined in all the rumbling bass work that made me want more. An interview followed, with John, Steven, and Jesse being gracious enough to tolerate our sometimes nonsensical questions. Now we knew what made them tick. We learned about their influences, their style and their music itself. And hearing those three guys talk about what they do gave you the indication that this could be so much more than a hobby. They were featured on our Sorrow Eternal sampler disc later that year, with their track "Closed Universe" being one of the highlights of the disc. Then, it happened.
The trailer for their new EP, "Individuation," made the rounds. And, as you can hear, things had changed. John had been replaced behind the drum kit by Pat Took. And the music had evolved, changed into something even more eclectic and powerful. Melodies flooded the disc, matched with screams in a perfect fractured harmony. This was the breakthrough album they had been concocting.
Thanks to a successful Kickstarter drive, the band raised $2000, enough to fund the pressing and packaging of "Individuation" for the masses. There were 55 donors to the project; 55 real people who believe in what this band says, and even more in what they do. With the album off being pressed, we need only wait to see the impact three driven individuals from Iowa can have on a changing music industry.
So, no, you aren't stupid for not hearing Blizzard At Sea yet. But now is the chance to get on board for one wild, bass heavy, ride.
Official Site - http://blizzardatsea.com
Bandcamp - http://blizzardatsea.bandcamp.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/blizzardatsea
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