Bloodlust!

BLOODYMINDED – ‘Gift Givers’ CD
What was the best day of your life? “Gift Givers” is the third full-length release from BLOODYMINDED, and it follows their late-2003 single, “Mothercare,” and their previous album, “True Crime” (2002). Moving on from “crime,” this time the group has placed its focus on numerous other types of obsessive behaviors. A recurring theme, initiated on “Mothercare” (if not hinted at on their first CD, “Trophy”), is self-destructive behavior – particular, but certainly not exclusive to – teenage girls. As the album title hints, such dangerous behavior cuts across both sexes and all ages. “Gift Givers” takes some of its cues from “True Crime,” such as that album’s deep layering of vocals. This time, however, the band takes things a step further by utilizing its international depth – creating a multi-lingual recording with English, French, and Spanish vocals. Hearkening back to “Trophy,” this album mixes 10 songs in the four- to six-minute range with several of the band’s trademark blast songs. An likely unexpected introductory track starts things off, while a middle passage, based on new recordings by special guest Pierpaolo Zoppo (of the pioneering Italian project Mauthausen Orchestra), acts as a curious segue between the central “Pro-Ana”/”Pro-Mia” suite. Another special guest, Michael D. Williams (Eyehategod/Outlaw Order/TEN SUICIDES/Corrections House), adds lead vocals to the key track, “Ten Suicides,” which incorporates a number of true successes and near misses, and which carries the album’s prevalent theme/question. Brian Gaynor, who has worked on numerous BloodLust! recording projects, engineered the majority of the recording sessions and the ultramaximized master, and he co-produced the album with Mark Solotroff, at Alien Soundscapes, Inc., Chicago. Additional recording was completed by the band, as well as by Amadou Sall (Collapse/Treponem Pal), in Paris, France. Veteran BloodLust! designer and former BLOODYMINDED member Megan Emish executed the exquisite packaging — a beautifully re-designed eight panel digipak; Originally released in 2005; Re-released in 2013.

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