The band's journey began in January 2000 when guitarists Johan Blomström and Tobias Olsson, along with original vocalist Niklas Svensson, formed the group under the moniker "Stigmata." Two demos, "Painreceiver" and "Tribute to Chaos," were released by 2002, with the latter catching the attention of Italy-based Scarlet Records. As a result of this new record deal, the band officially adopted the name Blinded Colony. In 2003, they self-produced their full-length debut album, "Divine," released on Scarlet Records with additional distribution in Japan through Soundholic Records. The band later amicably parted ways with Scarlet Records, marking the introduction of new vocalist Johan Schuster.
Blinded Colony took charge of their musical destiny, opting to record their second full-length album, "Bedtime Prayers," independently in 2006 at their home studio, SoundPalace. This decision aimed to preserve the band's organic sound while sidestepping external influences. The album featured tracks like "In Here," "Need," "Aaron’s Sons," "Bedtime Prayers," as well as the singles "Heart" and "Once Bitten, Twice Shy." Their promotional efforts included using online platforms such as Myspace, Helgon, and Garageband. The band collaborated with director Thomas Tjäder (In Flames) for music videos, planning to captivate audiences not only sonically but also visually.
Blinded Colony's commitment to their unique sound and refusal to succumb to Swedish metal clichés set them apart. Their determination led them to share stages with international acts like Hammerfall, Dark Tranquillity, Evergrey, and Mercenary. With their Pivotal Rockordings worldwide debut slated for January 12th in Europe and January 9th, worldwide, Blinded Colony embarked on a European tour in early 2007, poised to make a significant impact on the global metal scene.
The band wrapped up the 'Outcasts Over Europe' tour, supporting Ektomorf and former Scarlet Records label-mates Kayser, again, in 2007. They have also shared stages with notable acts like Sonic Syndicate and Dark Tranquillity.
In 2010, Blinded Colony changed their name to The Blinded and began a new discography.
21st Century Holocaust
Blinded Colony Lyrics
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We need a scapegoat again
I laugh out loud 'cos I don't know what's worse;
cheap movie speeches or those who believe in them
We move towards the 21st century holocaust
We fear no war 'cos we haven't learned a thing
You dumb fucks!
The shit from our mouths suddenly makes sense
We believe our own lies
It's so, so much easier to hate than to listen and try to understand
We move towards the 21st century holocaust
We fear no war 'cos we haven't learned a thing
You dumb fucks!
The lyrics of Blinded Colony's "21st Century Holocaust" paint a picture of a society where hatred has been dormant for years but has suddenly awakened, and the people are looking for a scapegoat once again. The opening line "Hatred awakes from many years of sleep" suggests that the kindling of hatred has been done before and history is repeating itself. The following line, "We need a scapegoat again," is a clear indication that the society is resorting to blaming an innocent group for their problems instead of looking for a solution.
The singer is filled with a sense of irony and disbelief, as he cannot comprehend which one is worse – the hypocritical speeches given in movies or the people who fall for them. The society seems to have become gullible and is feeding on propaganda rather than using their critical thinking skills.
The chorus lays down the song's central message – humanity is moving towards a 21st century holocaust. However, unlike the previous one, this massacre is not spawned by war but the society's failure to learn from its past mistakes. The line "We fear no war 'cos we haven't learned a thing" suggests that humans may not go against each other in the future, but their ignorance and lack of empathy will be the cause of their downfall. The song ends with the singer expressing frustration towards the society, calling them "dumb fucks."
Line by Line Meaning
Hatred awakes from many years of sleep
After years of not feeling hate, we are now feeling it again
We need a scapegoat again
We require someone else to blame for our problems once again
I laugh out loud 'cos I don't know what's worse; cheap movie speeches or those who believe in them
I am unsure which is more ridiculous: the superficial speeches in movies or the individuals who take them seriously
We move towards the 21st century holocaust
We are progressing towards a mass genocide in the current era
We fear no war 'cos we haven't learned a thing
We do not fear war because we have failed to learn from our past wars
You dumb fucks!
You are complete morons!
The shit from our mouths suddenly makes sense
Our previously nonsensical words now seem logical
We believe our own lies
We have convinced ourselves of our own falsehoods
It's so, so much easier to hate than to listen and try to understand
It is much simpler to hate than to listen and attempt to comprehend
Contributed by Hailey F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.