Blind Man’s Daughter is a melodic progressive metal band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, starting out in 2012 by founding member Ashley Wolfe, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the project really came to life. Working with local musicians, Blind Man’s Daughter soon grew into one of the most exciting sounds in the metal scene.
I have previously reviewed singles Mirage Harmer and Kyhell, and was eager to hear the full album, and boy what an album it is. Sundressed was released on 18/08/2023 and is an album that shares Ashley’s personal journey of self-discovery and the search for a purpose.
The album has ten tracks in total and is just over thirty minutes of melodic progressive metal with a cutting edge that means the band has created a sound that is fresh, compelling, and unique.
The music side of things is heavy, with progressive riffs thrown at the listener from all angles. The guitar work is simply sublime, with hooks and melodies that change pace and time not only throughout the album as a whole, but also during each track. This means that musically there is always something for the listener to hear, keeping them engaged and entertained by the song at all times. At times the music sounds quite chaotic, while at other times everything is more ordered and polished, but this is in no way a bad thing, as the changing music style is a charm of the song.
The drumming can appear quite haphazard, and the intricacies of the guitar work really work well together and, along with some meaty yet funky basslines, really create a great soundscape on which the songs are based.
Vocally, Ashley’s voice is hauntingly beautiful, almost hypnotic, and really pulls the listener into the music. She can transform her voice from soft and gentle, to soaring, to almost death metal like growls, but the one thing that remains consistent is that it is always powerful. Her voice combines with the accompanying music perfectly and there is sometimes an almost shoegaze like feel when the lyrics and the instruments become one with each other.
This band have really generated an awesome sound for themselves, one that is enticing and provocative but one that is also modern, fresh, and contemporary.
Please do check out Blind Man’s Daughter and their music. If modern, progressive yet melodic rock with elements of metal thrown in are your thing, then you are going to love this band.
Amazingly great album!
Track listing:
1) Mirage harmer
2) Sundressed
3) Saencer
4) Kyhell
5) Bloodmoon
6) Days Fall
7) Dust And Light
8) Dust
9) Nights Fall
10) Waves
This review is the property of The Metal Asylum