Blindfolded and Led to the Woods (BALTTW): Natural progression
New Zealand-based progressive death metal outfit Blindfolded and Led to the Woods – alias BALTTW – has just unleashed their long-awaited new full-length album named THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING GOD IS THAT NO ONE BELIEVES ME via Prosthetic Records. Bass player Nick Smith answered all our questions about it:
When and how did BALTTW form?
BALTTW formed in 2010 once some other bands the members played in dissolved.
Any musical influences?
We have a wide range of inspirations such as Nile, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Meshuggah, Tool, Cryptopsy, Cynic, Voyager etc etc
Why did the band decide to change its sound? From Deathcore to avant garde technical metal.
I don’t think this was intentional, it was just a natural progression as we matured as musicians and in age and found something we more enjoyed playing.
Could you tell us about the recording of the latest album „THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING GOD IS THAT NO ONE BELIEVES ME” ? What were the sessions like?
This was the first album we mainly self-produced. We recorded the drums in a proper studio but everything else was handled by our guitarist Dan Hayston who collated everything which meant we were able to take our time and make sure things were perfect. Then we used Forrester Savell to mix and master because of his work with bands such as Animals as Leaders, Karnivool etc as we really wanted the progressive sound to shine through.
Who writes the band’s lyrics? What inspires you to write? Who named the band?
This is the first album that Stace, our vocalist, has written all the lyrics for as normally it is shared between him and Stu. Stace came to the rest of the band early in the production process saying he had come up with a concept for this album and had written a narrative over the course of the album which we then implemented when recording the vocals.
The main themes within the lyrics are of unrequited love, betrayal, rejection, hatred, vengeance, and retribution. Veering clear of male-inflicted violence, we decided to ‘mask’ the protagonist’s gender throughout the lyrics, offering only small hints to what was to come (The female breaths at the end of ‘Arrows..’, the mention of ‘my hand, a desperate actress’, and then culminating in the female vocals at the end of the album) unveiling the protagonist as a woman. The lyrics are written in descriptive poetry style, creating a cohesive story in which each song is a snapshot in time for the protagonist as their obsession increases paralleled with their mental health unwinding into chaos.
Stace also came up with the name of the band, back in 2010 – Myspace was the way to find new music and to stick out you needed a long band name, hence ours.
Was there a local Deathcore scene when you guys started?
We are from New Zealand and there was a little bit of Deathcore, the main band paving the way being Depths, who are still going strong today.
What are live shows like for the band?
We’ve always tried to employ the notion that even if you don’t dig the music, you should be able to enjoy the live show, so we try to make sure they’re fun, energetic and everything in between.
What lies in the future for you and BALTTW?
We are currently halfway through our first tour of the USA which is 20 dates. Then we plan to do some NZ/Aus touring in 2026, hopefully on the back of the new album.
Has Metal changed since the band started, in your opinion?
Metal is always changing and evolving as people push boundaries musically and creatively, so we always try to make the experience unique to the listener.
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS
Stace Fifield – Vocals
Stuart Henley-Minchington – Guitar & Synthesizer
Dan Hayston – Guitar & Synthesizer
Nick Smith – Bass
Anthony Coota – Drums & Percussion
Bandwebsites
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Text: John Wisniewski, photos: BALTTW
