Blind Hate is Nothing But Love

"I just sent in the demo," said Sean Christiansen, the drummer for Blind Hate Experiment, and three weeks later the band received a phone call from Disturbed's Dan Donegan notifying them that they would be opening for the Music as a Weapon 2 Tour at Hammerstein Ballroom on March 25th in front of their largest audience ever. The competition was stiff, but Blind Hate Experiment was chosen, and rightfully so.

Together, drummer Sean Christiansen, singer Eric Portalatin, lead guitarist John Farley, bassist Mike Quindlen, and rhythm guitarist Dean Nugent form Blind Hate Experiment, a band that blends together a broad range of influences to create a sound that is unlike that of any other band around today. Their powerful lyrics combined with their heavy yet melodic instrumentation show the band's innovative, cutting-edge style. "We do what we feel--there's no watering down," declares Portalatin.

While Blind Hate maintain the growling anger and heavy baselines that mark them as a heavy/alt-metal band, Portalatin also incorporates smooth transitions into resonant, songful vocalizations, giving the songs a multidimensional feel. All the songs on the demo consist of hard-hitting lyrics, like those of "Portrait of My Own Emotions": "But if you could see my mind's thoughts / Well that's just too much pain to reveal." Portalatin explained that the lyrics depict his own experiences in troubled and unstable times. "I went from bleeding on this guy, to bleeding on that guy," he said.

The depth and profundity in their music also carries over into their name, which makes a discerning social statement. Quindlen, who came up with the moniker, describes his tragically accurate perspective on the world as "people go around saying 'I love everyone, I don't stereotype,' but that's really a load of crap. Everybody stereotypes just a little bit. It's human nature--no one can be unbiased." With this theory in mind, Blind Hate Experiment describes the sentiment that "society is in itself an experiment to see what happens when people of different paths in life are put together and the animosity and jealousy that results."

But even in this scornful society, the men of Blind Hate are not the pessimists you would think them to be; using their music as an outlet, they replace bitterness with hard work and support for each other. The connections between the members run very deep and the bonds are unbreakable. "Everybody in this band loves each other," declared Nugent, who actually started out as the band's manager. No one in the band could emphasize enough the strength of their relationship both as friends and as bandmates, and the importance of teamwork in their group dynamic. The members of Blind Hate Experiment all share the spotlight equally. "No person in this band is more important than another," stressed Portalatin, adding, "there is no 'me' in Blind Hate."

The band openly and enthusiastically shows love not only for each other but for their fans as well. With an incredibly loyal fan base, Blind Hate Experiment has successfully established itself prominently in the local metal scene. The fans that support it are first priority. "It's all about those kids who come and rock it out and get in the pit. It's about the kids who pay seventy dollars on eBay to come see us open a show. It doesn't matter if we never get signed, because it's all about those kids," said Nugent. While the fans are loyal to Blind Hate, Blind Hate is just as loyal to them. The band appreciates all the support it receives, and the members enjoy meeting and hanging out with their fans.

Blind Hate Experiment is an exceptionally talented group of musicians who will definitely be climbing to the top. Keep an eye out for them--they are a show worth seeing. With amazing people, astounding music, and undying passion, Blind Hate Experiment can define itself in one simple word: "heart."