Shattered Reality

Into The Blind (independent)

By Laura Karnes

Louisville locals Shattered Reality recently released their second project,IntoTheBlind. Only available on tape (sorry, no CD), it's quite an impressive listen.

The band members know a lot about the recording process, so they were particular about getting the sound they wanted. They arranged and produced the recording, with help from the late producer Shaun Tique.

While the band's debut recording was quite good, the growth and overall improvement that the band has made in musicianship since that release is obvious in this one. The group has skilled musicians and a singer with a powerful voice. The material is original, and though Shattered Reality has a heavy sound, their songs are commercial enough to be played on radio.

The tape opens with the title cut, which features the inspiring line "I'll be standing upright with my head held high/ staring straight into the blind." The song also has a unusal breakdown in the middle, with attention paid to the harmony vocals, then it kicks back in with a heavy sound.

The tape continues with the slower, but still heavy "Lovelorn." It cranks back up with "Numb" and "One with the Land."

Words" is about rumors, lies, and gossip and the way people talk about other people without knowing the true story. I agree with this line from "Words": "If you must say something, then say what is real / I stand behind the words I say."

While the tape ends with the raw and heavy "Unlucky," their continued efforts will likely prove them to be just the opposite.