“The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me”, the mammoth new full-length from New Zealand-based progressive death metal collective BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS, is out now on Prosthetic Records!
What does obsession do to your mind? When you fixate on one particular person, place, or event, it clouds your thoughts, pollutes your feelings, and takes over your very being. You lose yourself and succumb to your basest instincts to pursue this obsession at all costs. BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS channels the extremes of a psychotic break into an ambitious sonic tableau of intricately airtight metal, eerie production, and insidiously memorable screams. Set to this pummeling soundtrack, the quintet implants an immersive story into the core of their fifth full-length offering, The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me.
In celebration of the release of The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS return to US soil tonight, October 10th, in Los Angeles, California with Volcandra for a three-week tour. The journey runs through November 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada. See all confirmed dates here.
New Zealand-based progressive death metal artisans BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS are pleased to unleash their latest single, “Cafuné.” The track comes by way of the band’s fiery new concept album, The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me, set for release on October 10th via Prosthetic Records.
Pre-order The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me, here.
Notes vocalist Stace Fifield, “The record traces the psychological unraveling of a person consumed by unrequited love. As their fixation deepens, affection mutates into obsession, delusion, and violence. The final revelation of the person’s identity reframes the story as a gendered descent into madness — culminating in a brutal, fatal union under the guise of love. This revelation is given as a twist to the listener/reader to further accentuate the poetic effort of the lyrics and story.”
He further elaborates on today’s single, “Cafuné is a poetic ode to new love, expressed through confrontational progressive death metal. That clash between intimacy and extremity is deliberate — it introduces an album that begins with tenderness but spirals into fixation, violence, and ruin. ‘Cafuné’ is the lit fuse before the bomb, the first glimpse of a story that holds more weight, more danger, and more complexity than it seems. Are you listening?”
What does obsession do to your mind? When you fixate on one particular person, place, or event, it clouds your thoughts, pollutes your feelings, and takes over your very being. You lose yourself and succumb to your basest instincts to pursue this obsession at all costs. BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS channels the extremes of a psychotic break into an ambitious sonic tableau of intricately airtight metal, eerie production, and insidiously memorable screams. Set to this pummeling soundtrack, the New Zealand quintet implants an immersive story into the core of their fifth full-length offering, The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me.
The group has quietly sharpened their attack since emerging in 2010. A series of fan favorite releases bulldozed the way for 2023’s Rejecting Obliteration. Beyond praise from Everything Is Noise, Knotfest, Echoes And Dust, and more, Distorted Sound awarded the latter a 9/10 rating going on to promise, “Strap yourselves in, it’s quite the ride.” Invisible Oranges touted Rejecting Obliteration among “The Best Heavy Metal Of 2023 So Far,” while Metalsucks highlighted the collective as one of “Five New Zealand Metal Bands You Should Know.” Moreover, they have clocked over one million total streams and counting.
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me’ will be released digitally and in CD format.
The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me Track Listing:
Arrows of Golden Light
Cafuné
Red
Compulsion
The Hardest Thing About Being God Is That No One Believes Me
Snow Angel
Black Orchids
Totem
600 Milligrams
Coalescence (Feat. Hera)
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS will return to US soil this Fall with Volcandra. The journey runs from October 10th in Los Angeles, California through November 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out the tour dates below.
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS w/ Volcandra:
10/10/2025 The Virgil – Los Angeles, CA 10/11/2025 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 10/12/2025 Transplants Brewing – Palmdale, CA 10/14/2025 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA 10/15/2025 The Dip – Redding, CA 10/16/2025 The High-Water Mark – Portland, OR 10/17/2025 Substation – Seattle, WA 10/18/2025 Ray’s Golden Lion – Richland, WA 10/19/2025 The Shredder – Boise, ID 10/20/2025 Aces High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT 10/22/2025 The Crypt – Denver, CO 10/23/2025 1867 Bar – Lincoln, NE 10/24/2025 Underground Music Venue – Minneapolis, MN 10/25/2025 Club Garibaldi – Milwaukee, WI 10/26/2025 Reggies Music Joint – Chicago, IL 10/28/2025 MiniBar – Kansas City, MO 10/29/2025 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK 10/30/2025 Tumbleroot Brewery And Distillery – Santa Fe, NM 10/31/2025 Ground Zero Studios – Phoenix, AZ 11/01/2025 The Griffin – Las Vegas, NV
Christchurch, New Zealand’s BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS are today premiering new single and music video Caustic Burns via Decibel.Caustic Burns is the third and final pre-release track to be taken from BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS‘ upcoming fourth album, Rejecting Obliteration, which is due out on May 19 via Prosthetic Records.
Speaking on the premiere, Ben Atkinson (guitar) comments: “Caustic Burns utilizes dissonance, it’s grinding pace and a thread of complex melody all within that unique cross-genre sound we are becoming known for to tell a story that embodies early 2000’s grimy dark thriller films through the lens of Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception. Visions, deities, murder, trips and twists. Musically, it’s Ulcerate vs. Cephalic Carnage vs Spawn of Possession. Story wise, it’s David Lynch vs David Fincher.
“Life, death, purpose and perception are the cyclical points of experience and reciprocal suffering for which Caustic Burns exists within. You inhaled me deeply and held your breath, I inhale you deeply and hold my breath.”
Navigating cycles of abuse and trauma, whilst actively reaching for resolution through resilience, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS‘ aptly titled Rejecting Obliteration is a testament to and declaration of endurance through hardships and loss. Lyrically conceived by Stace Fifield and Stuart Henley-Minchington, Rejecting Obliteration’s ten tracks share a common narrative thread of finding identity and light outside of personal hurt and psychological harm. The pair’s primary focus on inner strength and resilience serves as an unwavering foundation of who the band are in essence.
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ penchant for converging avant-garde progressive metal with caustic technicality and grinding intensity remains intact on tracks such as Hallucinative Terror and The Waves, thanks in large part to Nick Smith (bass), Henley- Minchington and Ben Atkinson’s intuitive playing styles that come from well over a decade of friendship and life together in the band. Elsewhere, album closer Caustic Burns seethes with dissonant chords and a commandeering performance from Fifield on vocals – whose presence looms large over Rejecting Obliteration’s more harrowing cuts, whilst conveying a rare vulnerability for technical death metal on the album’s more diaphanous passages.
Upon completing the recording of Rejecting Obliteration, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS sought the mixing expertise of Samuel K Sproull in Melbourne, Australia before handing mastering duties to Grammy Award winner Alan Douches at West West Side Music. The results of the technical team behind the album led to a production sound that retains the more barbarous aspects of the band’s sound and breathes life into the group’s ever growing progressive inclinations. Rejecting Obliteration’s cover art neatly ties together the core theme of cyclical trauma thanks to a commissioned piece from Eliran Kantor (Thy Art is Murder, Psycroptic, Archspire and more), designed to create an endless loop when applied to a printed surface.
Whilst despairing in it’s subject matter Rejecting Obliteration refuses to concede to a predestination of further anguish, opting instead to shun all notions of defeat, which in and of itself is vital to BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ long fought for and claimed identity.
Rejecting Obliteration tracklist: 1. Monolith 2. Methlehem 3. Hallucinative Terror 4. Rejecting Obliteration 5. Wraith 6. Cicada 7. Funeral Smiles 8. The Waves 9. Hands of Contrition 10. Caustic Burns
Upcoming BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS tour dates:
12 May – Ritual Division III – Valhalla – Wellington, NZ 13 May – Ritual Division III – 12 Bar Brews – Christchurch, NZ
Headline Australian tour 18 May – King Lear’s Throne – Brisbane, Australia 19 May – Burdekin Hotel – Sydney, Australia 20 May – Evelyn Hotel – Melbourne, Australia 21 May – Crown and Anchor – Adelaide, Australia
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS is: Stace Fifield – Vocals Stuart Henley-Minchington – Guitars, Vocals Ben Atkinson – Guitars Nick Smith – Bass Tim Stewart – Drums, Percussion (recording only)
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS are today premiering their new single and music video, Hallucinative Terror, via Knotfest. Hallucinative Terror is the second track to be taken from the Christchurch, New Zealand progressive death metal group’s upcoming fourth album, Rejecting Obliteration, due out on May 19 via Prosthetic Records. The song and video, directed by Matt Evlampieff, shines a spotlight on BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ native country’s mental health crisis.
Speaking candidly about the track’s importance on Rejecting Obliteration, Ben Atkinson (guitar) comments: “Not a year goes by without losing someone we love to suicide. This was evident again throughout the writing, recording, and prep cycles for Rejecting Obliteration where collectively as a group we lost more friends and sadly an old band member. The thought that we will never see their faces or hear their voices again still hurts us.
“Mental Health issues are predominant here in New Zealand, especially in our city that also deals with the trauma of a city leveling Earthquake, and one of the world’s worst single person terrorist attacks.
“We are repeatedly assured that we should be reaching out when we are feeling low in mood, feeling as though we may hurt ourselves or endanger our lives. Which when we can, yes we should. But, not everyone who is feeling suicidal has that person, opportunity or capability to do so.
“The ways in which some people reach out may not be understood by their loved ones or may go unnoticed due to the subtlety of the approach. It is also really important for us all to be more proactive, be upfront with our friends and family when we notice they may not seem their usual self and ask them how they are feeling and what we can do to support them.
“The video for Hallucinative Terror is based at a funeral and shows a person who has passed away by suicide with their family and friends approaching the coffin to share their grief and ask why, pointing out that everything seemed ok. These scenes are intercut with the person seemingly alive in their coffin. They are screaming and thrashing for help as the coffin fills with water but the funeral guests are blind to this and don’t see this person’s struggles, and calls for help. The person is haunted by an older man invisible to everyone else throughout the video who represents the darker thoughts of hopelessness we can have. The video ends with the person drowning.
“The video represents that feeling of drowning in sorrow and hopelessness, that between breaths you are struggling to call out for help, to look for someone who may pull you up and no one truly hears you, or hears what you are going through.
“Hallucinative Terror has taught us that we all need to be better listeners and observers and to proactively reach out.”
Navigating cycles of abuse and trauma, whilst actively reaching for resolution through resilience, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS‘ aptly titled Rejecting Obliteration is a testament to and declaration of endurance through hardships and loss. Lyrically conceived by Stace Fifield and Stuart Henley-Minchington, Rejecting Obliteration’s ten tracks share a common narrative thread of finding identity and light outside of personal hurt and psychological harm. The pair’s primary focus on inner strength and resilience serves as an unwavering foundation of who the band are in essence.
Whilst despairing in it’s subject matter Rejecting Obliteration refuses to concede to a predestination of further anguish, opting instead to shun all notions of defeat, which in and of itself is vital to BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ long fought for and claimed identity.
Rejecting Obliteration tracklist: 1. Monolith 2. Methlehem 3. Hallucinative Terror 4. Rejecting Obliteration 5. Wraith 6. Cicada 7. Funeral Smiles 8. The Waves 9. Hands of Contrition 10. Caustic Burns
Upcoming BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS tour dates:
Headline Australian tour 18 May – King Lear’s Throne – Brisbane, Australia 19 May – Burdekin Hotel – Sydney, Australia 20 May – Evelyn Hotel – Melbourne, Australia 21 May – Crown and Anchor – Adelaide, Australia
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS is: Stace Fifield – Vocals Stuart Henley-Minchington – Guitars, Vocals Ben Atkinson – Guitars Nick Smith – Bass Tim Stewart – Drums, Percussion (recording only)
Christchurch, New Zealand extreme metal band BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS have today announced the upcoming release of their fourth studio album, titled Rejecting Obliteration, due out via Prosthetic Records on May 19. The lead single, Methlehem, and its accompanying music video is out now.
Speaking on Rejecting Obliteration‘s announcement, Stuart Henley-Minchington (guitar and vocals) comments: “Exposing our most vulnerable selves and exploring harrowing territory both musically and lyrically, we created an album with a certain catharsis to it that we feel is a testament to our resilient nature. Inspired by some of the most personal challenges of our lives and the events that shaped us since the release of our previous album Nightmare Withdrawals, Rejecting Obliteration stands as a defiant body of music bursting with a philosophy and energy that we can all overcome whatever stands in our path toward healing.”
Vocalist, Stace Fifield adds: “Our first offering from Rejecting Obliteration comes in the form Methlehem. The lyrics meander the dimly-lit corridors of religious fanaticism, shining a spotlight on the stark similarities that can be drawn between drug addicts and those who devote their lives to their deity. The church is a cartel and billions are hooked on their premium product. Visually, we teamed up with award-winning director Amber Beaton to direct a video that would stitch the lyrics to the music, conjuring the dark and claustrophobic dimension that the song aggressively commands.”
Navigating cycles of abuse and trauma, whilst actively reaching for resolution through resilience, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS‘ aptly titled Rejecting Obliteration is a testament to and declaration of endurance through hardships and loss. Lyrically conceived by Stace Fifield and Stuart Henley-Minchington, Rejecting Obliteration’s ten tracks share a common narrative thread of finding identity and light outside of personal hurt and psychological harm. The pair’s primary focus on inner strength and resilience serves as an unwavering foundation of who the band are in essence.
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ penchant for converging avant-garde progressive metal with caustic technicality and grinding intensity remains intact on tracks such as Hallucinative Terror and The Waves, thanks in large part to Nick Smith (bass), Henley- Minchington and Ben Atkinson (guitar)’s intuitive playing styles that come from well over a decade of friendship and life together in the band. Elsewhere, album closer Caustic Burns seethes with dissonant chords and a commandeering performance from Fifield on vocals – whose presence looms large over Rejecting Obliteration’s more harrowing cuts, whilst conveying a rare vulnerability for technical death metal on the album’s more diaphanous passages.
Upon completing the recording of Rejecting Obliteration, BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS sought the mixing expertise of Samuel K Sproull in Melbourne, Australia before handing mastering duties to Grammy Award winner Alan Douches at West West Side Music. The results of the technical team behind the album led to a production sound that retains the more barbarous aspects of the band’s sound and breathes life into the group’s ever growing progressive inclinations. Rejecting Obliteration’s cover art neatly ties together the core theme of cyclical trauma thanks to a commissioned piece from Eliran Kantor (Thy Art is Murder, Psycroptic, Archspire and more), designed to create an endless loop when applied to a printed surface.
Whilst despairing in it’s subject matter Rejecting Obliteration refuses to concede to a predestination of further anguish, opting instead to shun all notions of defeat, which in and of itself is vital to BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ long fought for and claimed identity.
Rejecting Obliteration tracklist: 1. Monolith 2. Methlehem 3. Hallucinative Terror 4. Rejecting Obliteration 5. Wraith 6. Cicada 7. Funeral Smiles 8. The Waves 9. Hands of Contrition 10. Caustic Burns
BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS is: Stace Fifield – Vocals Stuart Henley-Minchington – Guitars, Vocals Ben Atkinson – Guitars Nick Smith – Bass Tim Stewart – Drums, Percussion (recording only)
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