Blind Channel’s Niko Vilhelm talks Painstream, learning to scream from Chester Bennington and Sam Carter, and why being the underdog is totally worth it…

Words by Cheryl Mann | Oct 27, 2026

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After nearly two years of deliberate silence, Finnish modern metal legends Blind channel are making their explosive return. The band’s upcoming album, Painstream, is set for release on October 30th through Century Media Records. With early singles already receiving a massive response from listeners, this album promises to be the definitive new era global fans have been waiting for. Cheryl Mann caught up with vocalist Niko Vilhelm to chat more.

I actually discovered you guys randomly on Spotify right before your hiatus, so it’s incredibly exciting to see you explode back onto the scene. Your new album Painstream drops October 30th and your new single ‘Into the Void’ featuring Aaron Pauly is absolutely killing it. Looking back on everything, how does it feel to be back with such a massive, positive response?

Niko – “It feels so good. So exciting. And so rewarding.

The break wasn’t actually a break. It was a break from shows and publicity and that stuff. Most of the break, we were just sitting in the studio.

And most of the time, we had no idea what we were doing. Until we had some idea what we were doing. But we really poured our hearts out.

But obviously, there’s always this like, are people going to get this? And we weren’t sure if they’re going to hear it and like it.

And as an artist, you can’t think that too much. But then obviously, it creeps into your mind, like, are people going to get this? Like, are they going to hear these songs like we hear them and stuff like that? And now with all the singles that have come out and the response has been so positive. It’s not just flame emojis and hell yeah and that kind of stuff. But it’s also like, it really feels like people are getting into the deeper layers. That they see the themes and the concepts. And that’s what I love to see. Like, what I saw, what I believe is that people are sensitive beings. And we sense those things that are hidden layers and like, the subtext and that kind of thing. And they even saw things that we haven’t noticed.

They were like, oh, yeah, like one super important one, like our breakthrough song Dark Side. We sing about how we don’t want to grow up. Then we go on a break.

And we come back with the song, Diana. And we’re singing, we don’t want to die young. And that kind of connection.

We knew that Diana was the one we wanted to put out first. And it was just a feeling. And we can’t explain it.

It’s just, it’s a feeling. And then like our fans point that out. And we were like, whoa, that’s dope. Like those kinds of things. So it’s so great to see that people are there. They’re not just hearing the songs, they’re listening to them, digging into them. So that is, I think, the most rewarding thing of all.”

Your vocals on ‘Diana’ completely blew me away—the emotion and control instantly reminded me of Chester Bennington, which is a rare compliment from me. I know you started out rapping rather than singing. Did you always know you had that specific vocal power inside of you, or did it take time to unlock this new level?

Niko – “Yeah, first I want to say, thank you so much. It’s like the biggest honour, like Chester Bennington, like for many, is the biggest, biggest idol, such a pioneer.

Just like you said, because we have very technical vocalists who are technically very skilful, but then we have the toned guys who have like this very recognisable tone. And then we have those who just sing with so much emotion that it pours through. And he kind of combined all those. I don’t see myself in the same sentence as Chester Bennington, but that’s the aim. But like you said, the singers usually don’t start as singers. So, yeah, I was a rapper, like, but even more and still like more than I see myself as a singer, I see myself as a songwriter. That’s like, yeah, that’s my thing.

That’s what I was always doing. And I was doing that in the hip hop scene. I was producing beats for rappers and doing that kind of writing.

But then when I did like my own songs, like before joining the band, I had no one to sing those songs. Nobody would come and sing my songs. So I had to start singing them myself, like, fuck this. I’m going to sing this myself. And then I think like I became this kind of a chameleon. I’m still very much of a chameleon of a vocalist.

Like if the song had a rapping part, I need to be able to rap. And then like after joining Blind Channel, we were making our first album. And then we wanted screams in there. I had to learn how to scream. And then we wanted to growl there. Like every time what the song needs, I need to be able to do it.

And I think that was always kind of like my part to be the chameleon, like whatever the song might need. I need to be able to pull it off. Like I think it was from an old Linkin Park video where I heard Chester doing this scream. But it has this melody. And then I heard Architects and then we saw them live. And Sam Carter was doing it live. And I was like, I don’t know what the fuck that is. But I need to learn that right now.

And I’ve actually been able to do it for a couple of years now. But I think we didn’t just have the right kind of songs to use. And I’m so happy to use those new vocal styles as well, like on the album.”

Taking it back a bit, do you remember the first time you ever performed on stage—even as a kid—that made you realize, ‘Yeah, I want to do this for a living’?

Niko – “Yeah, I think I was maybe in the fifth grade or something. So I must have been maybe 10 years old, it was this school talent show thing. And I had started playing classical piano when I was seven. And then what really got me into it was like I have this classical piece of music I had to learn and I played it wrong, but it turned into something completely new. And I was like, wow, that was original. And for me, what clicked instantly was the fact that you can do this yourself and you can create something new. And so I started immediately writing my own pieces of music. And then I got this, I think it was some small synthesiser that I got that had cool sounds, not only piano sounds, but cool synthesiser sounds.

I did it and I played an original song at the school talent show, I think. Yeah, it was just I wasn’t singing. I was just playing the piano and that was great. And then I remember like guys one year older than me were playing after me and they had this band. They already had like three guys. They had drums and guitars and a bass. And I think after the talent show, they were like, do you want to come to our rehearsal place to play. And I got to play with them. And those things were so cool. And they instantly turned into this like, I knew that I wanted to keep doing this.”

You’re heading to the UK and Europe in February with Block of Flats supporting—love those dudes. If the tables were turned and you had to be the opening act again, who would you want to support? Would it be a modern band or a legendary act from back in the day?

Niko – “Well, to be honest, I think hopefully we will do some support shows that there are still like huge bands out there. We want to do shows where I think the absolute dream would be Linkin Park, for example. That would be so dope. Architects would be so cool. Bring me the Horizon. All those bands, it would be so cool to be a support act for them at some point. So hopefully all the support act days are not in the past, but we get to do that in the future as well.”

For a new band about to play their first-ever support slot, what is your number one tip for winning over a crowd that isn’t there to see them?

Niko – “Authenticity once again, like I think what works with us like in the early days, we did only support shows. We were always the support act. It took years before we became like any kind of headliner. But we also got so used to it that we took that same energy to the headline shows as

well. Kind of like to win the audience over with something. And you kind of read the room if possible, like match energy or like that. That’s what works with us. Like we’ve always been this very energetic live act.

And then also it’s like a great place to test things. I think a very important thing to say is that no one’s ever ready. We’re not ready.

We’re like it’s an endless journey and you keep evolving and learning new things and trying new things. So also when you have this idea you want to try and then you like, for example, and you’re someone’s support act, that’s also a great place to try those things out and see if they work.

And if they don’t work, like you haven’t ruined anything. So don’t be afraid to try new things because you’re never going to if you’re going to wait, you’re never ready. You’re going to be waiting, waiting forever.”

You’re headlining the Helsinki Ice Hall in November with Atlas supporting. Which song off the new album are you most excited to debut live at that show?

Niko – “Oh, there are many songs, like I said before, like I kind of see it in a way that that’s where we go to first complete those songs for the first time because we see the immediate response from the audience, like what parts of it they connect to. I think Stars We See. And there’s also this deeper level to this answer as well, because that song is about why things are beautiful because they only last for a moment.

And then when you go and play that song live, it’s kind of let’s take this moment, this moment is beautiful because the song is going to start and then the song is going to end or the show is going to start and the show is going to end. So it has this deeper level to it. And I kind of can actually feel it when we play that song, that’s like I believe my own words for a moment. So it’s a very cool song to play. I can’t wait to play it to an actual live audience and hopefully sing it with them. It’s going to be incredible.”

Blind Channel is famous for being the ultimate underdog band that constantly proves people wrong by staying unique. Other unique bands have DM’d me saying they’re struggling to get booked, and people are telling them to chase trends instead. What advice do you have for bands being pressured to conform just to get shows?

Niko – “I see. First I was like, fuck everyone else. Do your thing.

That was my first intuitive reaction. But I’m trying to think of something actually helpful. We were too heavy for any pop festivals or stuff like that, but we were too mainstream or pop for any metal festivals. So it takes a longer time to kind of evolve your sound in a way that people begin to maybe get it. And so like I’d say maybe try playing around with the songs and the music, but not anything that feels wrong to you, but to see if there are some aspects and just develop your craft until people realise what’s going on.

And I got to say that once you stick to that, once you stick to your own sound, it’s going to take longer to get booked and get shows and stuff like that. But once you do, that’s how you stand out. Once you get there with the bands that follow the trend and sound exactly the same. Once you get there, that’s when your party starts. You’re like we have this sound that no one else has. So the payday is at the end, but it’s just going to take a bit longer to get there. But I would like to recommend it. It’s totally worth it. But yeah, at the moment, just keep doing your thing and keep trying.

But maybe if you get a lot of similar feedback, it doesn’t hurt to try to do something with the sound, but nothing that feels not authentic or wrong.”

Your cover of Anastacia’s ‘Left Outside Alone’ is one of my all-time favourites—you absolutely nailed it. For upcoming bands looking to tackle a cover, what is your secret? How do you take someone else’s track and successfully make it your own?

Niko – “It’s a simple question to ask yourself. Like, could this be our song? That’s the approach. Like, I think Left Outside Alone was huge in some countries, but it wasn’t huge in some countries. I think it didn’t have radio promo or something in some countries. And I remember this. Somebody in some country, I don’t remember which country it was, but somebody once said that you guys wrote such a great song. And we were like, what? Like, somebody thought it was our song. And I think that’s the aim.

Like, can you make that song your own? And can you do it with your own style? So it’s because it’s boring to do like a poorer version of somebody else’s work. But you want to do it in a way that really shows who you are as a band. And it’s usually, it’s a feeling once again. But like, when you listen to songs and imagine it having heavy guitars and stuff like that. And you were like, with this kind of production, this could be our song.”

Looking back at everything you’ve achieved, what stands out as the single proudest moment of your musical journey so far?

Niko – “I think it’s the point we are at right now and during the break, when we shifted the focus on what’s the meaning behind doing this. I’m just so proud is a strange word for this, but maybe grateful to get to keep doing this at this level. I read Rick Rubin’s book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, which kind of helped me understand. And in that book, he said something about if you’re in a position in life where you get to create art, you’re already lucky and to kind of see that, to be in such a position when you get to create art and get to do it for a living. And we have people listening to it and connecting to it. And that’s just something I’m so grateful for. That’s what’s going to keep us doing this. It’s going to keep us doing this forever. So I’m very, very happy.

And I try to remember every day how grateful we should be to be able to make this.”