When was the last time you came across a band that absolutely blew your mind?

I haven't been listening to a ton of new bands lately, but the most recent would probably be a prog metal band called Distorted Harmony. They released their debut not too long ago, and I fell in love with the album immediately. I'm eagerly awaiting the second.

BQ: Utopia

BQ2: Off the top of my head, probably Donnie Darko.

It's been a little while, but back in 2011 I heard Can's album Tago Mago and was kinda blown away by the fact that it came out 40 years prior, and a track on the album named "Peking O" is one of the most demented things I've ever heard, and the production is so ahead of it's time, it's insane. It's also insanely inventive....I've heard things like Can was the first to do a lot of the things you hear in music today on this record, and I feel like there's actually something to that claim. I'm not sure if every one of those things were initially inspired by this album, but I remember listening to either "Aumgn" or "Peking O," and during a section of the track I was thinking, "holy crap, this is the first recorded blast-beat in music history." WAY ahead of it's time for 1971.

But I wasn't thinking "THIS IS THE BEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!" It's been a very long time since I've had that reaction. In all honesty, my mind wasn't actually "blown"...I just found it interesting that it was so ahead of it's time, and has so much value in music history.

BQ- "Oh Yeah"

BQ2- That's a tough one...actually can't decide atm, there's so many!

The last band that really blew my mind was Nine Inch Nails just a few weeks ago. I normally listen to pop rock and I thought I'd give them a go after hearing some stuff about them.

The first album I listened to was Downward Spiral, and at first I hated it, it sounded really "awkward" (the only word I can think of to describe what I was hearing lol) and was so hard on my ears, but the next listen to it I really enjoyed it and was captivated. To sound cliche, some of the songs really express how I feel and it's changed how I think a little bit.

BQ: So far... Eraser

BQ2: Inception

All the time.

I find a new album I enjoy every single month.

at least one.

This month it was James Blake and the Knifes new release.

BQ2: 500 days of summer (cheesy I know, but i've seen it enough times that I can claim it as one of my all time favorites for sure)

Earthless is good stuff.

Probably, the most mind-blown I've been by a band recently is Black Market Karma. BMK, a psychedelic group from England, managed to release three full-length albums last year. All three are good, but it was the third one, "Semper Fi", released in December, that won me over completely.

Black Market Karma get additional points for giving away their albums for free. I'd go see them if they came to town.

I actually clicked on this question to give Earthless as my answer!!! God, they are so unbelievable.

Hmm- not sure why I'd get 5 thumbs down for expressing a great band...

I think it was the first time I discovered Nightwish. They were te first symphonic/power metal that I listened to, and they totally blew me away.

BQ: The Pharaoh Sails to Orion

BQ2: Source Code

Drowning Pool.

(no not because of bodies....But Tear Away.)

I've been a loyal drowning pool fan since 2001.

BQ:Tear Away

BQ2:Death Race 3

Obscura was the last band I discovered that truly awed me.

BQ: Septuagint

BQ2: American Psycho

Rollin Stones =)