Distinctly unimpressive screamocore
Another day, another new band from Wales which seems to be offering up a whole crop of fast-selling metal, hardcore and emo acts in recent years, but what is there to differentiate The Blackout from the rest of the pack? Very little at all
Hard Slammin' the title track may be, with its mixture of all the typical hallmarks of the 'screamo' genre, but it doesn't really offer anything that hasn't been done before. Comparing them to fellow countrymen Funeral for a Friend may be considered by some to be unfair, their nationality having little to do with their sound, but in this case it is entirely justified by the fact that from what I've heard of both there is little difference that would enable you to tell the two apart. The B-side provided, an acoustic version of their track 'High Tide' is entertaining enough but doesn't really leave any lasting impressions in its running time and mostly just washes over the listener.
A few impressive support slots and a slick and easy to digest sound will probably prove The Blackout to become popular with fans of the genre... but at the end of the day there is little to differentiate them from the rest of the pack and their offerings are thus not that entertaining or attention-grabbing to the curious outsider. I was left distinctly unimpressed by this so-so single.