This is a band that has always been difficult to pigeonhole and Black Out The Sun is no exception to the rule.
Not being able to put a certain band into a particular group would normally work in that band’s favour with me because it usually means that the band is dynamic with a relatively broad sense of genre. This release however can’t be genre-classed not because of how broad it is, but rather how ambiguous it is. The whole album is situated in an awkward middle-ground between Heavy Metal, Nu Metal and Alternative without ever fully eventuating into any of the above, which causes a pretty uncomfortable listen at times because you’re not entirely sure whether you’re hearing a well-done Heavy Metal album or a poorly done Nu Metal album.
There are a couple of moments that make your ears prick up, but they are few and far between and generally not worth the wait. The riffs can be dreadfully uneventful at times, using elementary rhythms and too often lacking a change from just an open bottom string. But it isn’t just the music that lacks substance, the lyrics often sound as if whoever was writing simply looked for the most ‘metal’ sounding words and made non sensical jumbles, like a deranged metal game of scrabble.
If you’re a metal band and you’re going to keep it overly safe with the music then there’s a lot of importance on the lyrical element and this one just doesn’t cut it with either.
2/5
Reviewer: Thomas Peasley