Album Review: The Blackout – We Are The Dynamite

The Blackout?s full-length debut We Are The Dynamite is a strong offering from yet another Welsh post-hardcore band. Lostprophets and Funeral for a Friend have made their impact on American soil and The Blackout is looking for similar acceptance. In fact, Ian Watkins of lostprophets did guest vocal duties on the second single, ?High Tide, Baby?. ?High Tide, Baby? is one of the softer songs on WATD, which makes it a great choice for a second single. The first single was the fast paced ?Beijing Cocktail?, which is a typical hard rock song these days. It sounds like A Day To Remember without the screaming.

What does set them apart is that they use two singers. This is not a new concept, but both singers only sing. With plenty of bands today (From Autumn To Ashes, Atreyu, etc) their drummer sings melodic parts while they have a screamer up front. The Blackout uses two singers to go back and forth.

We Are The Dynamite is honestly nothing special, but it is a fun record. Each listen gets better, but if you are unsure, check out their myspace page. They are a talented band, but far from something new.

{Reviewed by: Matt Chesley}