Among the bands that have parlayed the mania of the early 2000's post-hardcore boom, Scary Kids Scaring Kids have secured a special spot in the hearts and minds of fans that lived through the era. With a pair of cherished albums and a debut EP to add to the lore the band, a decade away would only serve to make those hearts grow fonder, though the band would confront significant loss during their time away.
In 2014, some five years after the collective opted to disband, vocalist Tyson Stevens would tragically pass at just 29 years old. The stark reality weighed heavy on the remaining members of the band such that SKSK felt compelled to honor his memory and contributions to the world by eventually carrying on in a very poignant way.
In 2019, the band delivered "Loved Forever" - a track penned by Chad Crawford, paying homage to Stevens' on what would have been his 34th birthday. The release sparked renewed vigor among the band, coinciding with an effort to refresh the band to mark the 15th anniversary of the release of The City Sleeps in Flames. While the pandemic would ultimately impede those plans, the wheels were now in motion with Crawford and Pouyan Afkary beginning the next phase of SKSK.
Out of Light would mark the first album for Scary Kids Scaring Kids in nearly a generation. 15 years since the band's self-titled effort, the project would not only reestablish one of post-hardcore's most distinctive brands, but would serve as a fitting tribute to their fallen collaborator.
Rather than replacing Stevens with a permanent vocalists, Afkary and Crawford would source of a collective of vocalists including the likes of Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath, ModSun, Cove Reber of Saosin, Matt Macdonald of The Classic Crime, Vaines aka RatPark, Lil Lotus, Donovan Molero of Hail the Sun, Michael Swank of Foxera and Noah Sebastian of Bad Omens to offer their own accent to latest iteration of SKSK.
After subsequent touring in support of Out of Light, a renewed SKSK has returned with the first new track since the LP release with the standalone single, "Blackout". Produced by the band's own Chad Crawford, the energized track underscores the band's indisputable sound and doubles down on the collaborative M.O., featuring a guest showing on vocals from RatPark.
Speaking with a bit of inside humor in discussing the reveal of "Blackout", Crawford and Afkary shared, "The track was a hell of a lot of fun to write. Excited to finally have out in the world! Thank you farmer Kyle Borman for letting us borrow your goats and chickens."
The single marks an auspicious start in the next chapter for the band and suggests the Arizona post hardcore eccentrics still have plenty up their sleeve. "Blackout" from Scary Kids Scaring Kids is now available - HERE
Watch the video for the single below.
