Hailing from the wholesome plains of Wales, spritely pop-punk trio Man of the Hour are a group that admittedly seek to achieve two goals; emulate the modern pop-punk greats like Blink 182 whilst simultaneously bringing something fresh and exciting to the table.
Listening to new single ‘A Modern Day Epic’, it’s evident that the band is on the way to achieving both of these things. Perhaps the former more so than the latter. However, encapsulating the light-hearted, easygoing attitude of their genre, the track promises a fun and positively infectious listen.
Lead vocals are, for the majority of the time, solid and fit effortlessly with the instrumentalists, but I would have liked to have heard them perhaps a little higher in the overall mix of the track. I was pleasantly surprised by the guitar solo that features in the middle of the song, perhaps resembling more your typical classic rock solo than the arguably simpler pop-punk conventions, and its presence is a welcome addition.
But really, ‘A Modern Day Epic’ struggles to push the boundaries of its genre. An enjoyable four-and-a-bit minutes, of course, but it feels like a regurgitated replica of fifteen years of similar music. The key with Man of the Hour is their potential. A band of the future which, we suspect, has a lot more to give, KingLoaf strongly recommends you keep your eye on these lads.