On their third EP, 2018's Black Out the Sky, punk stalwarts Strung Out veered down a surprisingly mature path to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Forgoing the aggressive punk blasts and metallic riffs that were parts of their sound for decades, the band decided to unplug, presenting six new acoustic songs alongside a pair of reworked early-era cuts. Produced by Kyle Black, Black Out retains the catchiness and melody of the band's core spirit, albeit with much less bite. Without that full assault, the songs stand tall on their own, with a rawness and powerful purity that occasionally drifts into bleeding emo territory. The new songs vary in their execution, from the sweet ditty "Town of Corazon" to the bouncy jaunt "Duke of Sorrow," and from the urgency of "The Architect" to the sunshiny sweep of "Presidio." The heaviest offering on Black Out is "Requiem," which descends into a flurry of screams and drums at its close. Longtime fans will notice the acoustic versions of deep cuts "Unkoil" (from 2002's An American Paradox) and "Matchbook" (from 1998's Twisted by Design), two bites of nostalgia given new life. While a short play, the eight tracks on Black Out the Sky are satisfyingly fresh, a quick nod to Strung Out's past and enticing evidence of future possibilities.