Sleeping With Sirens How It Feels to Be Lost Review

If there's one band that's the embodiment of how to fail upwardly, it's about probable Sleeping With Sirens. By all rights, this is a band who should be nowhere well-nigh equally big every bit they are, either from being unable to settle on ane consequent audio, having lyrics that have been virtually embarrassingly underwritten for the longest fourth dimension, or from having the unfortunate habit of hitting a brick wall whenever they try and get even marginally more ambitious. Only somehow they're still recognised among the scene's stalwarts, and to a caste, they deserve some respect for that. There'southward not been many bands in recent memory who've managed to ride as loftier as they have on output so checkered and uneven as theirs, be that the result of a conscious game plan or just sheer, impaired coincidence. It definitely seems to be the latter that'due south most likely there, particularly with How It Feels To Exist Lost which appears to take the similar confused hallmarks of a band in transition that's been the overriding tendency with the majority of Sleeping With Sirens' work. Not only has the previously released textile given the impression of this being their fourth reinvention in only equally many albums, but changing labels in one case again to Sumerian simply hammers down the flightiness that's hampered whatsoever natural progression for Sleeping With Sirens over their terminal few cycles, and even if their pivot towards heavier, nu-metallic-inspired sounds has been better, their rails record of fumbles ultimately speaks for itself.

But while cypher is ever certain with Sleeping With Sirens – and this could indeed be yet another fluke – How It Feels To Be Lost is a pretty hefty improvement. It'due south nevertheless non fantastic, even when held up to the increasingly diminished standards this ring have gear up for themselves, but they've at to the lowest degree settled on something that feels workable for them, and showcases a lot of the strengths that take been absent from previous releases in favour of trends and ephemeral bells and whistles. Information technology's perchance the kickoff true example of growth that Sleeping With Sirens take ever exhibited, and even if that doesn't become all the way downward, the acknowledgement of its existence hither is a considerable step forrad, and it shouldn't exist ignored.

Where that proves to exist nigh key comes in the sonic climes that Sleeping With Sirens are exploring this fourth dimension effectually, and it's clear that right out of the gate, playing to some course of artistic will ahead of sticking to what'southward hot in the scene right this second works for them, plain and uncomplicated. The heart of an arena-courtship pop-rock ring is however worn rather prominently on their sleeve, but the added muscle from grimier difficult stone guitars and nu-metal flourishes does create a sense of scale that has something to information technology rather than merely empty size. In fact, you could become one better and say in the fashion that Sleeping With Sirens accept typically wanted to appear every bit more than of a direct-upwards rock band, this is the most convincing they've ever felt at chasing that goal. Of form, that comes with a rather recognisable brand of Sumerian production that beefs up the guitar rumble but always makes it known that mod, synthetic elements are its staff of life and butter, and thus the electronic stutters on tracks like Ghost and Another Nightmare practice experience a bit more overstated than they potentially could exist. That said though, they're far from egregiously placed, and when compared to the gutting that goes on with ballads like PS Missing You and Dying To Believe on this very album, information technology's not like they're unwelcome in forming that gimmicky edge that Sleeping With Sirens autumn into reasonably well. Merely on the whole, information technology can't be overstated how much of a positive going in this management has been, through the meaty, sneering guitars on Never Enough and Claret Lines, or fifty-fifty Kellin Quinn showing a more assertive, coarse side that'due south immediately preferable to his syrupy helium-bleats that take never fared Sleeping With Sirens well. Granted, information technology can sometimes feel a chip over-mixed; it's clear that guitars accept been made as loud and aggressive as possible even if that does drown out any significant underlying groove or bassline, the extent of which comes on Break Me Downwardly that only collapses with how heavy and busy the product is with no suitable payoff. But even with those numerous gripes, this is withal encouraging stuff, especially from a ring similar Sleeping With Sirens who've never really gone this far with their sound before but can conform to it relatively well.

And in a way, for the sort of aversion to overwrought emo poetry that they tend to accept, this more straight, forceful approach could be far more constructive for them, in theory. That's a bit more than debatable though, not through the fault of the product but more in the limitations in Sleeping With Sirens' writing that continues to prevail. To be off-white, there'due south a level of fire to Quinn's criticism of his family surroundings on Blood Lines that's a fair bit more explosive than they often deliver, but while bits of the balance rage can be felt elsewhere, it's the same fare overall that'due south more throwaway that it honestly should be. Agree To Disagree is the large instance in what feels like a more mature accept on an anthem to stand ground against the haters which is roughly equally awkward as that makes information technology sound, only the usual turns of phrase on the likes of the title track and Medicine experience like steps back overall that grind against the advancements fabricated elsewhere rather than gel with them. At to the lowest degree they feel a bit more anthemic this time around which is ultimately the well-nigh of import payoff from a Sleeping With Sirens album, just they can definitely exercise more this, and the fact that they remain and so adamant to stay in their safe box feels similar a half-hearted effort on their office.

But on the whole, this is the sort of progression that – to be totally honest – has seemed out of Sleeping With Sirens' achieve for years. Their breakthrough has seen a off-white diminishing in creativity and quality, and even if How Information technology Feels To Exist Lost is still a flake lacking in the old, the spring they've made in finding a sound that works for them isn't to be underestimated, especially when they tin can striking the correct beats to plough out something solid. It's definitely more transitional than anything, and that tin really exist felt in the way that Sleeping With Sirens are clearly still testing what works the most for them when paired with this template, but there'southward more confidence at present that they tin deliver than there has been in many years. There'due south a fashion to go yet earlier they pull off anything great, simply the fact that they're on that track at all is a promising start.

six/x

For fans of: Underøath, The Used, Request Alexandria
Words by Luke Nuttall

'How It Feels To Be Lost' by Sleeping With Sirens is released on sixth September on Sumerian Records.

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Source: https://thesoundboardreviews.com/2019/09/03/album-review-how-it-feels-to-be-lost-by-sleeping-with-sirens/