WSOU

Sleeping with Sirens: How It Feels To Be Lost Review

Date: September 9, 2019

Rating: 7.5/10

By: Valentino Petrarca

This is one of the must surprising reviews I’ve ever written. Personally, an album this good was the last thing I expected from Sleeping with Sirens in 2019. I had clocked out of the band’s fandom a while ago after they continuously moved closer and closer to generic soulless pop. Any one of these new songs is light years ahead of most of their newer music. The only song on this whole album I didn’t fully enjoy was Never Enough. Every other song has something or another to offer in a positive way. The band really takes a bold risk and and it pays off. They nail their signature sound and have fun while doing it. 

Musically this album is in many ways a return to form. They have guitars that are actually audible, heavy piercing screams, crunching bass licks, and beautiful clean vocals. The album completely scratches the itch I’ve had for heavy music from this band. The band really did their absolute best to keep the sound and tone of their first two albums, also while trying to push forward. The guitar work deserves special praise. These are some of the most energetic and hearts-pounding guitar work I’ve seen from the band. The choruses on this album also feel very full. Almost every chorus sticks and is extremely catchy as well as gritty. Having massive choruses is easily one of the albums highlights. While the effort they put into this album is obvious, it doesn’t always land. There are still techno and pop elements weaved through the record which make it feel inconsistent at times. Songs like Another Nightmare and Blood Lines rely too heavy on these elements. However the choruses on both of the songs is incredible, which make the contrast between techno and rock feel extremely disjointed. If the record had stuck to either rock or techno, it would feel more cohesive. But trying to occasionally merge the two doesn’t always work in it’s favor. The band took a huge leap musically and it paid off on most of the album. If they just had a little bit more faith in themselves to ditch the pop aspects entirely, the album would feel more concise and focused.

Lyrically is where the album falters a bit. However, the presentation of most of the songs makes it easy to overlook. The songs are so much fun a majority of the time that subpar lyric is easy to overlook when they do arise. This record doesn’t really open anything new for Sleeping with Sirens lyrically. A lot of the themes and issues they talk about, are issues we have heard them speak of before. The only song that is downright hard to listen to is Agree To Disagree. The lyrics on that song are plain and  juvenile. The song’s cringeworthy lyrics make it stick out very easily. Not all songs have bad lyrics though. Leave It All Behind, P.S. Missing You, and the title track definitely have noteworthy and interesting lines. 

There are a great deal of absolutely astonishing tracks on this album. One best songs on the album is the anthemic lead single Leave It All Behind. The title track has one of the most powerful choruses in the band’s entire career and will become a staple in the band’s catalogue. Ghost feels eerie, heartbreaking, and nostalgic in a fascinating way. Break Me Down is a near flawless heavy song that delivers on all aspects. And P.S. Missing You is a wild ride that has emotional lyrics as well as a massive chorus. These songs really do feel like a breath of fresh air for the band. The record does have some negative aspects as well. The album weakest track is hands down Never Enough. It feels very forgettable and uninspired. It feels like an incredibly lazy Sleeping with Sirens track with a wasted guest vocal. As already stated, Agree To Disagree has very trite lyrics and feels like a filler track. Another Nightmare is a blast and feels like a wild ride, but does rely too heavy on the techno aspects. 

Overall, this release is the best album to come out of Sleeping With Sirens in years. It truly feels refreshing and is exactly what the band needed to do in order to regain their sound. The band is proving to everyone that they still have a lot of life left in them. 

Valetino Petrarca is the Music Assistant for WSOU, and can be reached at nickppetrarca@gmail.com.

Posted in: Album Review, Reviews, WSOU Exclusive, WSOU

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