Sleeping With Sirens Stay True to Their Roots on An Ending In Itself

Sleeping with Sirens is set to release their latest LP An Ending In Itself on June 12^th. This marks the band’s return to Rise Records after more than a decade away from the label. The LP was produced by Will Yip, who has worked with bands including Turnstile, Circa Survive, L.S. Dunes, Scowl, and Movements.

Sleeping with Sirens is one of the most recognizable post-hardcore bands of the last 15 years. Their first two albums, With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear and Let’s Cheers to This, were pure post-hardcore producing classics like “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn” and “If You Can’t Hang”. However, the band’s music has taken a cyclic evolution over the years starting with a heavier post-hardcore sound on their earlier albums then transitioning to a more melodic pop sound on their middle albums before returning to their post-hardcore roots for their last two albums.

The band’s last album, 2022’s Complete Collapse, was the band’s heaviest album by far with the introduction of more metalcore sounds into their repertoire. The question this time around was whether Sleeping with Sirens would stay the course with a heavier sound or dabble again in a more pop style.

Kellin Quinn, Nick Martin, Justin Hills, Matty Best and newest addition Tony Pizzuti stuck to their post-hardcore DNA. An Ending in Itself lies in between With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear and Complete Collapse. A little more aggressive than the former but not quite as heavy as the latter. What differentiates this album from Complete Collapse is the lack of collabs. Complete Collapse featured numerous collabs by artists including Spencer Chamberlain, Charlotte Sands, Royal & the Serpent, and Dorothy while An Ending in Itself relies entirely on Kellin Quinn’s vocals. It is classic Sleeping With Sirens featuring Quinn’s bright, soaring high-tenor voice, with the occasional screams thrown in, delivering an emotional performance over a backdrop of heavy guitars and melodic hooks.

There are a lot of standout tracks on An Ending in Itself but the two that stand out the most are “Need You Here” and “Paralyzed”. The contrasting styles of these two songs showcase Quinn’s versatility and range as a singer. “Need You Here” is the most melodic song on the album consisting only of clean vocals. He delivers a passionate vocal delivery with a chorus that sticks in your head and one which you could easily imagine a crowd singing along with at a show.

Quinn shifts to the opposite end of the spectrum on ‘Paralyzed,’ delivering one of the most aggressive performances on the album. The song’s opening evokes the frantic energy of ‘Sabotage’ by the Beastie Boys, showcasing Quinn’s ability to throw it down with the best of them. According to Quinn “‘Paralyzed’ is one of the heaviest songs on the new record”. He continues, “We had a blast making it and really leaned into the bands that shaped and inspired us growing up – artists like Thrice, The Used, and Haste The Day. It’s aggressive, emotional, and captures a side of us we’ve always loved exploring.”

The main appeal of Sleeping With Sirens is the ability of Kellin Quinn to connect with the listener, whether it be in front of a live audience or someone just listening to songs like “If You Can’t Hang” and “Better Off Dead” with a pair of AirPods in their ears. An Ending in Itself is sure to connect with existing fans and maybe make some more along the way. It’s been four years since the band’s last album, and it was worth the wait.

An Ending In Itself is out June 12 via Rise Records. Pre-Save and Pre-Order Now.

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