Recommended tracks: “God In My Head,” “Left On Repeat,” “Looking Back At Me”
Similar artists: Pierce The Veil, Black Veil Brides, The Used
After spending nearly two decades as a band, it’s not uncommon for most to trade authenticity for mainstream trends in a desperate attempt to stay relevant. Sleeping With Sirens, however, is not that type of band. Their eighth studio album, An Ending In Itself, is a cathartic explosion of the alt-rockers’ past and present that bridges together the heavier sounds of their earliest days with a reimagined poise.
Produced by Will Yip (Turnstile, Circa Survive, Movements), the new record reconnects with the band’s older sound through a concentrated sense of maturity and control. An Ending In Itself’s overarching concept is rooted in solidarity, resilience and hope, offering solace to those struggling through hardships and mental health battles.
The title track first hit listeners with a nostalgic punch of Sleeping With Sirens’ early sound upon its release in March. Serving as the album’s lead single, “An Ending In Itself” brought back their sharp, cutthroat edge with heavier guitars, visceral screams and a resounding message of hope.
“Forever/Always” stands as an emotional ode to the role human connection plays in life’s most formative moments, holding onto the strength found within others with a loud, cinematic production.
“God In My Head” hauntingly delivers a complicated battle with religion through blistering guitar riffs and Quinn’s impressive lower register in its first half. The track’s power really lies within the final 90 seconds, where the instrumental eerily builds to let Quinn completely erupt into a plethora of layered cries. He appears to almost break down completely, questioning what little he has left of his faith as he calls out, “Heal the pain, wash away the hole that’s inside / Will you still love me when I’m not my best?”
An Ending In Itself steadily gains momentum with its next few songs. “Need You Here” is a tender effort that celebrates romantic love as a shield in the face of darkness while “Left On Repeat” struggles with recurring patterns of self-sabotage and emotional fragility anchored by a stand-out guitar solo. “House Of Matches” follows as a rallying anthem for resilience and survival, urging listeners to fight back against the shadows pushing them down through soaring guitars and empowering lyricism.
The record’s heavier direction feels intentional rather than forced and misplaced. “Waiting For You” balances clean vocal moments with guttural screams and thunderous breakdowns before “Paralyzed” pierces through with inspiration from bands including Thrice, The Used and Haste The Day. The album’s final single fully leans into all of the aggression and vulnerability you’d expect from a Sleeping With Sirens song, but ten times better.
The final stretch of An Ending In Itself is its strongest. “Process” is a visceral effort that explores the non-linear nature of healing, featuring a nod to “Who Are You Now” from the band’s acclaimed sophomore album Let’s Cheers To This. The lyrics almost mirror each other entirely, with “Process” reading as the aftermath of pushing through the doubt, loss and self-loathing found on the older track. “PTSD” then confronts trauma and anxiety through a restless instrumental before things slow down on “Looking Back At Me.”
The five-minute track is arguably one of the most honest and cathartic efforts released by Sleeping With Sirens to date. “Looking Back At Me” returns to the questions of faith found earlier on “God In My Head” as Quinn repeats “Maybe tonight I will send out a prayer / And I hope that you’re out there” throughout its duration. The emotional weight lingers long after the song fades, leaving the listener to reflect in its wake.
“Storm Clouds” exists in the space between clarity and uncertainty. The hard-hitting finale reckons with the positive and negative sides of recovery through pensive, melancholic songwriting. Quinn navigates both perspectives with an intense honesty, initially singing, “I always feel like a runaway train / My hands off the wheel, gonna watch it go down in flames” before switching to “I found my way through every corner of the bottom / I had some habits, but I found out how to solve them.” At its core, “Storm Clouds” delivers a resonant conclusion that reinforces the album’s theme of growth and recovery.
An Ending In Itself isn’t solely a return to Sleeping With Sirens’ past; it’s a revitalization of their spirit. The album celebrates the band’s roots without getting lost in excessive nostalgia. Its title is also ultimately fitting, as each track proves their long-standing career is driven by genuine passion rather than the desire for commercial success. With a solid commitment to integrity and self-discovery, An Ending In Itself easily emerges as one of Sleeping With Sirens’ best works yet.
Sleeping With Sirens has a handful of festival appearances lined up for the remainder of the year, kicking off this weekend at Vans Warped Tour in Washington, D.C. Tickets and information for all of the band’s upcoming dates can be found here.
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