An Ending In Itself For a band who have just released their eighth studio album, Sleeping With Sirens still seem extremely motivated and hungry for world domination on An Ending In Itself. Produced by veteran hit-maker Will Yip (Turnstile, Circa Survive), the songs that make up this LP are some of the strongest in the band’s catalog and showcase an artist whose dedication to their craft remains unlimited. Sonically, the record feels recharged, energetic, and vibrant as the music that comes through the speakers feels as urgent as Sleeping With Sirens have been in quite some time. While their last few albums were a bit of a mixed bag in terms of similar-sounding songs, An Ending In Itself firmly stands on its own two feet and I’d place the LP right there at the top of Sleeping With Sirens’ discography.
Starting off with the title track was a wise decision from the band, as it’s one of Sleeping With Sirens’ most urgent and direct lead singles. Lead singer Kellin Quinn opens with, “It’s hard not to give up / When you’ve got everything to lose / You make believe, no eyes can see / But I can see through you / So when it all comes falling / And there’s nothing you can do / Don’t give up, don’t give up / Don’t let it bury you” almost as if he’s giving himself advice on the urgency to stay relevant in the crowded emo rock scene. The hard-hitting song features a great, spiraling riff from lead guitarist Nick Martin in the chorus, while Matty Best adds in some pretty thrilling fills behind the drumkit. “Forever/Always” follows up on the ultra-memorable opening statement with a steady beat and pulsating bassline from Justin Hills, while Kellin Quinn’s captivating vocal performance showcases the staying power of the band. The anthemic chorus of, “You said that you’d take me home / Promise me, promise me now / Say that you’ll never let me go / ‘Cause I need you here, I need you so / And through it all, the rise and the fall / You’ve always been right here with me all along,” is pure emotive bliss, and Quinn shows that he hasn’t missed a step in the comfortable midway point in his career.
”God In My Head” finds Quinn struggling with his inner demons as he ponders on the bridge, “Lately, I’ve been empty, crash down on the floor / This weight I’ve been lifting, can’t do it no more / So am I the hero or just like the rest? / And will you still love me when I’m not my best?” This admission doesn’t go unnoticed, and his bandmates rally around their leader with a bass-heavy song that features a smooth chorus and a normal vocal register from Quinn. As the song unfolds, Quinn continues to highlight the conflict in his words and the thoughts in his head that also benefit from their relatable vulnerability. “Need You Here” is a love song that is disguised as a riff-heavy rock song, as Quinn swoons, “All I know / Is that I need you here / Don’t let me go / Don’t let me disappear / Let me show you the way you love me / Is so beautiful.” The intricate guitar playing from Martin and rhythm guitarist Tony Pizzuti (the newest member of Sleeping With Sirens) add further context to the song that is largely based on the human connections we all desire and need.
”Left On Repeat” opens with a few “na na na’s” while the punishing beat from Matty Best allows for a great template for Quinn to add in his trademark higher vocal register. Quinn vulnerably sings in the back-half of the first verse, “Pull the chord from my spine, I’m so, I’m so anxious / Panic and distress / I confess for the sins of the heart still beating in my chest / I still got some time left / Wipe the tears from my eyes and stop living a lie.” By putting his emotions on display for all the world to see, Quinn makes himself just as human as all of us, he’s just got a much better singing voice. “House Of Matches” is one of the sonically heavier songs that Sleeping With Sirens have written to date, and the track benefits from the speedy pacing and complexities found in the instrumentation from the rhythm section of the band.
”Waiting For You” is sure to be a staple of the band’s already dynamic live set for the foreseeable future, as it rocks with a great purpose and features plenty of sing along moments in the track. The chorus of, “I’ll be waiting for you / Don’t keep me waiting too long / And all the crazy things that we had to do to find our way through / It keeps me coming right back again to you / To where I belong,” recalls the connection that Quinn has to his family and wife. “Paralyzed” opens in chaos, with some down-tuned guitars, abrasive riffing and screamed vocals from Quinn, but the vibrant chorus adds a glimmer of light and hope to the insanity that precedes it. Much like the clouds parting for the sunlight to beam through, the hook of, “‘Cause all of the pressure is wearing me down / Pulling me under, nowhere to be found / No more excuses, no more of the lies / Just need it to stop before I’m paralyzed,” is well-constructed and adds in a nice contrast from the hard-hitting verses.
”Process” is one of the more straight-forward Sleeping With Sirens songs found on An Ending In Itself, and yet it seems like the most logical choices for the next single from the set. It has a radio-ready chorus, and catchy verses to keep interest high in the band. “PTSD” is a manic, speedy punk rock song that is a lot different than what fans have come to expect from the band, while the penultimate track of “Looking Back At Me” is a ballad that dives into a mysterious vibe and has no trouble brooding in the darkest of thoughts. The “Storm Clouds” move in on the album closer, as Quinn sings about his mental health in the opening lyrics of, “There’s a storm that’s raging in my brain / Turning my eyes into a blur / I tell myself it won’t be the same / But each time I get up, I just make it worse.” This self-destructive behavior doesn’t go unnoticed, and Quinn continues down the path of self-doubt in the back half of the chorus with, “Lost my direction, don’t know how to go on / Here on my own / I’m tired of always feeling alone.” It’s a bit of a jarring listening experience to leave the audience hanging on that last lyric, but throughout the darkest of thoughts and emotions, Sleeping With Sirens explain that there is always a reason to keep on living and try to make improvements in our lives wherever we can.
While the title of the eighth record from Sleeping With Sirens (An Ending In Itself) seems to hint towards a closing chapter for the band, I see the opportunity for them to use their strongest album to date as a launching point towards world domination. There’s so many breathtaking moments on this album that is hard-hitting, vulnerable, and yet some of the band’s most fully realized work in their discography.