Sleeping With Sirens “How it Feels to Be Lost” Album Review

Sleeping With Sirens have become one of the biggest bands in the modern alternative music scene – not only due to their massive fanbase, but the controversy that caused the division of that fanbase, and the band’s reputation that took a sharp turn as a result. This dispute began when the group released their third record Feel in 2013.

Sure, it can’t be easy to follow up albums like With Ears to See and Eyes to Hear and Let’s Cheers to This, but this album Feel…I was not “feeling” a single song on it. I could not even make it through a song without getting bored and skipping to the next one. It was a huge letdown for me and other Sleeping With Sirens fans of the like. The songs were becoming bland and uninspired, too many of which had a childish “fuck the haters” message, which gets old fast. You can’t repeatedly write from the perspective of an inflated ego and expect it to never get tiresome to listen to, even if it’s meant ironically. The musical aspects and formula of the songs were decreasing in quality too – their guitar work was at its peak in 2010 when With Ears to See… released, but with the departure of lead guitarist Brandon McMaster, their music began to lack in the unique memorable riffs that once made up at least half of the band’s sound. When they released their fifth album Gossip in 2017, I had lost all hope that they would ever make another record that even came close to the first two. Their sixth album How it Feels to Be Lost proved me wrong, and had me pleasantly surprised.

With How it Feels to Be Lost, Sleeping With Sirens drew facets from their early work while still creating something new for them. This is by far the strongest collection of songs from the group in a long, long time. Every track has clever hooks and memorable melodies, complemented by driving guitars and ominous effects. These elements are blended beautifully to bring out the band’s heavier and darker side, while maintaining the catchy and upbeat energy of albums like Let’s Cheers to This.

The album kicks off with the lead single “Leave it All Behind”, a tune that has an optimistic message, yet also piques a feeling of imminence with its heavy guitars and strong-willed screams that fans have missed. The brewing energy continues in “Never Enough”, a vigorous track with chanting gang vocals that intensify the thrilling guitars and pounding drums. It also features an invigorating performance by Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden.

One of the strongest songs is the title track – it has a thumping chorus that draws you in fast, stimulating the feeling of being “lost”, as the name overtly suggests. This is a simple yet engrossing melody that is sure to stick with you. It also has some cascading guitar riffs that are reminiscent of the band’s first album. “Break Me Down” is another track that old fans are sure to love, being the heaviest song on the record. It has the most ruthless screams we’ve heard from Kellin Quinn for several albums, and an eerie, thrashing breakdown that will ignite some raging mosh pits for sure.

Tracks like “Agree to Disagree” and “Another Nightmare” blend heavy instrumentals with upbeat pop-influenced melodies. While these are catchy well-structured songs, they definitely have their weaknesses – “Agree to Disagree” has some undeniably corny lines, while “Another Nightmare” gets a bit too repetitive with its lyrics and electronic vocal effects. Of course, after the last few albums, a few kinks here and there come as no surprise. Thankfully, there aren’t enough to tip the balance of this album’s overall quality.

The band softens the dynamic energy for “Ghost” and “P.S. Missing You”, while managing to keep the huge anthemic choruses. They both have beautifully written bridges that start off timid and mellow, then build into an electrifying vigor that immediately pulls you in so fast it is sure to induce some strong emotions. “Blood Lines” is another hard-hitting track with a thunderous chorus and lyrics that dig deep into the disheartening topic of broken families and their lifelong effects. The lines “You can’t change what you were born into / Don’t let it bury you” will make for a truly passionate energy live when sung along by any fans who can relate to this issue.  

The penultimate track, “Medicine (Devil in My Head)” packs a punch right from its start that carries on for its entire three minutes. It is a song that fans of any Sleeping With Sirens era would love, but especially resembles the days of Let’s Cheers to This. The band managed to put together several memorable hooks that flow into each other flawlessly, while sustaining the fiery energy that makes this song stand out so much. I would be surprised if it didn’t turn into a fan favorite, but it has easily become one of mine.

The closing track, “Dying to Believe” has a stirring message meant to inspire fans to gain hope for their futures. It keeps an encouraging, positive attitude while still touching on the negative thoughts that can come with moving forward. Lines like “There’s a shadow on the walls today / A long drive home to an early grave / It doesn’t have to be this way / It shouldn’t have to be this way / Slow down, don’t let go now” keep the meaning honest but reassuring, making this another great song for listeners who can relate. You can feel the yearning passion in Kellin’s voice all the way through, making this a strong ending to a powerful album.

Sleeping With Sirens proved a while ago that they were capable of writing an album this impressive and moving. After a few albums that disappointed a great deal of their fanbase, they have finally returned to their roots while still bringing something new to the table. None of us may know where their sound will go from here, but for now let’s just hope they can fit enough of these bangers into their live setlist.

Favorite tracks: How it Feels to Be Lost, Medicine (Devil in My Head)