Sleeping With Sirens ft. Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath “Crosses” and The Devil Wears Prada “Sacrifice” compellingly mine the power of our emotional responses to impending peril. Check out this menacing new DLC debuting this Thursday in the Rock Band Music Store.
Sleeping With Sirens returned to the scene with ferocious intent in 2022, releasing the Complete Collapse LP showcasing the band’s signature sonic power and thoughtful lyrical approach. The album was written during pandemic-related lockdowns and that fraught time informed the content and passionate delivery of the material. We seem to be getting quite a lot of pandemic-inspired music these days (shocking!). While, like nearly all of us, Sleeping With Sirens emerged somewhat changed by the isolation and anxiety of those many months, lead vocalist Kellin Quinn has expressed that the pandemic provided a palpable upside in the form of much-needed mental reset, as he had been on the verge of burn-out. “Things have changed so rapidly, and we’re all doing our best to process it,” he shared. “There’s a feeling of heaviness to the record, both in sound and emotion.” One of the clear standout tracks from this emotionally complex, relatable, and cathartic disc is the second single, “Crosses,” which was released in early summer of ’22. Longtime fans of Sleeping With Sirens will likely recognize something of a return to the band’s earlier work, as the track really leans into the high-energy emo/post-hardcore/metalcore/screamo (it’s loud, heavy rock – who cares what anyone calls it?) that put them on the map a little more than a decade ago. Similarly, followers of the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based four-piece will notice that “Crosses” continues the group’s winning tradition of collaborating with other hyper-talented artists – this time vocalist Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath. Quinn and Chamberlain display an effortless compatibility, whether it’s trading off scream-sung verses or crafting expert vocal harmonies during the cut’s gentler moments. Speaking of matching one another, scream for scream: just wait for the song’s absolutely brutal middle-eight section! Amidst the literal sound and fury, this track also offers one of the more instantly memorable, sing-along choruses in recent heavy rock. When the song dropped in June, Kellin explained, “I think ‘Crosses’ is a great opening single for our new album! The song to me is about not putting yourself above anyone. I think we’re all just trying our best and we can lift each other up! In a world where everyone pretends to be perfect, I think this song is letting everyone know that we all struggle and we can rise above it! Spencer Chamberlain really elevated this song! Underoath is a huge influence for me when it comes to making music. It was an honor working with somebody I really look up to!” Of course, it’s not only about the vocals with Sleeping With Sirens. “Crosses” begins with a crunchy, distorted guitar stutter over some sparse percussion before exploding into full-band potency at the 11-second mark. From there, it’s nonstop, full-tilt rhythmic assault as drummer Matty Best’s machine-gun beats and Justin Hill’s massive bass-work provide the foundation for Nick Martin’s powerfully overdriven guitar. Sleeping With Sirens has fashioned three minutes and 29 seconds of formidable, muscular hard rock that you’ll be listening to and playing along with over and over!
In late September of 2021, metalcore legends The Devil Wears Prada returned with the single “Sacrifice,” which would eventually appear on the band’s eighth full-length, The Color Decay a year later in September, 2022. At the time of the song’s initial release, the band – Mike Hranica [vocals], Jeremy DePoyster [vocals, guitar], Mason Nagy [bass], Kyle Sipress [guitar], Jonathan Gering [keys, synthesizers], and Giuseppe Capolupo [drums] – stated, “‘Sacrifice’ is a song of defeat: its character is exhausted, relinquishing will in an abusive relationship. There is nothing left to fight for.” Indeed, though the lyrical message is filtered through distorted dissonance, there’s no mistaking the poignant and emotive meaning. Hranica has a gift for conveying his deeply personal missives, whether in the gently crooned first verse, the shout/sing portions, or the melodically memorable chorus. Brutality mixed with harmonic nuance makes The Devil Wears Prada’s brand of metalcore stand out from the pack and, with this track, the group’s continued sonic evolution stretches and breaks boundaries. From the first few seconds of guitar feedback at the top of “Sacrifice” that segues into a bashing, persistent aural assault of forceful, yet melodic hard rock, through to the impossibly sludgy outro breakdown and, ultimately, the haunting, unaccompanied, delay-enhanced vocals, that close out the song, this six-piece capably demonstrate why they’re one of the torchbearers of this type of heavy rock. Unsurprisingly, as with many artists, The Devil Wears Prada was intensely influenced by the events of the past few years – specifically COVID-19 and related lockdowns and restrictions. When this track was first released, frontman Mike Hranica said, “Things have felt so hopeless the last year and a half, which is a very obvious thing to say with the pandemic. In terms of ‘Sacrifice,’ I've gone through some major changes in personal regards this year, and the new tune plays to the defeatist nature of what I've gone through. With the world as it's been, I just haven't had anything upbeat or optimistic to say.” That’s not to suggest that listening to, or playing along with, “Sacrifice” is a bummer – quite the opposite! Catharsis is one hell of a positive release and this crunchy and tuneful modern-day masterpiece serves up a musical purging that’s full to bursting with insistent drums, atmospheric synth-work, viciously fuzzy guitars, and unruly bass. You’ll have your hands full with this one!
Sleeping With Sirens ft. Spencer Chamberlain of Underoath “Crosses” and The Devil Wears Prada “Sacrifice” are available for $1.99 each.
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*Please note that this week’s DLC tracks will be available for purchase on Thursday, February 9th.