EP REVIEW: Where Lost Things Go – As Sirens Fall
It’s probably still not that much of a stretch to say that the demise of MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, now some five years ago, still seems to have left a vacuum in the realm of rock music, with arguably not many acts seemingly still aiming to inhabit the space left by the emo titans. One such act who could probably look to stake that claim however, are self-described ‘aggressive pop’ outfit AS SIRENS FALL. Having garnered a fair amount of praise with their 2016 debut EP The Hospital Party and resulting support tours with the likes of WILLIAM CONTROL, the Keighley five-piece are now set to take things even further with their second release, Where Lost Things Go.
Opening impressively strong, the reason for that moniker quickly becomes apparent as first track Lily sets out AS SIRENS FALL‘s flair for the dramatic perfectly, with an angular, almost BILLY TALENT-esque bass riff from Jason Doveston giving way to pounding drums and a delightfully crunchy guitar attack. Frontman Mikey Lord immediately establishes himself here as both an engaging and capable frontman, effortlessly jumping between silky smooth melodic vocals and erratic yelping, in a manner that more than shows off his impressive versatility.
If that wasn’t enough of a strong start, In My Mind promptly kicks the door down once more by pairing Lord with SKINDRED frontman Benji Webbe for a fist-pumping anthem that really should send AS SIRENS FALL to higher places with ease, such is the talent on display here, as Lord and Webbe trade verses atop a brisk, punchy musical backdrop that really hammers home the punk edge of their sound.
Slowing things down just a touch, Like Vultures, meanwhile, begins to showcase the band’s flair for more melodic songwriting, as they go full-on power-ballad for a song that whilst undoubtedly dramatic sounding, never quite crosses the line of sounding ridiculous or overblown. Melodic guitar lines from axemen Adam Doveston and Richard Hadley drive things along at a steady pace here, and the final result is both catchy and greatly enjoyable.
It’s not all hard-rocking for AS SIRENS FALL though, as evidenced by the tender balladry of Getaway, a melancholy piano-led number that really serves to highlight Lord’s prowess as a singer by stripping the band’s sound back almost entirely before slowly rebuilding it back up to power one of the record’s most affecting choruses. Arguably the most affecting song on the entirety of Where Lost Things Go, it’s a goosebump-inducing affair that hammers home just how much potential there is for this band to do huge things in future
Things soon kick back into full-on high gear though, and My Only Ghost quickly brings back that infectious bounce that permeates across much of the rest of Where Lost Things Go. Once again effortlessly catchy, this number sees the band crafting a slightly more straight-up rocker in the vein of MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, and gives Lord a chance to flex the higher end of his vocal register in the process.
Closing things out is She Runs With The Wolves, another anthemic cut that opens with some borderline pop-sounding synths that probably wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the newest 30 SECONDS TO MARS record. These electronics underpin the track throughout, however instead of being the main focus, they instead serve as a vehicle for yet another massive vocal hook and more bounce-inducing riffing that close things out on a relative high. It might sound relatively different to everything else on the EP, but in doing so, it presents yet another string to the band’s metaphorical bow, displaying their ability to put out material that’s potentially catchy enough even for daytime radio, whilst not compromising the other aspects of their sound.
Despite only clocking in at 24 minutes in length, Where Lost Things Go quickly reveals itself to be a massive step up from The Hospital Party. Not a single track here feels sub-par or like filler, and the sheer emotion thrown into each song is remarkable for such a new band. In presenting a balance between the heavy and melodic sides of their sound, AS SIRENS FALL have managed to put forward an excellent record that serves as a hot contender for one of the surprise hits of the year thus far. Where exactly they go from here is unclear, however if it’s anything close to the quality of Where Lost Things Go, then it will almost certainly be a joy to witness.
Rating: 8/10
Where Lost Things Go is set for release on 13th April via self-release.
Like AS SIRENS FALL on Facebook.