EP REVIEW: ‘Where Lost Things Go’ by As Sirens Fall

There’s a distinct feeling that As Sirens Fall probably would’ve gone down a lot smoother a few years ago. Back then, everyone was still trying to fill the hole left by My Chemical Romance, so much so that it led to the birth of the whole “new grave” movement, a hastily-cobbled-together collection of bands vaguely linked through slightly gothic touches to some very standardised alt-rock, and a something that you’ve most likely not thought of in at least two years. Looking at it, As Sirens Fall would be perfect candidates for a retroactive spot among that crowd, given the extent that they draw on mid-2000s post-hardcore in a crystal clear example of throwing nostalgia at the very front of the conversation.

 But considering how so many of the new grave crowd have ended up nowhere nowadays, it’s probably safe to assume that the only reason that As Sirens Fall are currently around is because they weren’t tied to it. It can’t be the fantastic innovation they show on Where Lost Things Go because God knows there’s none of that here, just another half-Britrock, half-emo effort that countless other bands are producing to the exact same quality.

 Even down to the minutiae of the situation, every positive and negative is almost exactly the same – Mikey Lord has a solid voice, though you’d struggle to pick it from a lineup; the band can pen some decent-sized hooks, but they’re so empty with regards to intent and interesting wordplay. The sole standout feature is Skindred’s Benji Webbe’s cameo on In My Mind, but even that’s as a glorified hypeman as opposed to anything substantial.

 It’s not even that As Sirens Fall’s efforts are awful here, just so painfully toothless that it’s baffling why anyone would have strong feelings either way. Like Vultures and She Runs With The Wolves are no different from the vast majority of other alt-rock ballads from other similar acts, and even when digging in to the details of this EP, there’s so little of substance here. What this ultimately feels like is a band trying to reignite the flame of a genre that was once exciting, but has fallen so far out of favour now that they’re struggling to do anything meaningful. There just doesn’t seem to be much of reason for this EP to exist.

4/10 

For fans of: Ashestoangels, Fort Hope, As Lions 
Words by Luke Nuttall 

‘Where Lost Things Go’ by As Sirens Fall is released on 13th April.