SONG REVIEW: Sister Sleep - "The Arsonist"

Sister Sleep hits another home run with new single “The Arsonist”

by Jesse Smith

Sister Sleep is among the many bands that is keeping the emo/post hardcore genre alive and well. The band are no strangers here at GKE as we took a look at their EP “Wraith and Rosary” last year and it was killer so it is no surprise they did it again! Sister Sleep just released their new single titled “The Arsonist” and it definitely holds up with their other releases. For only starting in 2022, this band is on a fast track for making a name for themselves. They have been performing all around the Atlanta area and now have been locked in to open some pretty notable shows. It’s safe to say Sister Sleep is full steam ahead! 

“The Arsonist”  is what I wanted the new Pierce The Veil to be. The hints of classic 2010 post hardcore mixed with some emo lyrics and imagery had me interested from the jump. From the intro guitar riff, you can feel where the song is about to go and it is filled with raw energy and excitement. Throughout the song, mainly on the verses, the singer uses a vocal effect that makes it sound like you’re hearing him through an old rotary phone (kids, rotary phones had the slide dial, before buttons). The inflection of his voice as he’s singing is straight emo and the screams are chilling. This makes the chorus pop way more since the effect is taken off and the song seems to get louder, almost putting a vocal exclamation point on it. The ending bridge is probably my favorite part, they crank up the intensity and I truly think the highlight of the song are the screams. They fit so well and aren't overpowering while keeping that traditional post hardcore style scream.  

If you are a fan of Pierce the Veil and Sleeping With Sirens then you should check this band out if you haven’t. Sister Sleep has the sound of those bands but back when they were a little harder and aggressive. After reviewing their EP last year it is awesome to see the band evolve in real time. The song structure and writing is still captivating and well written as well as the band’s execution as a whole. I said I was excited to see what this band is going to do next and I still am! I will have the pleasure of playing with them the next time I’m in Atlanta so the next step is to see if they can nail it live.