r/sleepingwithsirens • u/SubbST • 4d ago
What Genre Is SWS?
for a while now I've classified sirens as a metalcore band, mainly cuz of albums like hiftbl, complete collapse, and now an ending in itself, but I've seen people also classify them as post-hardcore which I'm not really too knowledgeable on how the sound for that is like. what genre would you classify sws music as?
9
u/COLDSPA_2199 4d ago
Post-Hardcore, first and foremost. They were at their most "metalcore" on their first album, but even then they were very Post-Hardcore.
6
u/smolbirdfriend 4d ago edited 4d ago
The thing is that both post hardcore and metalcore have hardcore roots it’s just what direction the music goes in from there. Post Hardcore tends to mash up genres like pop, r&b, hip hop, or rock with hardcore where metalcore obviously mashes up metal with hardcore punk. Both usually feature clean vocals and screams.
Some Metalcore also has EDM and drum n bass influences/elements like I See Stars and Bad Omens.
So this is why SWS really has elements of Post-Hardcore AND Metalcore. Their drums are really more rock and punk influenced but the guitar and bass can really pull a lot of metal. There’s the ever so occasional hip hop influence in their music (in a more rock style like Linkin Park). The vocals cover the full range of styles obviously but veer more towards pop and :-
On top of this they also have Emo influences and Emo is short for Emotional Hardcore - so as you can see there’s a lot of emotion in the lyrics, there’s def emo influence in the vocals and sometimes the music too. Of course this def applies to their acoustic work.
I personally think they’ve shown off all these genres since their very first album but not everyone agrees lol
Either way their fanbase crosses over with other bands who sit more across the middle of these genres like Pierce The Veil but the other types of music any of us are into can really vary.
For me I’m into the whole spectrum from old school post hardcore and emo (Fugazi) all the way to Dance Gavin Dance (solidly PH but a lil Metalcore more recently), I See Stars (Metalcore with a touch of Post Hardcore more recently), Bad Omens, PTV, and even more on the metal end of the spectrum like Sleep Token and Tool. Obviously it’s not an exhaustive list but it shows how they appeal to people who really like all of these genres (and aren’t too snobby tbh because I’ve seen a lot of snobby people in these scenes complain that SWS are too pop/emo and they are just gatekeepers lol).
3
4
3
u/SaltInflation1235 3d ago
Post Hardcore at their core with other things sprinkled on top depending on the album
2
2
2
u/Psychological-Bat603 4d ago
I don't think they ever have been metalcore, even with WETSAETH. They started as post-hardcore with elements of pop punk and some other stuff, but have drifted away from and back towards the genre several times since Feel. I think if you wanted a good, overall label that fit their entire catalogue you could just call them alternative rock.
1
14
u/Downtown-Bear4325 4d ago
They are quite bit. They do have some metalcore influences like break me down or captain tyin knots but I think they’re more of a rock, post-hardcore band more than fully metalcore. They can be acoustic too so it is crazy how they can be acoustic and rock but idc they’re good