Mission to Sleep – A Spark or The End
Boston-based act Mission to Sleep have recently dropped their debut album, a seven-song collection of relentless and cinematic alt rock they’ve titled A Spark or The End. Across the EP you’ll hear downtuned guitars, impassioned vocals, and layers upon layers of textures. Fans of the nuanced side of nu-metal (think Deftones) will love what they hear here, as well as fans of heavier, mid-aughts emo-influenced acts like Thrice, Glassjaw, or The Receiving End of Sirens.
The album starts out strong with “No Anchor” – here, you’re immediately thrown into the maelstrom of Mission to Sleep’s sound. This band has found a way to weave intricate, metal-inspired instrumentals into catchy, pop-oriented melodies. They were smart to start here – there’s an immediate hook in the chorus: “Search mission is over!” It’s a juicy earworm, and a harbinger of what to expect as you meander through the rest of this album. Song two, “Designer Graves” is a perfect follow up, showcasing intricate guitar harmonies, sludgy breakdowns, and even a smattering of keyboard flourishes… They even manage to make thesaurus-ready words like “glamorous oblivion” sound catchy as hell.
Other album highlights include the Vanna feature on track six, “Like Heaven.” While Mission to Sleep excel at ruthless and honeyed melodies, it also begs for the guttural presence of a screamer, and Vanna’s Christopher Preece fills that void perfectly. The harmonies from Sarah Jeanne of Aversed are another album highlight – adding a delicate layer to Mission to Sleep’s sharp melodic touch… Until the absolutely throat-shredding bridge arrives, of course – Jeanne absolutely outdid herself here. “Fall into Bloom” and “This Massacre” are excellent tracks as well, while album closer “Bury The Ghost” fills its position perfectly as the as-close-to-ballad-territory-track that this punishing band is capable of.
A Spark or The End is out now (April 25th, 2025) via Mind Over Matter Records. You can find A Spark or The End via the bandcamp embed below, or, your favorite streaming service – Spotify and Apple Music.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna