Album Review :
Sleep For Sleepers - Conditions

Artist: Sleep For Sleepers

Album: Conditions

Release Date: September 13, 2011

1. Conditions
2. Dark
3. Cold War
4. Burn
5. Speak

Last fall you would not have expected to hear from Sleep For Sleepers anymore.  It was the end.  Facedown Records let them go and the band decided to split.  All the members except for Jamey Price.  And thank God someone had the urge to keep Sleep For Sleepers going, especially because it was the lead singer and writer. “Conditions” contains five well produced pop rock songs that will definetly leave you wanting more.

Musically, “Conditions” is not too different from Sleep for Sleepers prior releases (“The Clearing”, “What Has Been Done Will Be Done Again”) however there is more of an edge.  The lead lines are crisp and progressions are well put together. Fundementally the better record compared to the formers. Right when the title track of “Conditions” hits you get mezmorized with a delayed lead underneath semi heavy distortion and a mini sub drop that gets your attention right off the bat.  Everything from then on never becomes redundant or dissatisfying. Everything is well thought out structure wise.  The songs aren’t all standard pop structures that you come to expect from the style.  The songs have a flow and stay as far away from repetition as Jamey can without straying away from the genre. 

It is hard to get bored of these five songs especially because the hooks in the chorus’ are so catchy.  The chorus in the song “Burn”, “burning it a both ends, baby / where is the girl that I once knew?” will never leave your brain for quite a while.  “Dark” is another great example.  The “Woah’s” in the chorus done with what sounds to be a thirty person chant gets one excited for the catchy chorus that is to come. Conditions is not only catchy it is also deep. Lyrics about desecrating the name of God, “Cold War”, to lyrics about the pleasure of the world, “Burn”, to lyrics of straight up worship, “Conditions”.  In a span of five songs you hear it all.

Vocally this is the best Jamey has been able to produce.  He has really broadened his range and pushes a little harder to get more passion out of his voice.  Even songs like “Conditions” he belts out a scream that caught me a little off guard. “Conditions” also contains more mature melody structures that will grab your brain for days and possibly even weeks at a time. And the amazing guest vocalist range from awesome clean vocals to even the metal growls of Sean McCullough (Phinehas).

Overall: If you cannot tell I love this EP.  Listening to it over and over again makes me wish that it was a full length.  However I doubt there will be to many complaints because “Conditions” is an easy record to play continuously.  There will be no regrets taking 18 minutes out of your day to listen to these five songs. Especially with the surprises that those 18 minutes contain but I will not spoil what will be in a lot of peoples stereos for quite a while.