Sparrows

Sparrows, a Toronto-based outfit, deliver an emotionally charged and restless brand of post-hardcore laced with melodic emo elements and raw, shadowy sonic layers. Centered on the songwriting of singer and guitarist Dan Thompson, the group achieved initial traction via their 2013 debut album Cold Ground, after which they shifted base to Toronto alongside an entirely fresh roster. While undertaking extensive tours across the U.S. and Canada, Sparrows issued their sophomore release Let the Silence Stay Where It Was in 2016, later establishing an independent imprint to unveil the intense Failed Golds LP in 2019.

Thompson originated the project in Ottawa during 2010, with its initial fleeting configuration contributing solely to the 2011 EP Goliath. Within twelve months he disbanded that iteration, enlisting guitarist Devlin Morton, bassist Brandon Desjardins, and drummer Rembrandt MacLeod to track the 2013 debut album Cold Ground. After relocating to Toronto in early 2014, the frontman again dissolved the lineup and assembled a replacement. Though bass duties rotated frequently in subsequent years, the stable trio of Thompson, guitarist Justin Sears, and drummer Jon Busby coalesced into a cohesive and forceful ensemble. After inking with New Damage Records, Sparrows gained momentum through 2015’s Dragging Hell EP and the full-length Let the Silence Stay Where It Was the following year. Across this period Thompson maintained an enduring partnership with Moneen frontman Kenny Bridges, who produced every band release beginning with Goliath. In 2018 Sparrows departed from precedent by traveling to New Jersey to cut their forthcoming album under Brett Romnes (I Am the Avalanche). At that juncture Jack Panic entered as the sixth bassist, and the resulting quartet delivered the third album Failed Gods in 2019, launching the freshly formed Sound Anxiety Recordings.