Sentinels are a hard-touring, New Jersey-based progressive metalcore quintet. Their blistering approach is rooted in shard-like grooves delivered by grinding, angular guitars, ferocious lead vocals, stop-and-start drumming, and spiky, overdriven bass. The outfit issues recordings as a way of adding material to their bombastic, rage-filled stage show, which often leaves audiences exhausted but wanting more. Their first EP, the self-released Idylls in 2013, brought them to the attention of the metal press and American audiences, as well as savvier European listeners, earning them opening slots on various metal tours across the U.S. and Canada. The reception that greeted 2016's World Divide took them to Europe for the first time and earned them headlining slots in clubs and more prominent placements at festivals. They later signed to Stay Sick Recordings for the release of 2019's Unsound Recollections, an extended EP. Sentinels were formed in 2012 by bassist Danny Cruz, original drummer Kevin Gonzalez, guitarists Chris Dombrowski and Thomas Cardone, and vocalist Kyle Fellin. With most of its members coming from other bands, Sentinels' real desire was simply to play live. Deeply influenced by the sounds of Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza, Structures, and Between the Buried and Me, they woodshedded and wrote together for the better part of a year before entering the studio with producer Aaron Chaparian, emerging with the self-issued Idylls EP. The record featured guest spots by Carmen Gurina of Borderlines, and Steve Cipparulo and Mike Dermek of Sirena. Sentinels hit the road for the better part of two years, playing locally and nationally for virtually anyone who would book them. In 2016, they worked with Chaparian again on the World Divide EP. Joe Benducci -- then of Born Divided -- made a guest appearance on lead vocals for set-opener "Decadence." The band resonated with the singer. With the metal press heralding Sentinels as a major new arrival, touring opportunities expanded. Their relationship with Benducci also grew over the next few years as the two bands crossed paths at festivals and on tour. Fellin and Gonzalez both left in 2018 and were replaced by Benducci and drummer Dave Rucki. The new unit dropped the single "Neurosis" and hit the road, garnering enthusiastic responses as they toured with Within the Ruins, Currents, Cryptodira, and Phinehas. With Rucki on drums, the band's groove quotient multiplied exponentially, and Sentinels employed it to fuel more ambitious songwriting. Given the intensity and crowd participation in their live show, the band signed to Stay Sick and entered the studio with producer Randy LeBoeuf to emerge with the charting Unsound Recollections in February of 2019. ~ Thom Jurek