Starting a new band gets harder as life moves on. Jobs, families, and shrinking free time make it tough to keep up with rehearsals and touring. For Sinking In guitarist Chris Cav, though, leaving music behind was never on the table.
Even when he wasn't actively playing in a band, he was still writing. "Sinking In was formed in mid-2023, although four out of the five songs from our first EP were demoed out and sitting on my computer since 2016," Cav tells No Echo. "My first child was born, so I was cooked with starting up another band for a while, but at the very least, I was able to write and track ideas."
Those early ideas became the backbone of Sinking In, a Connecticut band shaped by the sounds and feelings Cav absorbed during the hardcore boom of the early 2000s. "My vision with this project was to have elements of both Comeback Kid's Turn It Around and Wake the Dead era, Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing, The End of Heartache, and even As Daylight Dies—mainly speaking of the guitar work—and create something new with a nostalgic feel."
Equally important were Cav's memories of growing up in Connecticut's hardcore scene. "Essentially chasing the vibe and energy that I had the privilege of experiencing years ago at the Wamleg shows—At All Costs, Brothers in Arms, With Honor, Our Final Say, amongst others. Basically fast guitars, pretty melodies, with some hints of metalcore."
By 2023, Cav was ready to turn those ideas into a new band. He brought in musicians he knew from past projects—drummer Nick, bassist Sam, and guitarist Jesse. Soon after, vocalist Ryan joined up. "It was super convenient because he likes the same music and is also my next-door neighbor," Cav says with a laugh.
But more than anything, the band found a shared sense of purpose right away. "It was all about creating and having fun with a group of friends—an escape from the day-to-day." That chemistry showed up fast. When Sinking In dropped their self-titled debut EP, listeners picked up on the early Comeback Kid, With Honor, and even Shai Hulud influences right away.
"For us, that was high praise, seeing as they're all influences." Sinking In keeps things hands-on. Every release gets tracked in Cav's own recording space, then sent to Ivan Fiallos at Monolithic Sounds for mixing and mastering. After the debut EP, the band maintained momentum with a steady run of releases, including the 2024 singles "Static State" and "Embrace."
"Embrace" stood out, featuring a guest spot from Brothers in Arms vocalist Blake Sturchio. "Having Blake on this track was everything to us because we're big fans of Brothers in Arms," Cav says.
Recording the vocals turned out to be a challenge. Sturchio was in Tennessee, so the band looked at different options, even thinking about whether producer Mark Lewis could fit in a quick session. But that plan didn't last. "He was recording with Nile for the next few weeks, and I wanted to get this song out before then," Cav recalls. "I'm very impulsive and impatient."
Cav ended up buying a microphone from Sweetwater and sending it straight to Sturchio. "We got it all done, but it's funny to think about now. Bothering Mark to track a vocal part for my band with probably 20 listeners a month at the time."
The connection made sense. Connecticut's hardcore scene is still tightly knit. Cav's blackened thrash band CRVELTY includes Brothers in Arms guitarist Dan Sefcik, tying past and present together. "It's funny how everything comes full circle, especially with people I idolized when I was younger."
That growth shows up on Sinking In's latest release, Testimony. Cav says the album addresses a range of personal struggles while maintaining a hopeful outlook. "Testimony is mixed messaged," he explains. "Finding your voice, pulling yourself out of dark times, loss, grief, addiction. It's a reminder that we are all human. We go through shit, and we can find the strength to overcome whatever is thrown our way."
Not long after the record dropped, guitarist Jesse left on good terms to focus on Groaning Retch. Sinking In brought in Dan Nicolari to fill the spot. "He's been a great addition." The band is already playing shows behind Testimony, recently sharing a bill with Vanna and looking ahead to Pennsylvania's Upstage Fest in August.
Songwriting hasn't slowed down. "We're currently sitting on a ton of demos and ideas," Cav says. "We aim to drop another four-song EP later this year." Listeners shouldn't expect a total overhaul, but Sinking In plans to push into heavier territory. "I can't really say if the formula will change drastically, but we will be getting a little more aggressive with our sound for certain."
That drive to evolve shows up in the band's new cover of Comeback Kid's "All In a Year," an idea that didn't even come from the band. "Our friend Scott—half-ass band manager—called me relentlessly trying to get us to agree to a cover." At first, Cav resisted. "I didn't want to be in a band that potentially butchers someone else's art, and a legendary song at that." In the end, the choice was clear. "All In a Year" was the first track on Turn It Around, one of the records that helped inspire the band in the first place.
"We wanted to honor the original but also wanted it to sound like if this song was written by Sinking In." To help accomplish that, the band recruited Jay Reason of The Distance to handle Andrew Neufeld's guest vocal part. "We believe we stayed true to the original song while sprinkling hints of our own flair, adding a little polish to an old treasure."
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