Heavy music, powerful riffs, and an unwavering passion for rock—that’s what defines Singapore-based heavy metal band Saint/Sinner. Since forming in 2023, the band has evolved from its classic hard rock roots into a groove-driven heavy metal act while staying true to the timeless influences that shaped their sound.
In this City Stories interview, the members share the story behind the band’s formation, their songwriting process, the challenges of building a name in Singapore’s rock and metal scene, and their ambitions for the future. Join us as we get to know the musicians behind the heavy sound and discover what keeps Saint/Sinner pushing forward.
Thank you for joining City Stories! Could you introduce the band and tell us little about each member?
Hello, and thanks for this opportunity, first of all. I’m Jessen, the lead guitarist of the band.
Saint/Sinner was founded back in 2023. It was originally intended to be a hard rock band inspired by the heavy metal era of the 1980s and 1990s. However, over the years, our music has evolved, and we’ve also gone through several lineup changes. While we still keep the heaviness of those old-school heavy metal bands as one of our biggest influences, we’ve added more groove to our songs. I think we’re more of a groove-heavy metal band now.
Everyone in the band is either working full-time or currently studying. I (Jessen) work as a technical engineer for a bank. Darren is a ship broker with a prestigious brokerage firm. Benny works at Singtel, a telecommunications company in Singapore. Aman and Ty are currently university students. Altogether, we’re a great mix of experienced professionals and younger musicians.
How did Saint / Sinner come together, and what inspired you to form the band?
The love of music is what brought us together. We also share a collective passion for old-school hard rock and heavy metal. With the band’s current lineup, there’s a great blend of old-school influences and modern rock elements. That combination works really well for us.
The name “Saint / Sinner” is very striking. What is the story behind it, and what does it represent to all of you?
Our collective love of old-school hard rock and heavy metal music is what brings us together. With the band’s current lineup, there’s a great blend of old-school and modern rock influences. It works very well and has helped shape our sound.
How would you describe Saint / Sinner’s music and identity to someone hearing your band for the very first time?
There is an old-school metal edge to the songs and riffs we write. People can easily identify with the music if they grew up listening to it, and if they’re new to the genre, they can become acquainted with the sounds that, I dare say, helped inspire much of today’s music.
Your music embraces the spirit of classic hard rock and heavy metal. Which artists or albums have had the biggest influence on your sound?
Everybody in the band grew up listening to different genres of rock and metal. There are old-school heavy metal influences from bands like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Pantera. There’s also a glam rock influence, where the lyrics and music often have a fun, energetic feel while sometimes exploring deeper themes.
What does your songwriting process usually look like? Does it begin with a riff, lyrics, or something else entirely?
So far, it has all begun with riffs. We’re firm believers that the music drives how a song turns out, and so far, I think it’s worked well for us. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
Your songs balance heavy riffs with memorable melodies. How do you approach finding that balance?
It’s never a one-shot, one-kill process. Everybody contributes to the songwriting process. For example, a song can change and evolve once an idea is introduced. We ask ourselves questions like: Should we slow down the chorus to make the lyrics more impactful? How does it fit the overall flow of the song? Things like that help us find the right balance.
What message or emotion do you hope listeners take away after hearing your music?
Songs mean different things to different people. We write our music around everyday emotions and experiences, whether it’s joy, recklessness, sadness, or anger. We haven’t explored love as an emotion in our songs just yet… hahaha!
Singapore’s rock and metal scene has its own unique identity. How has being based there influenced your journey as a band?
The rock, punk, and metal communities in Singapore pretty much stick together. We’ve made good friends with other bands and have played gigs alongside artists from different rock genres, so there’s always something for everyone. As long as everyone is having fun, it’s all good.
What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced since forming Saint/Sinner, and how did you overcome it?
We believe that when one door closes, another opens. There will always be challenges. One of the biggest is the need for more exposure for the genre, especially heavy metal, in Singapore. We hope that continues to improve in the near future.
Every band has unforgettable moments. Is there a performance or experience that you’ll always remember?
We try to create memorable moments at every performance. So far, we’ve received a lot of compliments and encouragement to keep doing what we do. But nothing beats seeing the crowd headbanging and singing the lyrics to one of our songs along with the band.
What role does performing live play in expressing who Saint/Sinner is as a band?
Performing live has always been one of the band’s top priorities. The energy on stage is completely different, and it allows the audience to experience exactly what Saint/Sinner is all about up close and personal. We encourage everyone to have fun at our shows and enjoy the music.
At our core, that’s who we are—a heavy metal band that wants to give the crowd, our fans, and our friends loud, heavy music.
How do the personalities and musical backgrounds of each member shape your overall sound?
This is a hard one. Everybody in the band has very, very different musical influences. Jessen is a metal guy, while Benny enjoys newer melodic metal bands like Coheed and Cambria. Ty and Aman listen to everything from Dream Theater to Stone Temple Pilots to Slipknot. As for me, the singer, I’m probably the weirdest of the bunch—I even have Enya on my playlist. Haha!
When you’re not creating music, what hobbies or interests help inspire your creativity?
Two of the members have kids, so that takes up most of their free time. One recently got married, so a new adventure awaits him. The other two are waiting for university to start, so they’re entering the next phase of their lives. In a way, there’s a song waiting to be found in every experience we go through.
The music industry is constantly changing. How do you stay true to your sound while continuing to evolve?
To be honest, if we followed what the music industry is into nowadays, we’d probably be a boy band with colored hair. Haha!
We believe the first people we need to satisfy are ourselves. We only release music that we’re genuinely happy with and that stays true to what the band stands for—hard-rocking tracks. At the same time, there’s always room for evolution, and that’s where every band member comes together to develop each song from its earliest idea into the final product.
Are there any new songs, recordings, or upcoming projects that fans can look forward to?
Oh, yes! 2026 and 2027 are going to be busy years for us. There are plans to release either an EP or an LP this year, although we can’t share the full details just yet. We also have several more gigs in the pipeline, including overseas performances with other bands over the next few months.
So, yeah… busy, busy!
If you could collaborate with any artist or band, past or present, who would it be and why?
I think every member would have a different answer to that. There are simply too many bands, both past and present, that have influenced what Saint/Sinner sounds like today. To put it into perspective, let’s just say our singer wouldn’t mind putting on spandex and jumping on stage with David Lee Roth. Lol.
Looking ahead, what are your biggest goals and aspirations for Saint/Sinner over the next few years?
We’d like to take our music as far as we can and perform for audiences far and wide. Hopefully, somewhere along the way, we’ll get paid to do what we love and have the opportunity to play at major shows across Asia—and maybe even beyond. Until then, we’ll keep putting our music out there and hope people enjoy it.
Finally, do you have a message for your fans and for everyone reading City Stories?
First, we’d like to thank everyone at City Stories for taking the time to interview us.
To everyone reading, we hope to keep creating music for you, and we look forward to seeing you in the not-too-distant future. Cheers, everyone—and stay loud!
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