The coronation of a hard rock/metal band that wears masks or shields their identities is often met with mixed results. You have some that build devoted fanbases such as KISS and Slipknot and others that don’t make much of an impact.
There must be some level of substance behind the theatrics. Enter Britain’s Sleep Token a unit that has spent seven years laying the foundation for their breakout year.
2023 has seen the collective led by visionary/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Vessel hopscotch to the front of the line of the new wave of artists bringing aggressive music back into the forefront.
To do so it required a patient plan that has been hatched over three albums and two EPs. From their inception, Vessel spun the tale of how the deity Sleep approached him in a dream and solicited him into his servitude.
In doing so, Vessel offers each song as his “token” to Sleep and created a space where each of the band’s concerts are deemed “worship” ceremonies.
And while that sounds and feels very limiting in its approach, in execution Sleep Token has consistently at every turn been nothing short of a situation that has always had mass appeal.
While they dabble in extremes that to this day can easily flip into death metal, prog-rock, electronica, pop, R&B and straight up alternative rock, musically they typically find ways to bring it all together in a cohesive fashion at the same time.
Lyrically these are records that covet themes such as depression, self-harm, toxic relationships, co-dependency and concern. As this story moves along, we find ourselves observing Vessel’s fight to ultimately break free of a situation or situations that restricted his freedom or joy.
And that is one take on how the three-album cycle of Sundowning, This Place Will Become Your Tomb and Take Me Back To Eden went down.
So many of these records contain hidden messages, double meanings, call backs and misdirection that it’s easy to see why ST super fans have logged countless days and nights trying to put it all together.
The greatest part about it all is that you don’t fucking have to. On the surface, these are just damn good songs that force emotions out of those that really want to hear them.
The most often thing that comes to mind to casual listeners is how they take songs such as “Granite” and “Sugar” and relate them to how they felt in their deepest moments of heartache.
And that is the win/win and the reason why this band is gathering momentum at a record pace. It’s not the exposure from Tik Tok or other digital sharing resources.
It’s the feeling that can only take place when an artist places every drop of blood and guts into their work and performance to allow people truly into their head and heart without worrying about the bullshit that often clouds creative decisions.
When grown men discuss how records such as “Are You Really Okay?” brought them to tears, that’s some pretty cool shit.
Currently there is an ongoing manhunt to drop dime on the faces behind the various masks in the band. To be honest, the information is out there but Rocpacalpyse won’t speculate nor enter that arena.
To do so would ruin the immersive passion that a large segment of the band’s fanbase currently enjoys. There are new fans that don’t care about any of the lore, they just love the music. You have fans that are obsessed with going beyond the music to connect dots that are outside of what they are being presented. And you have those that have such a deep connection and respect for what has been brought to them that they willfully remain in the dark.
All three crowds can be served in their own respective ways.
Their current headlining shows are selling out moments after tickets become available. There are areas of the United States that certainly must be popping up on an upcoming leg of a touring cycle that has for all intents and purposes just begun.
All of this has been said to say three things. Sleep Token embraces sonic extremes and in doing so will continue to build a diverse fanbase. Sleep Token skipped over a lot of low-hanging fruit to build a mystique around themselves the right way. Sleep Token’s Take Me Back To Eden is arguably the best rock-oriented album to be released in a decade and that is not an exaggeration.
“Chokehold” “ Vore” and “The Summoning” set a certain tone on the front end of the album but it’s the genre-bending epics on the back end that shine the brightest.
The title track is a powerful slice of paranoid triumph that soars vocally and musically. By the song’s third act, one can’t help but wonder ‘how can this band get better?’
And the crazy thing is they probably will. Take Me Back To Eden is the type of work that gives you the privilege of finding a new favorite record every time that you hear it.
Songs that you have may not have cared for before, will at some point “click” and become and make the experience that much grander.
Rock’s new legends have taken their place on the throne. Embrace them.
