You don’t have to be a die-hard metal fan to know the name Sleep Token – they may not have been around for very long, but they’ve erupted like a firework onto the scene. It's not by accident that Sleep Token have achieved such success – taking notes from bands such as Slipknot, or Ghost, the band have perfectly crafted anonymity using masks and costumes, refusing to reveal their identity. This is only further cemented by the fact that they don’t talk during their shows and have only ever given two interviews during their career. In fact, the only semblance of knowledge we have about who they might be is what they would lead us to believe – that they are a religious group compelled to worship their god, Sleep. It’s up to you whether this is genuine, or an excellent marketing scheme, but you must admit it’s very persuasive. Although, the jury’s still out on whether that means this counts as a gospel album or not.
We’re led into the album with “Chokehold”, as though we are led out of a dream, slowly rising with that croaky, gravelly feeling of disorientation. Then, angelically, Vessel (the lead singer & songwriter) enters with vocals that are as unpredictable as they are smooth sounding. Very quickly the song explodes with heavy guitar bends and a chorus of backing vocals that would fill up even the largest empty room. The lyrics very obviously tell us that this song is an offering to Sleep, with lines such as “even if it hurts me // even if I can’t sleep // oh, and though we act out of our holy duty to be constantly awake”. It’s a perfect place setting for the table spread they are about to lay out for us.
For our next hymn, we find ourselves amid an altogether heavier sounding track, “The Summoning”. This is the song that really boosted Sleep Token’s presence in the industry, going viral on TikTok for its seductive, even erotic, middle eight. Original fans of Sleep Token will be more drawn to this song, owing to the heavy guitar riffs and echoes of screaming.
“Granite”, the third track of the album, uses synth sounds in place of a guitar – that is, until the last chorus when we get another full-frontal assault to our ears (in the best way). The lyrics come in with an argumentative tone, with words such as “if you had a problem, then you should’ve told me // before you started getting all aggressive and controlling”. The synth in the background repetitively rises in a hypnotic trance that makes you feel as though you are reliving something. Its purpose, we can assume, is to raise the tension, which it performs dutifully.
We are allowed some time to decompress with the next song, “Aqua Regia”. This is where we get true insight into the cleverness of Vessel’s lyrics – aqua regia, more commonly known to scientists as nitric acid trihydrochloride, is a fuming liquid that is used to refine gold. The chorus lyrics are like a magical chemistry lesson put to music: “aqua regia // oxytocin running in the ether // silicon ballrooms // subatomic interactions it it’s all good // gold rush, acid flux // saturate me, I can’t get enough”. Oxytocin is, of course, the well-known ‘love hormone’ – so here we’re talking about a gold-refining chemical, the discovery of said gold, and a natural hormone that has anti-depressive qualities. Do we see the logic?
If you’re still listening and worried that it’s not going to get any heavier, look no further, “Vore” is for you. The guitars are blown out, the vocals have reached screaming pitches that only dogs can hear, and the drums get a real spotlight moment in this one. It’s acting at cross-purposes with itself though, beautifully contrasting heavy and light, rough and delicate, melodic, and chaotic. On both sides of the scale, however, there is pain.
With that, we’re at the perfect point to stop and really feel. And what better than to feel something with a haunting piano line, accompanied by low swells of synth that lend an echo to this church powerhouse? In “Ascensionism”, we’re also now seeing more of Sleep Token’s expansive list of influences, with elements of rap-like lyrics and autotune that make you think this could be a trap song. It’s one of the longest songs on the album, something that you may notice is mentioned quite frequently across the album’s many reviews, and it could be argued that there is space to reduce the length by a considerable amount, but I’m not sure that would change the way this song is meant to be perceived by any means.
At number 7, “Are You Really Okay?” is an altogether lighter song, give or take. We’re serenaded with a dainty melody played by the cleanest guitar lines of the whole album, and the major key feels like we’re in the clouds. Vessel’s prolific ‘messy’ vocals play very nicely here, as the worried friend-figure who is doing all they can to look out for someone who is obviously struggling. The particularly poignant lyrics come at the end of the song: “please don’t hurt yourself again”.
“The Apparition” is an expert tutorial in slow burners. The song is built up piece-by-piece, starting with guitar and vocals, and slowly more elements are brought in until it feels like you’re in the middle of a firework. Vessel’s voice is the star of the show, as always, with a mixed bag of short stabbing melodies, amidst clean drawn-out notes. The song is split in two, the first half resembling yet another trap song, and the second half very obviously metal. It’s the genre mashup none of us knew we needed, and yet here we are.
Next up, “DYWTYLM” (which stands for Do You Wish That You Loved Me). It’s yet another example of the way Sleep Token enjoy blurring boundaries, as this song could be described as a pop song. A bassy electronic drum beat, light and airy synths, and a catchy melody. The question is asked repeatedly to the point where you start to think Vessel is asking us directly – I know my answer, I’d encourage you to think about yours.
“Rain” is bringing us closer to the end – it’s got a slightly dusky feeling to it, it’s deep, dark, and in-your-face. There’s no hiding with this song, and it certainly won’t give you any time to think. The lyrics, while not necessarily fast-paced, leave little room for pause in between sections, so if you’re planning on belting this one out in the car make sure you take some deep breaths.
The album’s titular song, “Take Me Back To Eden”, is a cinematic experience. Led in with samples of the sounds of nature, even Vessel’s voice sounds different, lighter. The lyrics are painting vivid scenes of paradise for us, but of course all is not as it seems. Heavy, slightly dissonant, guitars that contrast with long high-pitched notes remind us of who we’re listening to. But then, just as quickly as its descension, it flips around and somehow turns into a rap song. In fact, this is the closest we get to hearing Vessel speak rather than sing which only gives this song even more intrigue.
Lastly, we have “Euclid”. I don’t know about you, but I am a fan of song-sequels. We’ve seen it done before, Ariana did it, The 1975 did it, and Sleep Token are about to do it. “Euclid” is a marvelous tribute to their earlier song, “The Night Does Not Belong To God”, released in 2019. It’s similar enough to its predecessor that you might have already noticed it yourself, but distinct enough that it serves perfectly well as a standalone song. And really, we don’t get any obvious signs that this was their plan all along until we reach the end of the song, when we hear “the whites of your eyes // turn black in the low light // in turning divine // we tangle endlessly” accompanied by the same poly-rhythmic piano melody of the original. For me, it was a full-body chills moment, I can only hope it does the same to you.
X