by Katrina Woelke
Sleep Token’s sophomore album Even in Arcadia was the sound of my summer. The anonymous band rose to fame after the song “The Summoning” went viral on TikTok in 2023. That was where I found my taste for metal music. While this album was released in May of this year, I won’t be surprised if Sleep Token makes its way to the top of my Spotify Wrapped.
A mix of progressive metal, pop, and even R&B, it quickly captured my attention. With fantasy world-building, clever usage of metaphors and precise drumming, it’s addictive to listen to. I can’t think of any bands that offer all three of those qualities.
One thing I enjoy about the band is how they focus on the music. The band members remain anonymous. In their song “Caramel,” the frontman references how difficult it is not to reveal his identity when so-called “fans” have shown up at his house. He writes how he’s “terrified to answer [his] own front door.” I appreciate how music is the focus, and I don’t mind not knowing anything about the band members. I prefer to keep it that way because the music is the most important part.
It’s hard to pick a favorite song when I don’t skip any of them, but one of my favorite lyrics on the album is from the title track, “Even in Arcadia.”
“Come now, swing wide those gates/’cause I have paid my penance kindly when in time for judgment day.”
One of my favorite parts of Sleep Token’s songs is their use of metaphors and non-literal lyrics. It makes the song much more interesting when I have to dissect the words in order to understand the song.
I can’t say often that I don’t like a Sleep Token song. “Damocles” is a rare departure from my liking of the artist. The song talks about how Vessel, the lead singer, is concerned that his music will only be relevant for a short time and then he will be forgotten. I don’t think he has to worry about that because Sleep Token has carved out a niche in metal music that’s hard to find elsewhere.
The song “Provider” was a surprise when I first listened to it. The whole song is in the R&B genre. This isn’t new, but I didn’t expect the entire song to be R&B. At the end of “The Summoning” from their first album Take Me Back to Eden, the tone shifts from metal to a funk/R&B vibe. I like that the band has experimented with their sound instead of being chained to one type of song.
Even In Arcadia is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services.
