I will be the first to admit – the Sleep Token record was not what it seemed. At first glance, it seemed like Sleep Token had fallen from grace. Singles like "Caramel" and "Damocles" made the record out to be something it kind of wasn't, it was deceptive, almost. But, to some, it definitely will be the record they hop off the Sleep Token train at.
A further exploration of what is a pretty progressive sound, Sleep Token bottled up metal into an even more digestible form, and has the potential to serve it to masses. Definitely straying to the more pop side of things, incorporating elements of jazz, hip-hop, trap, blues, even country into the mix, it's surprisingly palatable.
But, in terms of the band's metal influences, the introduction track, "Look To Windward" redeemed the two lackluster singles pretty quickly. Cinematic beyond belief, Sleep Token is backed by orchestration and melodies emerging from within chugging riffs – the first song alone is almost 8 minutes long.
And I'm not the only one having either an epiphany, or orgasm, to Sleep Token in the past week. Sleep Token achieved their first ever #1 album in the UK for Even in Arcadia, and is expected to debut at #1 in the US with over 120,000 units. The band also achieved their first ever ARIA #1 album in Australia with this record, and also went #1 in Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, and Scotland.
Regardless of opinions, this is a massive feat for any metal band. Whether it's desensitizing the public to the colour black and a couple of chugging riffs or simply resonating with more people as our peripherals crumble to bits, we won't question it. #1 is #1.
Congratulations, Sleep Token.
The band will be embarking on their sold-out US arena tour later this year. You can check out dates below.
September 16th – Duluth, GA @ Gas South Arena
September 17th – Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
September 19th – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life
September 20th – Greensboro, NC @ First Horizon Coliseum
September 22nd – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
September 23rd – Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
September 24th – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
September 26th – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
September 27th – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Arena
September 28th – Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
September 30th – Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena
October 1st – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
October 3rd – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
October 5th – West Valley City, UT @ Maverik Center
October 7th – Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
October 8th – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
October 10th – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
October 11th – Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.Crypto.com Arena
