SLEEP TOKEN

Well-Produced Emptiness

Even In Arcadia is one of those albums that, on paper, should be huge ? a mix of hip hop, R&B, trap, pop, djent, atmospheric textures, and a vocalist with a super distinctive voice. It all sounds ambitious, but the execution ends up feeling like a mash-up of the most overused elements from each genre, without that "something" to make it stand out.

From the start, the album shows its cards: smooth beats, tightly processed guitars, familiar melodies and vocal tricks. But as it goes on, the whole thing starts to drag. I honestly struggled to finish it. Not because it's "bad", but because it just feels empty. There's a constant emotional disconnect, a lack of soul ? especially compared to the last record, where every song felt like a personal confession.

Vessel is still a talented performer, no doubt, but here his vocals fall into the same patterns ? melodically and lyrically. The autotune and heavy vocal processing don't help either. Instead of adding emotion, they end up hiding it. And it's not like autotune is the enemy ? when used intentionally, it can actually work ? but here it feels more like a stylistic crutch than a creative choice that gives weight to the music.

There are moments ? some instrumental bits, cool harmonies, nice vocal lines ? where you feel like something great could happen. But it doesn't. The ideas just float there, unresolved and undeveloped. They get lost in predictable song structures or get buried under layers of production that don't let the music breathe.

The lyrics, meanwhile, aim for something honest and personal, but too often end up sounding like a string of social-media-ready one-liners. It feels more preachy than cathartic, and doesn't really connect with the music in a meaningful way.

Even In Arcadia isn't a trainwreck, but it is a letdown. A collection of nice little fragments with no clear direction, watered down. It tried to do too much, but in the end, it leaves you with almost nothing.

Music: ★

Lyrics: ★★

Execution: ★★★

Emotion: ★

Production: ★★★★

Artwork: ★

Average: ★★

Even In Arcadia by Sleep Token is a great move into more mainstream territory for the mysterious project. The rollout of singles on this album and the campaigning was perfect, but when it comes to the finished project, it does start to verve into predictable song formats. But while the ending does show more experimenting promise, the real clincher of this album is the production, performances and lyrics. While not overall being a thrill ride, the quality of material is fantastic with great creative choices throughout with pristine glimmer. On this album Vessel is more comfortable with his own voice, possibly linking to the concepts and themes, overall creating a great almost cinematic narrative. Great mix of styles proving that these guys deserve the attention that they have been currently getting. Lyrically the album is perfect, with great use of language and imagery. While not as grabbing as their previous album, this is still a great follow up and by far no slouch. I'd give this a low to mid 8 out of 10.

Sleep Token are among the interesting new British metal bands that have been able to break into the mainstream and take full advantage of it, in a good sense. Following the example of other masked acts such as Slipknot or Ghost, Sleep Token have protected their identities while setting for monikers instead, allowing the listeners to focus on the lore and the music around them. Their third and most successful album to date is 'Take Me Back to Eden', a release that completes a thematic trilogy that has been running through the band's albums since their establishment. Musically one might get an initial impression that this album is a hodgepodge of styles, despite expectations that the albums would be heavily influenced by metalcore, djent or more broadly, heavy music. There's almost none of that! The album does give an initial glimpse of a heavier sound, one that can easily be attributed to metalcore or the derivative sub-genres but the majority of the record has a very straightforward R&B and pop sound, with occasional trap beats, elements of hip hop with heavy guitars and occasional screams sprinkled here and there.

The production on the album is actually quite good, even if it is not clear whether Sleep Token have the desire to be a modern metal band or a crossover pop act, very often the lush production and mellow lyrical content hint of a very accessible and finely conceived pop album with rock instrumentation. The heavier moments on the album, the ones that actually showcase the band's metal roots are to be heard on the opening track, on the fabulous 'The Summoning', a very well-crafted track with irresistible pop hooks in the final section as well as 'Vore', which is quite visceral and unhinged. Most of what is left (which amounts to some 70% of the album) is really forgettable and unadventurous, it lacks that heavy edge and actually approaches straightforward 2010s-inspired R&B (on questionable tracks like 'Are You Really Okay?', 'DYWTYL' and the closing track 'Euclid'). 'Take Me Back to Eden' by Sleep Token has its strengths but can generally be perceived as a confusing and often directionless mixture of incompatible styles, as one side of the album pertains to pure metalcore, another one to mellow and forgettable pop, and so on. Perhaps a clearer definition of a single, more recognizable style shall be beneficial for the band's sound.

This jaw-dropping endeavour is the third and final instalment in an enthralling trilogy and this band's magnum opus, ending a spellbinding musical journey and art project. Musically explorative, genuinely considered and expertly executed, vocally enriched with emotion and diversity, woven together with virtuosic drumming. A heady mix of artistry, modernism, timelessness, truth, fantasy, light, shade, heavy, soft, sadness, euphoria...simply put, the best album by a modern band in years. A masterpiece among the current music scene and in its own right unique and integral. Inherently vital music that reaches depths seldom achieved. From the sheer density of heavy hitters The Summoning & Vore to the linear pop of DYWTYLM to retro classic tones in Are You Really Okay? the music weaves and winds through genres within singular songs that could be calling cards from several different Artists yet they remain somehow coherent within the context of their own masterfully conceived story. Then come the unchartered (or oft unsuccessful) paths most bands wouldn't dare tread, sliding effortlessly in and out of R&B, electronic and synthwave with ease (check Granite and Aqua Regia), only to then present us with Rain & The Apparition, both of which could be highlight songs on any big hitting rock/metal band's best output....yet the crushingly epic album behemoths Ascensionism and title track TBMTE show that Sleep Token have so much creativity in their cannon they transcend individual hits, having crafted an altogether game-changing album. The band's mastermind 'Vessel' (who, rather amazingly, plays everything on this record other than the stunning drumming of 'II') has outdone himself. The usual 'skies the limit' quality of musicianship from sublime piano and gentle falsetto, to mind-blowing vocal intensity and instrumentation is evident in droves, only this time around the song writing and arrangements are from somewhere inspired to the point of otherworldly, laden with heartbreak and loss, exhilarating and devastating all at once, at times it's downright danceable, how they did it, the mind boggles. Those looking for a one-trick-pony ride will not find answers here. Those seeking the most unexpected and rewarding journey imaginable will discover liquid gold. The highest of all possible praises go to this artistic goliath of pain and pure beauty. Worship.