Sleep Token - 'Even In Arcadia' - Album Review

BACKGROUND. Sleep Token transitioned from underground cult heroes to global sensation almost in an instant, confidently and deservedly becoming one of the most influential bands across the modern metal scene. British heavy outfits are well known not only for setting the current trends but for actively exploring other cross-genre territories beyond their comfort zone. However, with the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Architects arguably having reached the peak, and others like While She Sleeps, Bury Tomorrow and Bleed From Within bossing their specific scenes, someone had to lead the new charge into the unknown, and Sleep Token stepped up in remarkable fashion. Now, exactly two years since their last offering, the enigmatic act ascend the alternative music throne with their grandest and boldest album to date Even In Arcadia.

BAND. Since that game-changing 'Alkaline'  premiere, it took all but three albums in less than four years for the mysterious Vessel and his cryptic sidekicks to reach the top of the world of universal critical acclaim and sellout arena tours, and judging by their latest LP, they won't be going anywhere. For all the primal charm of This Place Will Become Your Tomb (2021) and uncanny allure of Take Me Back To Eden (2023), their fresh fourth official album elevates the entire production to a whole new level, from the bizarre and the mystical all the way to the ominous and the sinister. Somehow preserving the entire act without letting it turn into off-putting cringe, and against all criticism and theory-crafring, Sleep Token emerge more focused and direct than ever to extend their reach and influence even further, way beyond genre limitations and fan expectations.

ALBUM. Even In Arcadia is a true modern-day Renaissance magnum opus, with all its innate obsession with symbolism and mythological metaphors, flirting with religious devotion whilst delving into the forbidden realms of occultism, all those intricate spiritual puzzles and codes, wrapped in pristine studio production, heavy editing and electronic ambiance. Boiling all member conspiracies, band comparisons and audience criticism into high-octane artistic fuel, Sleep Token present a milestone record, monumental in scope, design and execution. It is a career-defining moment that is bound to leave a lasting mark at the history of the scene, maybe even of the music industry in general, an event for the ages and for the generations to come.

SONGS. The three main promo tracks - the trademark lead soul-clencher 'Emergence', the jaw-dropping chart-topper 'Caramel' and the hauntingly introspective 'Democles', painted a very clear picture of what Even In Arcadia is going to be. However, like a true Da Vinci masterpiece, there are layers within layers, deep symbolism and hidden messages, fine nuances and intricate ornamentation. It is a record of extremes, from the solemn intro 'Look to Windward' to the cinematic end-of-the-world closure 'Infinite Baths', from the chilled 'Past Self', delicate 'Provider', and dreamy 'Even In Arcadia' to the gloomy 'Dangerous' and volatile 'Gethsemane'. And it is all delivered with that trademark Sleep Token style, aura, and precision, the extreme brand that keeps redefining the game to their liking.

FUTURE. Much like last time, everyone is in meltdown - media, critics, fans, everyone. The adoration, the hatred, all extreme reactions befitting such significant act and such release. Even In Arcadia should please Sleep Token's most devout cult fanstics as much as the average sexy, jazzy, smooth-af alt-metal enjoyer, but it will also attract new fans into the mix for a fittingly weird and increasingly diverse crowd mix. The record certainly marks a key moment for the band, but the future is as unclear as their mystical nature. At some point, masks will fall and paint will wash away, revealing the visionaries behind one of the most important metal bands of the 2020s, entering a whole new era, but until then, we are left with the mezmerizing cypher that are Sleep Token and their deeply infectious Even In Arcadia.

END. Even In Arcadia is not the heaviest album this year, and it might even be considered heavy at all. It might also be a stretch to clasify it as metal in its conventional form, but what it is without a shread of doubt, is the most deliberate, honest, and intimate musical journey experienced in a while. At parts it leans more into pure R&B territories, at others embraces alt-pop sensibilities, but ultimately wraps it all with moody doom metal framework. The record operates masterfuly at the cross-section where the likes of Opeth, Katatonia and Deftones meet with The Weeknd and Billie Eilish, and it is a truly wonderful place to enjoy.

Sleep Token - 'Even In Arcadia'

Country: United Kingdom

Released: 9 May

Label: RCA Records

Tracklisting:

1. Look to Windward

2. Emergence

3. Past Self

4. Dangerous

5. Caramel

6. Even In Arcadia

7. Proviser

8. Democles

9. Gethsemane

10. Infunite Baths