SLEEP TOKEN - “Even In Arcadia”
Written by: Tom Wilson | Thursday 8th May 2025
Well, here we are. One of the most anticipated albums of the year is about to drop into the hands of the faithful, and the famously intense SLEEP TOKEN fans are finally going to see the follow up to 2023’s Take Me Back to Eden. But was it worth the wait?
Look to Windward begins with Vessel crooning over a synth that wouldn’t be out of place on a TEAM SLEEP record, slowly building and building, bringing in vast soundscapes and strings, before the hammer is finally dropped, and a down-tuned guitar the size of planet comes crashing down on our heads. Emergence is built around an R&B-style chorus that wouldn’t have been out of place on a Kendrick Lamar album, Vessel warbling over a trap beat before the guitars flex their muscles, and his voice unfurls into the heavens. Past Self sees him laying down some vulnerable sounding bars over a skittering beat, talking about moving on in life with stark honesty (as hard as it might be to judge honesty in a band that loves secrets). Dangerous sees another vocal soaring over a malevolent-sounding beat, slowly building and building, taking a detour through trap territory before the guitars drop like an anvil. Caramel feels surprisingly heartfelt, with a dynamic vocal delivery laid over an intricate beat and a chunky guitar backing up the chorus, before the third act sees them shake the ground with a blackgaze-style scream and double-kick.
Title track Even in Arcadia opens with a tinkering piano and Vessel’s signature croon, and a lonely violin swells behind him before trailing off into the silence. Provider sees Vessel hammering the keys of an organ, before a sick trap beat rises up and takes us on a journey following his melody before the guitars finally assert themselves after the fourth minute. Anyone reading this has already devoured it as a single so talking about it seems almost irrelevant, but Damocles is another romantic-sounding piano ballad with the signature SLEEP TOKEN late burst of guitar. Gethsemane sees them move into ANIMALS AS LEADERS and POLYPHIA territory, with an intricate fret workout dancing atop polyrhythmic drumming, and the djent-y rhythms build and build before the album makes another shift into trap and R&B territory. Lastly, Infinite Baths sees Vessel’s croon opening up into one of his best vocal performances on the whole record, and patient headbangers are rewarded when the sky cracks open five minutes in and a guitar riff comes in that will give HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH fans goosebumps. It sounds like the end of the world, but heavier.
For all that is made of the mythology surrounding SLEEP TOKEN, this isn’t the Marvel Cinematic Universe. You don’t need to do your homework to enjoy this record (although I’m sure it only makes it better!) While it never quite matches the stunning opening track, Even in Arcadia is a rock-solid piece of work that deserves the praise that worshippers will be heaping on it. It sounds like a million bucks, and it’s going to send fans into hysterics. No one should be sleeping on this.
Even in Arcadia releases on May 9th on RCA. Order here.
