‘…a record that is composed of both incredible highs, and lows that make for very noticeable blots on an otherwise excellent discography…’
Sleep Token. Two words that cause so much conflict. Some view them as the death of metal, the Imagine Dragons of alternative, the sound of TikTok manifest. Others view them as the most exciting thing since Black Sabbath dropped ‘Paranoid’ back in 1970. Regardless, their impact is undeniable; sold out arena tours across the globe, a chart topping record, and a headlining slot at Download places them firmly in the category of modern legends.
Their last record, ‘Take Me Back To Eden’, scored a 100/100 score here. Tying up the narrative of a cyclical, destructive relationship that the band’s first two records had explored, it was a masterpiece in pushing metal to its very limits; not since Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘That’s The Spirit’ had the gates to the alternative scene been flung so widely open to the masses, and for the health of the scene, that is predominantly a good thing.
From the viral funk breakdown of ‘The Summoning’, to the charged ballad of ‘Euclid’, it was a record produced by a band that had perfected their craft. It also made the appearance of their most recent record all the more surprising; only two years on from this major achievement, the masked metallers are back with a brand new record. It’s their biggest, boldest, and most flawed effort to date.
‘Even In Arcadia’ feels like a band caught between reinvention and retreading old ground, which perhaps unintentionally captures the album’s themes perfectly; even in paradise, you cannot escape unresolved traumas. The glory of fame can only provide Vessel with so much, and may only embolden his demons. This leads to some of the band’s best work to date, letting the listener truly understand the man behind the mask, and some of their choppiest and formulaic work, seemingly constructed to those who just want more Sleep Token.
‘Dangerous’ packs a punchy vocal performance, but is let down by a dreadfully uninspired instrumental that feels less like a Sleep Token original, and more like a Sleep Token cover. ‘Look To Windward’ has a beautiful piano led bridge into the final climax, but is inconsistent in its identity, leaping from one idea to the next with no clear purpose. It is as if the band mashed together several decent ideas from the cutting room floor in the hopes of producing something grandiose. Furthermore, the ‘Will you halt this eclipse in me?’ line is repeated in a manner that is intended to impart importance, but is done to the point of irritation; it feels wholly disingenuous, as opposed to artistically striking.
‘Gethsemane’ features an absolutely brilliant math-rock styled verse that features some of II’s best ever drumming, before transitioning unexpectedly into a trap climax that is little more than just decent; it feels like a jarring step backwards from the electrifying creative energy that the track presents with, and bleeds out any momentum that the track had developed. ‘Provider’ keeps the instrumental fairly simple, with a moody and sensual beat that sweeps the listener up in its glossy groove. Furthermore, the track’s concept of giving up the pretences of resisting temptation should lend itself perfectly to Vessel’s songwriting. However, between rhyming ‘ICU’ with ‘I see you’ in the second verse might be one of the worst things Sleep Token have ever written, and the choruses aren’t too far behind either.
It is, undoubtedly, Sleep Token’s worst record to date, too often composed of ideas that almost definitely feel as though they were cast offs from their writing for ‘Take Me Back To Eden’, or perhaps even simply written to capitalise on the hype that record generated. Thankfully, that is not where the story ends for this record, because beneath the murky, manufactured djent-pop surface there is a wealth of surprisingly beautifully musicianship to behold.
‘Even In Arcadia’ is at its best when Vessel is at his most introspective, writing about the cost of fame and fortune, and taking shots at Sleep Token’s infamously rabid fanbase. ‘Caramel’ is easily the highlight of the album, with its confessional lyricism, devilishly infectious melodies, and brilliantly danceable afrobeat rhythms; bars such as ‘They ask me, “Is it goin’ good in the garden?”/Say, “I’m lost, but I beg no pardon” and ‘Tell me, did I give you what you came for?/Terrified to answer my own front door’ are some of the finest, and most impactful, across the whole project. The breakdown in the climax is perhaps a little jarring, but it’s positioning after the line ‘I thought I got better/But maybe I didn’t’ almost gives it the identity of a panic attack, and is certain to resonate deeply with those who have dealt with the non-linear nature of recovery.
The album’s lead single ‘Emergence’ is totally over the top, but endearingly so. The rapped verses are certainly a little clunky, but there is a certain undeniable bombast to the instrumental that you cannot help but find gripping. The ‘Go ahead and wrap your arms around me’ hook is an undeniably cool touch, and the saxophone solo in the outro is a gorgeous choice. Title track ‘Even In Arcadia’ is a sparkling, cinematic number that feels right out of a movie trailer. The vocals from Vessel are particularly superb, and the string outro is a wonderfully melancholy touch, although one cannot help but feel this would have served better as an opening number.
‘Past Self’ is a bright, breezy number with a heavy, focused trap influence. Between the swirling vocal effects and self critical lyricism it all feels a little Bo Burnham in nature. Its simplicity allows it to shine in a sea of overwhelming ideas, and the same can be said for ‘Damocles’. Bright piano melodies collide with immense arena rock choruses, making for a surprisingly beautiful number, as Vessel ruminates on the cost of fame. Not every number needs to feature an overwhelming trap-djent odyssey; sometimes the simplest ingredients make the most soulfully satiating of songs.
The album wraps up with the progressive juggernaut that is ‘Infinite Baths’, and whilst it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as other songs in the same vein, such as ‘Take Me Back To Eden’, it does make for a thrilling conclusion. The melodic callback to ‘The Night Does Not Belong To God’ in the synth line is a gorgeous touch that fans will surely appreciate. There’s a righteous defiance to the track that makes it thoroughly compelling; this is Vessel saying that no matter the pain he faces, he shall persist. All of this concludes in an utterly rapturous breakdown that seems to suddenly reject this notion, as if this is Vessel’s imposter syndrome manifest. It’s a brilliantly apocalyptic climax that almost feels a little like a cliffhanger, far from the solid conclusion that ‘Euclid’ provided
It all ultimately leaves Sleep Token’s newest effort feeling like an enjoyable but undeniably rushed experience, with too many of the tracks feeding right into the ‘TikTok music’ critiques that are levelled at the band. If ‘Even In Arcadia’ had spent a little more time in the oven, and if we had explored a little more of Vessel’s experience with superstardom, there might have been another 100/100 record here.
In the end, what we do get is a record that is composed of both incredible highs, and lows that make for very noticeable blots on an otherwise excellent discography. Tracks such as ‘Caramel’ and ‘Infinite Baths’ thankfully make up for creative missteps such as ‘Provider’, and the record is still essential listening for anyone interested in the alternative scene. But one can only hope that the band stop and smell the roses a little more often on their otherwise constant ascension to metal godhood; a phenomenal record every two years is no longer feasible when the world is clamouring for your attention.
RATING: 79/100 – Mostly Very Good
For Fans Of: Bo Burnham, Bad Omens, Periphery, Linkin Park, Holding Absence
Physical copies of the record are available to purchase here.
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