Complete with saxophone accompaniments? Is that even metal?

… Are they allowed to do that?

By JC Apthorpe

Spin One

Hmm… Ok…. Yep… That’s Cool… Wait, What?….Wow….

Just some of the phrases rolling around in my brain during side I of Even in Arcadia by Sleep Token.

How’s that for some incoherent first impressions?

JC Apthorpe? More like JC Wordsmith! Right?..

Anyway…

I didn’t really know much about Sleep Token before buying Even in Arcadia. Except for the enormous hype around this band’s fourth album. But right from taking off the shrink wrap, you can tell this band has an identity. They know their brand and they sure do execute it well.

The tri-fold sleeve is beautiful, and there is not one part of this cover that hasn’t been carefully considered (such as the photo of the inner cover in the photo below). It’s a real ancient fantasy vibe. George RR Martin or J.R.R Tolkien “esk”.

It also includes a poster of what appears to be a Sleep Token coat of arms on either side (I assume coat of arms, I don’t really know anything about the lore of Sleep Token)

The poster is super cool, but I always find posters included with records kind of annoying because there is always folds through them.

Mind you, 15 year old me wouldn’t give that a moment’s thought and would of blue tac’d that poster right on the wall next to that poster of a massive wave I’d be too scared to surf and that bikini model of would have been WAY too scared to talk too.

A Golden marble disc greeted me inside each sleeve, almost 3D. Like a surging golden ocean which is a perfect way to cap off this gateway into what lies along these tiny golden grooves.

Spin Two

The First 30 seconds of the album & song “Look to Windward” hits me a haunted game boy. 

Synth arpeggios turn into string sections constantly moving, slowly building. Then it hits! The big metal riff! Ah! They are a metal band. But is this a metal album? Huge metal drums blend into trap beats with big Pop vibes back into beautiful solo piano, BACK into big metal riffs again. These guitars are so tight, perfectly in sync, down tuned and glorious. More piano. No wait. Big riffs again. Ok, now back to the game boy tones.

This is genre blending at its best. Sleep Token, you have my full attention.

Look to Windward sets you up for the rest of the album. Like me, if you didn’t know what you were getting yourself into before you pushed play. You do now. 

Emergence, the album’s first single. Starts with that great sounding piano again *chefs kiss* backed by what sounds to be a 12 string acoustic guitar. Into a swirling dance inspired build up. I am aware that this reads more like horse racing commentary more than my thoughts on this album. But I need you to know how I felt, you just do not know what you will hear next, and I’m barely into song two!

The other stand out of Emergence is the drum n bass, almost off time beats that take a second for my brain to catch-up and by the time I do that huge wall of guitar kicks back in.

This song is a great example of the blending. You get metal then the piano kicks back in over the still metal drums before they drop out to leave your ears with smooth jazz, complete with saxophone accompaniments.

The “poppiest” of the tunes, Past Self by no means feels out of place after being set up by the previous two songs.

The 12 string guitar starts Dangerous and side II of “Even in Arcadia”, fading to a synth bass line. They orchestrate instruments like a producer would, things like simple keyboard patterns to accompany the vocals at times, and the more you listen, the more you hear additional subtle instruments and sounds.

The Lullaby intro, to Caramel the band’s second single before “Even in Arcadia’s” full release sounds uplifting, with triumphant melodies through the chorus. I can see why this was one of the singles. It’s almost like “Sleep Token” wanted to lull the listener into this song as with parts that would not sound out of place in an Ed Sheeran banger, before the bridge comes in like a sledgehammer with some of the heaviest riffs on the album so far!

The title track Even in Arcadia Is almost lullaby-like, once more before introducing rain and piano with a beautiful warble sound to the keys. Giving it a vintage sound like you’re listing to a vinyl record. Wait, I am listening to the vinyl record…

*picks up phone and listens to Even in Arcadia real quick on Spotify to check that’s it not just my copy on vinyl*

Yep, it’s intentional and sounds fantastic. A real mood setter.  From there reverb soaked synth gives you all the 90s nostalgia you didn’t expect but are glad to hear it. 

Violin? How many people are in this band?!

After a quick Google, it turns out two.

Vessel (Vocals and Keys) and II (Drummer & Percussion) credited for songwriting and are primarily responsible for the studio recordings.

But they do have more friends for their live shows. III (Bass), IV (guitar/ backing vocals) and Espera (a person or sometimes group, providing backing vocals). 

Even in Arcadia Fades out to more vinyl record sounds.

The church organ intro in Provider is soulful. The more I hear Sleep Token’s verses the more I’m thinking it’s a 90s sci-fi action movie. Again, not a bad thing and when this song hits the heavy, it’s that wall of sound experience I’m really starting to wait for. There is so much dynamic range to these songs.

Sleep Token swings between light and shade, quicker than a child with its hand on nan’s bed side lamp on/off switch.

More pop piano sunshine coming through on the track Damocles, just to give you 4.25 minutes of reprieve from all the musical information Sleep Token have loaded us with thus far. Even the heavy parts of this song feels light, comparatively to the rest of the album.

The guitars are tight, and the drummer (II) shows they’re not just a timekeeper through the end of this song, belting out some very impressive fills. In fact, big props to the drummer in general on this album. Simple when required, big octopus (many arms) fills when appropriate.

The funky tech prog style grooves are back once the band kicks in on Gethsemane, before Nu metal style riffs hit. Again, just so tight. This song shows you another place this band and album can take you.

Could they just go from heavy music straight back into trap beats and Pop music?

Yep.

Would that alone be enough to make this album good?

Yep.

But Sleep Token wasn’t aiming for good. They went for great. They let their songs breathe. They allow the melodies to have space.

They leave little sounds, fills, and different instrumental bits in between to further blend and cement their mission statement.

Infinite Baths is the first (and I believe only) time I’m hearing hand claps on this album, like you would expect from the outro song in a musical when the whole cast comes back to celebrate their performance.

The reverb again sends you on a journey from the big heavy back to the infiniteness of this song. In almost (or maybe an intentional) nod to the band Pink Floyd. 

Then just like that, the spongy reverb disappears and Sleep Token knuckles down to remind you why they have been classified by the masses as a metal band, as they proceed into the heaviest music of this entire endeavour. 

and

IT.IS.GLORIOUS

As the metal and the album fades out to a close. I feel myself wanting to hang onto the music as it gets quieter, just so I can listen to, and discover more from this Sleep Token band for a little while longer.

Spin Three

Within side I, (the first three tracks) of Even in Arcadia, Vessel gives you a full palette of their vocal range and stylings.

“Will you halt this eclipse in me”. the repetitive line used throughout the album opener Look to Windward as sort of a repeating melody more than a song lyric. Throughout this album Sleep Token uses repetitive lyrics as if the voice is just another instrument/ another texture.

Vessel’s voice is on full display in this opener, from the soft woody texture of his main voice before soaring into flying falsetto to accompany the beautiful piano work.

This flows into the next two songs Emergence & Past Self nicely. The first time the band shows you their pop/ more mainstream side (the side causing all the controversy). With some faster paced, bordering on rap style lyrics, and, if you’re going to broaden your audience. Why wouldn’t you put out one of your more pop offerings as your first single? “Go and put your arms around me” again using that reparative vocal in Emergence. 

I would say they repeat sections more than they use a more standard chorus throughout this album.

Hunting and airy vocals start side II of “Even in Arcadia” with the beautiful line in Dangerous “You’ve got me talking in my sleep, as if you’re concurring my dreams”. This song in general, really highlights Vessel’s song writing abilities.

When I first heard Caramel as a single before the album was released.

You know what? 

I didn’t love it.

I couldn’t get past the tone of Vessel’s voice. It’s almost has this somber yawn quality. And it is a quality. I just didn’t hear it at first. 

I didn’t get it. 

I needed the full album to let my ears adjust. The back end of Caramel has some brutal backing vocals accompanying the lead vocal that sits subtly in the background, sitting in with the common theme of the voice as a texture. I kind of wish the screamy stuff was more prominent, however, I can totally see why they mixed it in this way.

The theme of Caramel seems to be centered around the band itself, a song about the bands attempt to juggle their ever escalating fame. “They ask me, Is it goin’ good in the garden? Say, I’m lost, but I beg no pardon” and
“I try not to talk about how it’s harder now“.

With other line seeming to reference the bands real identities being leaked on the internet.
“Every time they try to shout my real name just to get a rise from me,
Acting like I’m never stressed out by the hearsay,
I guess that’s what I get for tryna hide in the limelight,
Guess that’s what I get for having 20/20 hindsight.”

Even in Arcadia (the song not the album the song is on…) Is somber but powerful. I get the feeling this song is about the fall of civilisation. I love the line,

“Turns out the gods we thought were dying were just sharping their blades”.

As if to say, that we have not been left unsupervised to destroy this planet, but that the gods have merely turned their backs on us, because we are destroying this world. And will be back soon enough to inflict vengeance for what we have done.

That really is the beauty of music. A lot of the time, it will give you just enough of the building blocks to piece together your own narrative. That’s what makes music so personal.

Side III (record two) starts with Provider, and we can’t move past it without mentioning the sexy, seductive way these vocals start and flow through the entire song. With one of the opening lines “garner you with silk like a spider” and finishing with the repeated line “I can give you what you want”.

Self-doubt surrounds the song Damocles like a thick soup, (pumpkin perhaps). “What if the diamond days are all gone” maybe also tapping into that through line of the fall of man, laid out in the title track Even in Arcadia with the statement “And who will I be when the empire falls? Wake up alone and I’ll be forgotten”.

Side IV

Vessel’s beautiful falsetto greets my ears at the start of Gethsemane which is to me, a breakup song. 

Kind of a, you left me and know I’m angry I ever loved you, song. 

“I’m caught up in the person I tried to turn myself into for you”

But still has a hint of, I kind still maybe would take you back maybe? If you still wanted me maybe?

…You know what I mean.

For me, Infant baths, the closing song on this album, is an album by itself. 

The first half feels triumphant. Ascending to the finish line of this album. “Infant baths, bursting colours when you laugh. Well, I have fought so long to be here, I am never going back”

Folks. We made it!

Or so I thought…

Then the bridge kicks in… and kicks butt.

The screaming begins and pulls you back down into the abyss that the first half of this song was pulling you out of. “You will drown in an endless sea, if it’s blood you want from me, you can empty my arteries”

With some of the final screamed lyrics 

“Will you halt this eclipse in me?” 

Bring us full circle, as this is the same line repeatedly sung (beautifully I might add) in the album’s opening track Look to Windward.

When you think about it. 

It is the perfect way to end Even in Arcadia, because it sets up the start of the album again, creating an infant loop. 

Or an Infant Bath is this case.

Spin Four

Everything about this album feels considered. Not just the artwork.

It’s not a 70’s rock album by a couple of guys in a studio that knock out a bunch of songs over a weekend. 

It’s meticulous. 

It seems as though at every point, Sleep Token stopped to think, should this section lead straight into the next? Or should we stop, and let the song breathe?

Then they add another instrument/ loop that will further strengthen the song and set up the listener to be ready and accepting of what is about to come.

Of course, I am only speculating, but that is how it feels to me.

Honestly, I tend to stray from music that is too over produced. 

I love the idea of a room of people banging out a whole album over a weekend, warts and all, and I am by no means saying that “Even in Arcadia” is over produced. 

But it has been produced. It has been considered. In the most amazing way.

The producer/s, certainly deserve credit as well.

According to Wikipedia – Carl Bown was the main producer on this “Even in Arcadia” and also mixed the album. With additional production by Adam “Nolly” Getgood (no stranger to anyone in the Djent scene) with the mastering undertaken by Ste Kerry.

So, 

Is this a metal album?

No, I don’t think so.

Is “Even in Arcadia” a pop album?

Probably. 

As in it is an album that is popular and reaches far more than one group/ genre of people.

Wikipedia says “Even in Arcadia has been described as alternative metal, djent, pop, R&B, progressive metal, pop rap, trap, and metalcore, with elements of math rock, emo, arena rock, trip hop, electronic, and reggaeton.”

Does it matter?

No, absolutely not.

Before “Even in Arcadia” I’d given one or two Sleep Token songs a couple of plays.

Didn’t really like it. 

I didn’t get it.

I do now. 

Now I have ingested an entire album. I see why people love this band. 

I get it, when something you find truly special is found by the populous. It can sometimes feel like it dilutes how special it feels to you. That’s your special thing. 

I myself have been guilty of this many times in my life, especially in my late teens/ early twenties when 2000’s skater punk defined my entire being. (I’m nearly 40 and I still feel most comfortable when my socks grow out of my vans to meet my long shorts somewhere in the middle of my legs).

But I think Sleep Token’s new(ish)ly found popularity in the mainstream is something to be celebrated.

If you’ve loved them for years, that’s awesome. 

If, like me. You are new to the Sleep Token party. That’s awesome too.

If you truly love/d this band, be happy that others are discovering the magic that you already found.

Let’s be happy in the mainstream finding something original.

Mainstream, Metal, Pop or Whatever. Sleep Token’s “Even in Arcadia” is a magical album in so many different ways.