Sleep Token's "Even In Arcadia" Revels in the Band's Core Sonic DNA While Stepping Beyond to Present a Transcendent Musical Experience

Even In Arcadia relishes in Sleep Token's core sonic DNA, while stepping out beyond to present a transcendent musical experience.

Sleep Token are masters of their craft, seamlessly blending genres and experimenting with new sounds on their upcoming album, Even In Arcadia.

The band, who are rapidly becoming one of the biggest names in the alternative scene, are known for their distinctive sonic tapestry, lyrical depth and, of course, their complete anonymity.

Having already sold out vast arenas throughout the UK and US during the past year, Sleep Token have also clocked up an impressive amount of time on the road in 2023 alone.

In March, they released their stunning new album, Take Me Back To Eden to the widespread acclaim of fans and critics alike.

Now, just a few short months later, the band are preparing to unveil a new chapter in their musical journey with Even In Arcadia.

The album sees Sleep Token venturing even further than previous albums, exploring the vast landscapes of musical adversity.

Each of the 10 tracks is a testament to the band’s core spirit, presenting a unique tapestry of genres that are nonetheless bound by a familiar lyrical thread and the resonant presence of Vessel’s voice.

Even In Arcadia is the product of a band who know their sound and aren’t afraid to break the wheel multiple times to showcase it.

Listen to the album teaser here.

Like Caramel, Past Self masks deeply seated pain in its lyrics with upbeat instrumentation. Vessel laments being “torn apart by the true believers who turned out to be vipers” over a catchy R’n’B track with an addictive drum beat, pulling back the curtain on toxicity within the fandom. Those who Worship you are also those most empowered to tear you down.

The eight-minute opening track, Look To Windward, builds to a symphonic climax before weaving through tried-and-true metal and trap moments. In between the various soundscapes, Vessel recalls that he “used to know myself, and you used to know me well.”

Dangerous leans into Sleep Token’s familiar This Place Will Become Your Tomb sound in sensual tones with an intriguing riff to back it, and what seems on the surface like an exploration of a toxic romantic relationship could just as easily be referring to the band’s fanbase once more.

The title track Even In Arcadia opens on the same music-box tones from the album’s promotional videos, unfolding into a lilting piano tune (the sheet music shared during the initial announcement). “Have you been waiting long for me?” Vessel struggles out, accompanied by a string-heavy outro that echoes like a wedding march and funeral dirge in one. It’s a haunting anthem and an absolute standout amongst the tracklist.

Provider follows with a crooning melody over church organ tones. Of all the tracks from Even in Arcadia, this one feels like the sole misstep, thanks in part to the uncharacteristically clunky lyricism. Still, in a tracklist of titans, even the weakest towers high.

Gethsemane is the most surprising track in Even in Arcadia’s genre-bending lineup. With a fleeting Swancore riff, it splices together elements that on paper might seem disjointed. There’s masterful trap beats, soaring vocals, seductive emo-rap stylings – it’s all there, and it just works, feeling all the while like The 1975.

Even in Arcadia closes with the eight-minute juggernaut Infinite Baths. It builds with cinematic patience, drifting through transcendent ambient keys and soulful textures. The song erupts into a devastating four-minute climax. Its ending is intense and unrelenting, with a brutal heavy breakdown and unclean vocals that shake you to your core.

While their penchant for switching it up might not appeal to all die-hard fans, I cannot describe the album as any less than a masterpiece filled with referential lyrics that peel back the mask ever so slightly. Sleep Token know themselves, even if the mortifying ordeal of being known is the very thing that has led them here.

Even in Arcadia is Sleep Token at their finest, but it’s also a band pushed to their absolute limit. There is beauty in paradise, but even so, darkness and pain come beckoning.

Rating: 4.5/5

Even In Arcadia is out Friday, May 9 via RCA Records.