Sleep Token, “Even In Arcadia.”

U.K. rock band Sleep Token has become quite the polarizing force in heavy music.

British rockers Sleep Token have become quite the polarizing force in the realm of heavy music. The band, known for its anonymous members, cryptic lyrics and dramatic live shows, have seen their fourth full-length record, "Even In Arcadia," generate a buzz among fans and critics alike.

The 10-song collection is set to arrive on May 9 via Sleep Token and RCA Records. It's an album that presents a hearty dose of risk and ambition, sure to be a topic of conversation among music lovers.

The material on "Even In Arcadia" is weighty, with several tracks approaching the six-minute mark. Opener "Look to Windward" begins with an 8-bit-style synth intro, setting the stage for a stark and atmospheric soundscape. As the signature deep warble of vocalist Vessel enters, strings provide tension in the background.

The song gradually builds, finally exploding into a punishing guitar-driven attack fueled by down-tuned riffs and complex drumming patterns. But just as quickly as it escalates, everything falls away, leaving a pop loop that serves as a coda.

"Emergence" offers a strong follow-up, fusing dynamic hard rock with a keen sense of infectious melody and power. The band pushes the music in the opposite direction on "Past Self." Clocking in at a brief three-and-a-half minutes, the song has a surprisingly conventional pop structure.

Heavy guitar riffs and thunderous drumming are replaced by programmed beats, while Vessel delivers a vocal with soulful restraint. Together, the elements create a sonic landscape that feels both familiar and new.

"Dangerous" bridges this Jekyll-and-Hyde style, with moody alt-pop giving way to dramatic hard rock. Sleep Token also tackles its own fame and the positives and negatives of having a hyper-engaged fan base on "Caramel."

Sleep Token fans have come under fire for attempting to dox the identities of the anonymous band members, going so far as to track down their birth certificates. While the facts of the matter are disputed, the saga only fed the legend of the band.

"Up on the dice, but low on the cards / I try not to talk about how it’s harder now / Can I get a mirror side-stage / Looking sideways at my own visage getting worse," the frontman sings.

"Provider" also offers a heavy-to-soft whiplash effect, cramming hard rock with slick pop and quiet balladry. Unlike some of the earlier songs, this one doesn't feel like it warrants the drawn-out style. "Gethsemane" takes on a similar emotional and musical rollercoaster.

The title track is a mostly piano-driven song with electronic accents. Vessel brings a slightly different texture to his vocal performance, adding a blues-styled tone. Mid-tempo rocker "Damocles" works ironically well as a pop track with memorable hooks and infectious melodies.

Vessel seems to take aim at his own stardom with a self-deprecating tone.

"Well I know I should be touring / I know these chords are boring / But I can’t always be killing the game," he sings.

The album closes on its most ambitious entry with sweeping opus "Infinite Baths," which at eight minutes journeys from an intimate and quiet introduction to a chaotic conclusion and Vessel screaming over a fiery assault.

"Even In Arcadia" presents a complicated equation. Fans of the band's heavier side may find those moments too few and far between. Instead there’s a broader range. But even if the record's aims are too lofty, the strength in the songwriting and musicianship ultimately win out. The debate won't die down anytime soon, and that might be the shot in the arm that the heavy rock world needs.