1	CHOKEHOLD
2	THE SUMMONING
3	GRANITE
4	AQUA REGIA
5	VORE
6	ASCENSIONISM
7	ARE YOU REALLY OKAY
8	THE APPARITION
9	DYWTYLM
10	RAIN
11	TAKE ME BACK TO EDEN
12	EUCLID

Sleep Token

Take Me Back To Eden

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Genre: Melodic Metal.
Released: 19/05/2023
Via Spinefarm

Album Review: Sleep Token – Take Me Back To Eden

If you’ve been active in the rock and metal scene over the past year then there is a pretty good chance you’ve heard of Sleep Token. This band seem to go viral with each single they release as of late, as their unique and different sound has a real knack to shock and delight people around the scene. Their new album ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ has quickly become the band’s most anticipated release to date and I just had to see what all the fuss is about. Here are my thought’s on the new record!

Eerily and mysterious is how the album opens. ‘Chokehold’ does a great job of introducing listeners to the ever-changing sound of Sleep Token, as Vessel’s vocals dominate over a distorted synth bassline. The song slowly develops into more of a heavy trace vibe as distorted guitars blend with a contrasting heavenly melody. If you expected things to stay in one lane, this may not be the album for you as ‘The Summoning’ expertly navigates the wild genre seas. Mixing heavy with mellow and even adding a bit of “seduction” into the fray in the later part of the track. This song could easily be mistaken for three different tracks however it flows smoothly and with purpose.

Continuing the mystery is ‘Granite’. An elegant opening is soothing on the ears as the harmonized vocals feel angelic and true. The song continues in this manner for the most part up until the last minute as a hellish breakdown disrupts the heavenly peace in an oddly cathartic way. One of the more danceable tracks on the album comes in the form of ‘Aqua Regia’. A basic pop beat layered with a synth and piano instrumental makes for a soothing experience. It’s one of those songs that is probably perfect for a romantic night in a hotel room if you catch my drift!

Just remember, if you do use that track for romantic times to not have the album playing through naturally as ‘Vore’ comes storming in as one of Sleep Tokens’ heaviest songs to date! A gut-wrenching scream that sounds quite unlike anything we’ve heard from the band before is introduced along a behemoth of a track. If you’re a mosher, this will probably be the song for you. Returning to a more calming atmosphere is ‘Ascensionism’. It opens with a softly played piano passage before Vessel enters with a soothing vocal performance that calms the tides of the raging storm created by ‘Vore’. Until a short yet impactful breakdown comes out of nowhere to disrupt the flow once again. The ungodly scream can be heard throughout this section before the song suddenly changes back to the soothing sound of the vocals and piano.

With a name like ‘Are You Really Okay’ I must admit I was surprised at the fact the song didn’t have a drastic change in pace. It’s another track that opens in a mellow manner however even as the song builds up, it remains surprisingly calming and natural. The album up to this point has been such a rollercoaster that I’m shocked I haven’t been ambushed by a random breakdown or scream! This more fragile side of Vessel remains on display during ‘The Apparition’ as his vocals are once again the main focus of the song. His words are complimented by the intricate instrumental making for a unique and immersive listen.

Up next is one of those songs that I think will be very controversial. ‘DYWTYLM’ is an extremely poppy track that feels quite oddly placed in my opinion. Sleep Token is known for breaking all sorts of genre barriers and part of me isn’t surprised they have ended up with a song like this, however I do think it’s the weakest track on the album by a long way! Thankfully, this style doesn’t stay for long as ‘Rain’ returns to a more expected sound. Mixing mellow and heavy once more, this song’s real claim to fame has to be its use of harmonies. Something about the way this song progresses makes it feel larger than life at times.

As the album nears its conclusion, ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ chucks a bunch of different emotions and feelings at the listener. The nearly 8-and-a-half-minute song has so many turns and changes throughout that it seems to tell its own story. Like ‘The Summoning’, parts of this track could be mistaken for completely different songs however it ties together nicely and despite being the longest track on the album, it flies by. Closing out the record is ‘Euclid’ which returns to a piano-centred track before reintroducing a more melodic metal backing track that feels like it belongs in the end credit scene of a movie. Not a bad way to finish an album!

Sleep Token is one of the most unique bands in the alternative music scene to date. No one out there is doing what they do, and I doubt anyone could do it as well as they do! People are talking about finding a diamond in the rough however I would describe this as finding an entire diamond mine in the middle of a desolate canyon! The elegance mix with pure chaos at times is something that is extremely hard to balance however Sleep Token have mastered it at this point.