Sleep Token – Take Me Back To Eden evaluate: A bittersweet farewell

Precise lyrical callbacks to earlier tracks reveal themselves over quite a few listens, and riffs create soundscapes that you just simply would possibly recognise from early songs. Some individuals would possibly discover these references just a little self-indulgent, however I really feel it’s a excellent remaining chapter for a band that has constructed such a cult-like following in only a few brief years.

That’s maybe the saddest a part of Take Me Back To Eden: It looks like an ending. The final treasured pages of an historical tome; the ultimate hallowed glimpse of somebody as they board a aircraft. Vessel is aware of it, as nicely (“I guess it goes to show, does it not? That we’ve no idea what we’ve got until we lose it”). Vessel is saying goodbye. I do not know if that is the tip for the band – god, I actually hope it is not – however I might see Sleep Token dropping this almost-perfect album and disappearing into the ether as soon as extra.

Euclid provides me hope, although. The Elton John-esque nearer is drenched in vocal trills, vocoder options and piano explorations that carry the report to an exquisite, wondrous conclusion. Vessel begs for an additional probability at redemption (“Run it back, give me five whole minutes”), at transferring ahead to a greater place whereas acknowledging the formative elements of the journey so far (“These ancient canopies we used to lay beneath”).

Take Me Back To Eden is an absolute triumph for Sleep Token followers. The music, lyrics, types and themes featured inside are distinctive, visceral and nicely thought-out. Some individuals could not just like the band’s sway into techno music (The Summoning, DYWTYLM), however, prefer it or not, that is progress for the band. Vessel is not hiding behind riffs to remain inside preset style parameters. And, by the sounds of this, this could be the very last thing we hear from the mysterious creatures for some time (or perhaps ever?). Savour TMBTE, it is one to slowly unfold over weeks.

Sleep Token – Take Me Back To Eden is out Friday, May 19, 2023.