By Susana Gonçalves 
This article is also avaiable in Portuguese
Although Sleep Token might today seem like a “trendy” band, thanks to the explosive growth in listeners following the first singles from Even in Arcadia, my connection to this musical entity began well before the fame. It was sometime in late 2019, perhaps early 2020 — certainly before the pandemic — when, on a car journey, Spotify’s algorithm offered me The Offering (pun intended). It was love at first listen.
From that moment on, I plunged headfirst. The expansive sound, the fusion of heaviness and sweetness, and the near-religious delivery of vocalist Vessel forged an emotional bond with every note, every silence. In 2021 I fell in love with This Place Will Become Your Tomb, an album I consider one of the most significant of my life — a time when I also began my Sleep Token record collection. When Take Me Back to Eden catapulted them to a new level — international tours, massive online presence, and a fanbase divided between devotion and conspiracy theories — I remained loyal to just one thing: the music.
Interestingly, despite all the myth-making around the members’ identities and the so-called lore, that was never what drew me in most. For me, Sleep Token’s strength lies in how they channel emotion, intensity, and vulnerability into a hybrid sound that continues to defy labels. Even in Arcadia is no exception — in fact, it arguably marks the band’s greatest aesthetic and emotional shift to date.
Here’s my track-by-track reading:
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1. Look to Windward
Opening the album, Look to Windward is, for me, one of the most impactful and complete tracks — and perhaps the one that most closely echoes the sound of earlier works. The lyrics delve into a deep internal conflict, marked by the line “Will You Halt This Eclipse In Me”, a desperate plea for someone (or something) to halt the growing darkness within Vessel.
Instrumentally, the track reaches another plane: II’s drumming is absolutely electrifying, especially in the final section, which directly echoes the cathartic power of Take Me Back to Eden. The contrast between Vessel’s harsh, distorted vocals and the moments of clean — almost ethereal — singing creates a magnetic effect, reminiscent of tracks like Vore or Eden, where heaviness and lightness coexist in perfect tension. An immersive introduction that sets the emotional and sonic tone of the journey from the very first minute.
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2. Emergence
With Emergence, the album’s lead single, Sleep Token continue to explore new territory. The fusion of metal and hip-hop sets the tone for the track, creating a unique energy that blends aggressive guitars with the rhythmic cadence of rap. The drumming is striking, with imposing grooves that underpin the song’s complex instrumentation. Gabi’s saxophone solo — from the band Bilmuri, who supported Sleep Token on their European tour — is the cherry on top. A clear example of the band’s ability to fuse styles in an original and powerful way.
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3. Past Self
Perhaps the most pop/R&B sounding track on the album, Past Self hides, beneath its smooth surface, a deeply introspective lyric. The song explores the fragmentation of identity, the tension between personal evolution and nostalgia, and the burden of external expectations and criticism. It paints an emotional portrait of someone trying to find themselves in a world where they are constantly confronted by the actions of their “former self”. It is in the ambiguity of that unresolved reconciliation that the track’s strength lies.
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4. Dangerous
Unlike some of the more introspective tracks, Dangerous explores a two-person relationship marked by emotional — almost destructive — tension. Vessel sings about desire with whispered intensity, while also conveying his fears about a passion that can be both liberating and threatening in equal measure. The production is polished and elegant, with a chorus that lingers. One of the most intimate moments on the album.
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5. Caramel
Already familiar to the public as the second single, Caramel surprises by blending the atmospheric weight of metal with the rhythmic lightness of reggaeton. Lyrically, it moves between desire and the discomfort of its consequences — as if Vessel is subtly confronting the burden of public exposure. There are implicit references to fame and the difficulty of managing vulnerability under the spotlight.
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6. Even in Arcadia
The title track is, for me, one of the most striking — and one of my personal favourites. Here, Sleep Token seems to blend all the elements that define them: spirituality, romance, and apocalypse. The tone is epic and dark, almost religious. “Even in Arcadia, you walk beside me still” — the line suggests that even in paradise, pain (or its memory) remains.
Musically, the track stands out with a delicate, melancholic piano, which served as the basis for one of the first hints dropped in the album’s teasers, in the form of music sheets shared with fans. This detail reinforces the feeling that this track is the emotional heart of the record — a kind of gravitational centre around which all the others orbit. The melody is grand yet never overblown. There’s something deeply cinematic here, as if we are witnessing the end — or the beginning — of everything.
The ending, with the delicately inserted violin, is simply sublime, lifting the track to an almost transcendent plane.
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7. Provider
Like Dangerous, Provider portrays a provocative, intense ‘dance for two’, marked by the tension between sensuality and obsession, dependence and desire. The lyrics explore the duality between power and submission, with Vessel assuming both the role of giver and of one who surrenders completely. On first listen, it may not seem like a standout track, but its strength lies precisely in the lyrics: a silent seduction, loaded with danger.
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8. Damocles
Musically restrained but emotionally devastating, the third single Damocles carries a latent tension that builds to a cathartic explosion. The lyrics reveal vulnerability, exhaustion, and frustration — Vessel questions whether he will ever be enough. The reference to the Sword of Damocles, a symbol of constant threat, here becomes an internal metaphor — a symbol of instability fuelled by self-pressure and the weight of public exposure. The production is subtle and dense, amplifying the emotional impact. A gut punch — in the best way.
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9. Gethsemane
After a brief search, I realised the title refers to the biblical garden of anguish, where Jesus spent his last night before being betrayed — a reference that is surely no accident. Gethsemane is a painful confession about unrequited love, fruitless effort, and the realisation that some relationships are doomed. Vessel’s vocal delivery is bare and honest, making this one of the album’s most emotionally powerful tracks — especially for those who have loved deeply (or lost someone they loved).
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10. Infinite Baths
Closing the album, Infinite Baths is one of the most liberating tracks — and another of my favourites. After the pain, the anger, and the desire, this song sounds like redemption. The metaphor of “infinite baths” evokes emotional cleansing, a serene acceptance of who one is now. The track grows, shines, expands — a sensory and emotional catharsis. Once again, the drumming is absolutely genius and hypnotic, with precise, moving dynamics that carry the track to its climax.
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Conclusion
With Even in Arcadia, Sleep Token reaffirm why they are one of the most singular bands of today. This is also the album where they explore new textures and emotions — the trilogy of the first albums now seemingly complete, along with Vessel’s connection to the Sleep entity. There’s a clear shift in focus: less about idealised love, more about emotional wreckage.
What truly defines this album is its introspective nature. Even in Arcadia reveals a more vulnerable Vessel, more at odds with himself — both as a person and as an artist. There is a raw honesty, a rare transparency, as if the mask slips just enough for us to glimpse the turbulence behind it.
Is this the album that separates the true fans from those who arrived with the hype? Perhaps. For those who’ve followed the band from quite a while, this new phase feels like evolution — a journey that changes, but keeps its soul. For those just arriving, it’s an excellent entry point: an invitation to dive into a universe where vulnerability and brutality coexist, where the sacred and the carnal touch.
May the journey continue — for everyone.
Worship