Sleep Token have always divided opinion. Since emerging with Sundowning (2019), the masked London collective have blended pop balladry, downtuned metal, and R&B gloss into something that feels more like a concept than a band. Each release – from the genre-hopping This Place Will Become Your Tomb to the bloated Take Me Back to Eden – has sparked both cult-like devotion and intense online backlash. Some see depth and catharsis; others see TikTok-core melodrama hiding behind masks. With Even In Arcadia, album number four, the band tighten the formula and try once more to convert the sceptics.
There’s clearly been a tightening of the formula. The album feels more cohesive than past efforts, with better transitions between the gentle synth-led verses and the heavier, riff-based outbursts. Look To Windward opens on a minimal, moody note but builds into something weightier without losing focus. Emergence, one of the singles, brings in a surprisingly clubby beat and even a touch of hip hop, though the poppy refrain borders on cheesy. Still, the track’s latter half kicks in with enough punch to compensate.
The band shines most when they lean into sincerity. Past Self is a compact, emotionally charged ballad that doesn’t overstay its welcome. The lyrics are more grounded, and Vessel’s vocals finally feel less like performance and more like presence. Caramel, with its Latin-tinged verses and Deafheaven-style blackgaze outro, initially feels a bit odd but ends up hitting hard—proof that some of their stranger ideas can land.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for everything. Many of the album’s quieter moments blur into each other, painted with the same soft-pop brush. It’s polished, yes, but also repetitive. Damocles, in particular, falls into the trap of sounding self-important without saying much, and even the dramatic piano can’t quite save it. The constant shift between styles—metal, pop, R&B, gospel—still feels jarring, like flicking through TV channels without warning.
That said, there are real highlights. Gethsemane might be the strongest song they’ve written to date, with falsetto vocals, math rock guitars, and a climax that earns its place. Even the flawed closer, Infinite Baths, manages to leave a lasting impression through sheer sonic weight.
In the end, Even In Arcadia is a step forward. It’s still a mixed bag, but the good parts are stronger and the weaker ones more forgivable. There’s progress, and if Sleep Token can continue refining their sound—and maybe drop a few gimmicks along the way – they might yet convert the doubters.
Releasedate: 09-05-2025 | Label: RCA/Sony Music | Website
Tracklist:
01. Look To Windward
02. Emergence
03. Past Self
04. Dangerous
05. Caramel
06. Even In Arcadia
07. Provider
08. Damocles
09. Gethsemane
10. Infinite Baths
