I dig. Inb4 the bomb of negativity

Not as good as Emergence, still a fairly decent track. Just wish the transition into the heavy portion was smoother

Since y'all two seem to be fans of ST - genuine question: if I disliked Take Me Back To Eden, is there a chance I'll enjoy their earlier work more? Or is it just more of the same?

I think I could recommend Sundowning. A similar-ish formula, but it trends towards a heavier and rawer sound (haven't heard it in full in a hot minute so don't fully quote me on this). Certainly lacks a ton of the bombast and over theatricality of TMBTE

Gotcha. If I remember, I'll give Sundowning a shot this weekend. I don't blindly hate ST by any means, I just felt like Eden had a lot of untapped potential and bloat. But I'll go ahead and just say this band ain't for me if I don't enjoy Sundowning either.

Seriously one of the most annoying vocalists I've ever heard

Hey, props for keeping an open mind! Oh, I'll also rec the One and Two EPs. This was all before they really started to blow up, and you can hear it in the songwriting and the way Vessel delivers his lines

Given the limited instrumentation in the first minute or so, it would've been nice if the engineers/band decided not to opt with pitch-correcting the vocals and keeping the sound more 'raw', if that makes sense. Feel free to pitch-correct later on, but without the instrumentation it's almost distracting. That aside, really dug how the track does a gradual build to the heavy stuff and doesn't go too overboard, though I'd want at least one track on their new record that does

I said my true feelings in the TMBTE thread so I won't repeat them here. To Animal's point, Sundowning was legitimately a decent album. I feel like they've just been trending downwards since then, and these singles are definitely not helping

I wish these guys would just drop the heavy stuff, they work better as an alt rock band, their metal side feels so much weaker and always like its forced in. Still not my thing.

No.

I know it's en vouge to hate on this band on here but my God do these songs suck MY FUCKING ASS.


Agreed on his vocals. The first 5 seconds alone are just so annoying and the pitch correction is embarrassingly evident.

Shoulda been a regular reggaeton song tbh. Their metal shit is always so bad.

|Seriously one of the most annoying vocalists I've ever heard

Like a less talented Hozier.

I think I'd enjoy Sleep Token a lot more if the entire fanbase wasn't completely insufferable.

none of their fanbase is here though. that’s a symptom of being online too much to be affected by them.

I just can’t with this dudes voice man. It kills literally anything good about this band

Bastille-core

Literally, but I would rather listen to pop thats just pop over pop masquerading as something more

I thought emergance was pretty safe and kinda boring and passable but

holy shit this is ASS, that insanely forced "breakdown" and the awful lyrics and singing.
"stick to me like caramel?" really?

I don’t think these guys are anywhere near as bad as some people make them out to be.

Fucking weird song. After emergence had me leaning towards hype for this album this track kinda killed any of that. The metal ending doesn’t work at all.

New Sleep Token music exposes all the crusty barnacles just looking for an excuse to complain.

Nah this band just sucks beyond belief lol. Worst vocals of all time.

Goddamn this wort won’t go away!

wort wort wort

Worst news i've heard all week

same

It's like with each new song they manage to get even worse by challenging themselves to come up with something even more ludicrously shit.

lol this band is so trash

listen to nothing but sleep token for a year
or
catch hepatitis

You psychopath!

Second option ofc.

Depends on which hep tbh

Hep kat

The Elitist attitude of much of Sputnik on full display in the comments here lol...if you seriously think these are the "worst vocals of all time", you have not listened to much music in your life or are seriously deluded. of course, what's much more likely is just that you don't enjoy this type of singing. Tearing it down in such a hyperbolic and immature fashion is completely unnecessary, but you do you.

Band sucks but agreed, Brother's Keeper have the worst vocals of all time

this sounds like AI slop

how would you describe this type of singing

Only vocals worse than this is Knocked Loose and Avenged Sevenfold

Please listen to Brother's Keeper then come back here

They aren't the worst of all time but they are terrible in their own right. He's trying so hard and it comes across as lame and disingenuous. Also yeah, w everyone throws around "AI" but I genuinely feel both these songs are generated by it.

Seriously... This is like some Imagine Dragons type shit.

Just listened to Brother's Keeper vocals and while I think they are terrible too, I think these are worse. At least they're entertaining, these vocals are just insanely annoying and pisses me off.

That is totally fair, this band is definitely more embarrassing

Tbh I don't even dislike the vocals on this band that much, everything else is what makes it horrible. I also don't think Brother's Keeper vocals are all that bad, but I do think they match the type of music they make (metalcore) more than Sleep Token does. Sleep Token has no business making alt-pop/r&b or in this case, reggaeton, because he really doesn't have the voice for it.

Their songs have too much bloat. Tighten that shit up to 3, 4 minutes and cut out the lard.

I don´t hate this band, I gave their last album a 3 here, but I have to say that this is easily one of the most atrocious things I've heard in metal or metal adjacent genres in years.

It actually reminds me more of kizomba, a music style very popular in my country (Portugal) which is like reggaeton with african influences, whose invention I find a crime against humanity.

"wait, don't these verses sound like Africa by Toto?"

"eh, no one'll notice"

I’d rather drink a cup of hot steamy piss than listen to this but have fun guys

“whose invention I find a crime against humanity.”

you can’t move your hips well can’t you

Are you trying to imply I have a problem with music that is danceable? :D

This is what I do in music: https://www.mixcloud.com/kinetic_lx/
And this is the label which I managed a few years ago: https://reaktivaterecords.bandcamp.com/

Also half of my family is from Cabo Verde, but that's not even that relevant here. Don't patronize me, friend.

skils to dance can be lackin especially if you don’t allow yourself to enjoy it and flow with it no matter the style, but not necessarily mean that you don’t enjoy “danceable” music

respect tho, your stuff is good

Didn’t mind the song, could’ve been better lol

Boomer opinion: metal bands shouldn't release singles

no guitars no music

These opinions are way too strong to be from people who aren't jealous.

They made a unique blend in an oversaturated music landscape. Love it or hate it, I'm happy it exists.

They arent that unique, but they have skyrocketed to a very high level with a rabid fanbase so opinions on the band positive or negative are very hyperbolic

100% NoXoR. As a metal fan without anyone in my life who shares my enthusiasm for the genre, I think it's great that there is quality, acessible music I can share with my friends and family.

I'm not saying you have to like it, but people who think this "band suck ass", or whatever hyperbolic nonsense they spout, have their quality radar broken. Anyone so oblivious as to disregard the years of talent and skill required to execute a track to this level, has fried judgement. The people who say thicringe have no idea how cringe themselves.

Idk people make fun of the beatdown hc I love and call it cringe all the time and I still love it/don't care what they think. Some of us just don't fuck with this musically, its not that deep

There's probably some slight jealousy for me personally towards their huge success, but then I get reminded of the type of music they're making and I immediately get way less jealous. Also, unique ≠ good. Anyone can make something unique and it can still sound like shit.

This isn't unique, it's Imagine Dragons but heavier.

Their metal side is their weakest, if they scrapped that and just went weird alt/pop theyd be golden tbh.

apparently not cuz it’s making them more money doing it that way

I love quite a few of Sleep Tokens songs but this is in the group of songs I absolutely hate.

One of the most boring bands of all time. Toss me a Sleep Token boss, because I'm snoozing to this.

cup of hot steamy piss [2]

My foot won’t stop itching

band is truly trash and if you like them thats fine but god damn. clean them ears out.

I'm pretty new to Sleep Token and there are some songs I like and some I feel are trying to hard. I feel many who are truly hating have some preconceived notion. There is definitely some poppy element and some of the lyrics are weird, especially in this genre. But, as some have mentioned, it's a pretty refreshing output from a genre marred for the inability to just that. Which do you want? I'm not saying that experimenting for the sake of it makes anything good. I don't think this is a masterpiece but it's more interesting than many other new songs. Chugs or at least some innovation? Make up your mind.

terrible lyrics and voice. innovate away, but do it well.

this is literally the best thing i have ever heard in my life

same omg they're soooo innovative!!!!! They're mixing genres!!!!! That's sooo cool and so new!!!!

"same omg they're soooo innovative!!!!! They're mixing genres!!!!! That's sooo cool and so new!!!!"

This is so ridiculously tone deaf.

metal for bozos who pronounce caramel with three syllables

"metal for bozos who pronounce caramel with three syllables"

This is so ridiculously tone deaf.

I think the 'car-mel' versus 'car-a-mel' is the same as the 'aunt versus 'ant' argument

Sleep Tokmen

lmfao budgie

still waiting on that Vessel Fortnite skin

Can they not just write a normal damn song? Every single song is the same soft verse/soft chorus/slightly less soft verse/slight less soft chorus/heavy guitars come into bridge/drums finally come into final chorus crappy formula! The drummer rips!!! Let him play for the full songs! He gets to play for like one full song per album! The rest of their songs sound like bad Hillsong United B-Sides about this dude wanting to get laid, and then the final 1/4 is the same heavy end chorus. It's maddening!

Nope, that would make them "JuSt LiKe EveRyOne ElsE" and completely ruin their entire formula

most overrated band on the planet

"I'm pretty new to Sleep Token and there are some songs I like and some I feel are trying to hard. I feel many who are truly hating have some preconceived notion. There is definitely some poppy element and some of the lyrics are weird, especially in this genre. But, as some have mentioned, it's a pretty refreshing output from a genre marred for the inability to just that. Which do you want? I'm not saying that experimenting for the sake of it makes anything good. I don't think this is a masterpiece but it's more interesting than many other new songs. Chugs or at least some innovation? Make up your mind."

Where exactly are you pulling from that it's more interesting than many other new songs? Based on your ratings you seem to stick to one genre and some of the worst of it mind you. There is innovative artists or at least interesting ones abound and Sleep Token is neither of that.

Absolute rubbish.

band makes my ass itch

Their drummer is actually pretty great, the rest of the of group just kinda sucks ass. Singer reminds me of a horse with peanut butter stuck to the roof of its mouth.

Yeah II kicks way too much ass to be in such a lame ass band.

Free my boy II

"The rest of their songs sound like bad Hillsong United B-Sides about this dude wanting to get laid, and then the final 1/4 is the same heavy end chorus."

This sent me lol, hits way too close to home

I don't dig the metal section at the end all that much, but the I really enjoyed the rest. The drumming during the second verse was fantastic.

Do you think the other members got to pick their shitty names or is Vessel a dictator

That's what their names are? Lmao

I cannot believe this is the band that people have been losing their shit over for the last year or 2

Sleep Token merch is the first thing I see in a Spencer’s store

I took a curious look in Hot Topic recently when I went to a mall for the first time in like two years, they had like 8 sleep token tshirt variants crammed between the falling in reverse and olivia rodrigo tshirts

lmao

Its an alright song but what the hell is up with the vocals? Skip the autotune/pitch correction already.

The constant bashing of this band on this site is pretentious and ignorant. “Saying that they “suck ass” and “ermagerd, imagine dragons” is immature in its own right.
This band has changed the way that I look at music, and whether you like it or not, the lore and the way they experiment is something that not many bands have done. They keep their fans interested. When you sit down and listen to the albums/songs and see how they connect everything it is quite satisfying to see what Vessel is doing. I know people either love or hate his vocals, but they sound new to me and I rather enjoy them. II is also an amazing drummer. The lyrics, the lore behind them, and the ability to keep fans engaged are what makes this band for me.

"whether you like it or not, the lore and the way they experiment is something that not many bands have done."

lol

"they had like 8 sleep token tshirt variants"

well, which ones did you snag? Don't leave us hanging like that

“lol”
That’s all you took from that? Nice.

I think they may be implying other bands DO regularly do that, but idk really. Seems unlikely

The whole post is hilarious! Nobody here is being pretentious or "ignorant". The band themselves are overly pretentious with the "lore" and the fact their experimenting is NOTHING that hasn't been done before by numerous bands AND much better. Their lyrics are absolutely pitifully written and cringe, the drumming is nothing special, and keeping fans engaged seems to be very easy these days because people are blown away by this garbage day in and day out. Terrible popular music will always garner more attention. They really are just a tik tok metal band

Are we really saying they're experimenting or breaking genres because they add in saxophone/jazz moments, throw in terribly awful rap, or autotuned/pitch shifted vocals then to go into the same old djent breakdowns we've heard 1000x times over? Please!

They are cleverly exploring boundaries by experimenting with their audience's tolerance levels. It's a very proggy move by Sleep Token.

Maybe just admit that it goes beyond your own perception of what music should be consisting of. It's beyond your capabilities Fear and that's fine. It takes a special kind of person to enjoy ST

I guarantee you some will read that and not recognize the satire

We get it, dude. You don’t like the band. Not everyone is going to agree with you. The band is pretty big now, so I’m guessing they are doing something right.

Yes, I don't like the band and you're right, not everyone is going to agree with me. That wasn't the point of why I went after your post. I was calling out the hypocrisy in the first statement and of course the ridiculous statements. Liking the band is fine and I'm glad people enjoy them! However, when people are continually saying they're doing anything genre bending or unique is laughable. Maybe unique in the sense of uber mainstream groups but even still that's a bit far.

The bands not unique at all for metal/prog for pop? Yeah ig the genre splicing (even if its poor to me) is unique to pop. Personally if they removed the metal theyd be a perfectly fine pop band with a huge following

Its hyperbolic to say they have no talent and its the worst thing ever, its hyperbolic to say they are reveloutionary and changing music forever. The hyperbole about this band from both sides is fucking ridiculous.

Look if you dig it and this speaks to you: Fuck yeah go you, if you dont? Cool you tried it gave your CONSTRUCTIVE thoughts, move on to other horizons.

Albums not even out yet and the shit flinging is getting stupid.

What if it's NOT hyperbolic? Some people do actually believe they are the best / worst band ever. Either is valid if you truly believe it.

also, this happens with every major "landmark popular" band that bridges the gap between significant mainstream appeal and the realm of a more niche internet forum. Like Tool and Deafheaven before them, Sleep Token are the latest example of that phenomenon

"Personally if they removed the metal theyd be a perfectly fine pop band with a huge following"

would they? I think that's an accepted part of their demographic. The "drop the metal" calls are speculative at best given their origins imo

I’m just confused as to why people listen to music they don’t like. I mean I know this is a review site, but why bother wasting your time on something you know you won’t enjoy?

Their more metal songs are some of my favorites. Hypnosis, Vore, and Gods.

If all we ever did was stick to music that we "like" then we would never discover new horizons of artists and genres to enjoy. It's not a waste of time to try something for a second or third time to see if it clicks or if a stylistic change now speaks to you in a different way. Limiting yourself to safe musical spaces will inevitably lead to staleness. Hell, half of my regular spins now days wouldn't even be on my radar if I didn't give them a shot even though they were originally outside of my comfort zone.

To link it back to this convo: I consistently give Sleep Token another chance because there are parts of Sundowning that I genuinely enjoy. If anything, it upsets me to hear them write tracks like "Caramel" because I know they can do much better--not because I'm just a "hater" or want to be a contrarian.

Have we found Vessel's sputnik account yet?

SOTY

Jk, this one is actually hilariously bad

I don’t think anyone here actually took the time to analyze the lyrics of this song. It’s about struggling with the fame and is a message to the toxic fans. Vessel doesn’t want to be known by his real name. The fame that the band has received has come so quick and he thought it was a healing process by making music, however, toxic fans have made it a struggle for him. Caramel is a message saying that he’s not mad, he’s just disappointed. I enjoyed Emergence more than this, but I understand the message he’s getting at. Do any other Sleep Token followers agree? I’m sure I’ll get some negative feedback on this, haha.

Take a look at the comment thread for Take Me Back To Eden, brother--I think some folks mentioned the lyrics there. Though I don't think you're gonna like what you find.

Yeah and there have been like a billion songs about the cost of fame, but ST invite a lot of the morbid curiousity upon themselves with the anonymity gimmick. It’s why acts don’t do it these days, the internet will catch on to who you are sooner or later.

I’m not saying I condone that at all but they shouldn’t have been surprised at all that something like this could happen.

also, when your tagline is "worship", no shit you're going to breed a certain type of fanbase

well yeah, of course they were compelled to write about reaping what they sowed

can someone tldr the background to this pls, cuz all ive picked up on is that these are kids who chose to do live shows and are upset that people are trying to identify them
there has to be more to it cuz thats hilariously stupid

slipknot were mad about it back then too

slipknot always gave me the heebijeebies i dont likes that decrepit texas americana trailer trash rob zombie vibe they got goin

That’s just Iowans in general I think

Slipknot was Juggalo adjacent but this is worse. This is a smelly wook with $30k in ink at the intersection of Disturbed and Periphery trying to talk to you about Nietzche while he smokes your cigs

The anonymity angle has been dumb from the start

Lmao damnvanne

Sleep Token being wook metal is insane but I can't help but agree

Top 40-core. Cant get into it.

There’s also this subdued arena-rave vibe and the rapping style vocals he uses to swerve around coming up with melodies. God this sucks so bad

Emergence is quite a bit better

Funny thread, bad song. Sonically its like it was made for a toddler

my toddler would rather prefer boards of canada over this tbh

Hahaha holy shit this is bad. Just got around to it. Dear god. Those lyrics 😭

And yet again, feels like two different tracks stapled together. Drummer single handedly carries everything redeeming about this

I don’t think anyone here actually took the time to analyze the lyrics of this song. It’s about struggling with the fame and is a message to the toxic fans. Vessel doesn’t want to be known by his real name. The fame that the band has received has come so quick and he thought it was a healing process by making music, however, toxic fans have made it a struggle for him. Caramel is a message saying that he’s not mad, he’s just disappointed. I enjoyed Emergence more than this, but I understand the message he’s getting at. Do any other Sleep Token followers agree? I’m sure I’ll get some negative feedback on this, haha.

This band is too popular, so I automatically dislike. I don't need some faggoty fruity ass sonic jizz as the representation of the genre I love that has its roots deep in the very core of Earth...all molten, and hot basting satan's dick

Hell of a time to come into this thread

LOL

Also nothing about those lyrics haven't been done before by artists again and again much better. Those lyrics are meh

"Funny thread, bad song. Sonically its like it was made for a toddler"

gotta get 'em hooked young, this shows they're planning ahead. Smart marketing really, as their current young-teen fanbase won't be THIS impressionable forever

And yet there’s people on this site that think Converge-Jane Doe is great. It’s just angry noise. To each their own I guess.

And yet you call other people ignorant when making statements like that. Not liking it is fine but calling it just angry noise is complete and utter bullshit.

I mean 20 years ago I thought it was just "angry noise" too. It's not an uncommon process to start off hating it and then gradually being converted.

Tbf Jane doe is not exactly the most accsessible thing in the world, when it clicks tho damn it clicks. Starting with Jane is like throwing someone in the deep end

never listened to these guys before and probably won't again. I can see the appeal but if you hate it just ignore it...? Why engage lol you're not changing anyone's mind.

"Tbf Jane doe is not exactly the most accsessible thing in the world, when it clicks tho damn it clicks. Starting with Jane is like throwing someone in the deep end"

I hated Jane Doe for years upon years. I finally just kept listening to singles from You Fail Me and really clicked with Eagles Become Vultures and from there I never looked back.

I'm choosing to believe that all of Payne's posts here have been copypastas because there's no way they can be that sincere. I can't believe an artist wrote about dealing with fame! Woah. Bayside, Million Dead, and hell, A Day to Remember did that shit 20 years ago and they're just 3 I can think of off the top of my head out of the thousands of songs about it.

Re: Jane Doe - I absolutely couldn't get into it until this past month. It's finally starting to click after years of trying.

Converge rulez

writing about fame is definitely something that happens, but is more commonplace in pop music (obvious reasons) and therefore doesn't as often crossover into real music made by revolutionary bands such as Sleep Token

You're right Demon, we plebs just wouldn't understand because ST is pushing the boundaries and raising the bar of music as a whole... Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and all that...

#worship

People just don't understand real music.


And lore.

The revolution should not be televised if it’s just gonna be indica Falling in Reverse

Paraphrasing something I saw posted elsewhere, but the thing that makes Sleep Token's music unique is the sum of its parts. If you remove that novelty there's nothing particularly interesting about their approach to any of the styles of music they play. The pop parts just sound like any other top 40 slop you'll hear, the metal sections are basic as hell, the lyrics are the absolute epitome of pop and r&b cliche and nothing about their sound or lyrical themes fits with their image or lore at all. To me at least, it doesn't come across like a genuine artistic expression but rather a package put together by a marketing team trying to tick as many boxes as possible.
Even in the realm of pop-core there's just better music out there, and it comes across as way more authentic than this.

the marketing aspect is real but it’s overstated by those outside looking in

the social media machine only did its work

The triple scoop of unnecessary vibrato is also a hallmark of performers who are controlled by a team of greasy marketers and execs obsessed with checking those boxes

that’s a hell of a conspiracy theory

As a fan of D&D and Elden Ring, their merch and character designs are pretty cool and fits well with the lore.

vaanne you should write a book making fun of modern bands

I also find it hilarious how you are not allowed to rate Jane Doe below a 2 on this site. It’s one of those Sputnik elitist albums that can’t be touched. I’ve tried it many times before. It is angry/unintelligible noise to my ears. I guess I don’t “get it” cause it’s supposedly so much more than that.

you definitely SHOULD be able to do that but the site is old af and doesn’t allow you to rate under a certain threshold for highly rated releases. It was to stop troll ratings back in the earlier days

2 is the lower limit for all 4.4+… I think it’s actually nearer to 4.35 because of rounding, but I can’t remember the exact numbers

it’s to limit trolls who take stuff like that way too personally and to purposely throw averages off cuz they don’t have anything better to do with their time or can’t manage their emotions


also the owner said “fuck this place” to bother to fix it

I actually love that the site does that because a lot of classic/great albums would be ruined due to trolls. It'd just be like RYM at that point where the highest rated albums are only like a 4 which just gets boring to see

Why do sleep token super fans always gotta bring up converge lmao like yes we know you got shit taste, you like this band

lmao you act like that happens often

semi-related pacsun started selling converge merch so that hit peak commercialism

wack

I think it’s less a sleep token thing and more a Sputnik thing tbh. The shadowy elitist Converge fan cabal holding down the pop metal enjoyer

i can't find a single reason for this thread to have over 100 comments

Shit taste, great taste. Who really cares at this point?

honestly

Posers do

Still pissed their lyrics dont involve any of the cult/lore shit they made up for the band

Do the people that make low effort reaction videos actually like this shit or do they just like "wow so cool the lore is so deep! Wow costumes! Masks! Omg so heavy breakdown! Metal!"

why r u watching reaction videos

At least these guys aren't as much reaction-core as Falling in Reverse

Every time I fart, I add a saxophone solo to it.

Why haven’t I gone platinum yet?

Needs more low end prob

My cheeks are down to the floor already.

have you tried farting INTO the saxophone?

Well, then it would just be a trombone. What am I? A peasant???