I had two purposes for driving to Ohio Sept. 27: first, to visit my brother for his birthday, and second, to see Sleep Token in concert.
I have a very odd relationship with Sleep Token, who are probably the biggest act to emerge from the metal scene in recent years (although their categorization as a “metal” band is often debated). Their sound combines modern R&B and trap production with heavier guitars, occasionally delving into other genres as well.
Now, the reason I say my relationship with this band is “odd” is because I discovered and fell in love with them in 2021, years before anyone in the genre really knew who they were. I wouldn’t have called Sleep Token an “underground” act at this point in their career, but they were much smaller than when they hit mainstream success with their 2023 record “Take Me Back to Eden.” Their blends of pop, R&B and djent were, at the time, very unique to me, and I enjoyed their silly mystique quite a lot for the first few years of listening to them. When I showed my mom their music, she became an even bigger fan than I was, vowing that, one day, we would see them live.
Since then, my enjoyment of Sleep Token has declined measurably. The aforementioned “Take Me Back to Eden” album, while not bad in my eyes, was a big step down in production and songwriting quality from their previous works (I think switching from producer George Lever to Carl Bown did them no favors, and they began lyrically pandering more to pop tropes than their usual esotericisms), and their latest effort, this year’s “Even in Arcadia” was, bar a few tracks I found enjoyable, quite tacky and bad. Likewise, my tastes have just changed over the last four years. So, when my mom told me that she’d managed to procure Sleep Token tickets before they sold out, I was overrun by complex feelings. That being said, despite my fading love of the band, I still have nostalgia for their earlier albums, and since the opening band, Thornhill, is a favorite of mine who I’d seen live before, I was tentatively excited.
When my mom and I entered the crowded venue of Rocket Arena, I was struck by the sense of community among the fans in attendance. People were eagerly comparing band merch and self-made costumes, and a little community of bracelet-trading that I hadn’t known was part of Sleep Token’s fanbase took a strong presence. I’ve been to plenty of metal shows, many of which were much heavier and more aggressive than Sleep Token, and while those crowds were still generally nice and polite, there was a stronger feeling of connection among these people that was endearing.
After waiting in the merch line for a while, we took our seats. The venue was a large, indoor arena, and our seats were nice — decently high up and centered, although pretty far back from the large stage. We didn’t have to wait too long before Thornhill entered the arena.
Thornhill’s performance was pretty easily my favorite part of the concert experience. The band got to play a pretty long set — 10 songs — which mostly focused on tracks from their album released earlier this year, “BODIES,” a groovy album that combines their metalcore roots with Deftones-esque ’90s alternative metal. I thought the crowd’s reaction was honestly underwhelming; the band hopped from groove to groove while frontman and vocal acrobat Jacob Charlton’s voice rapidly switched between breathy swoons, soaring high notes, and powerful shrieks. As previously mentioned, I saw Thornhill live in 2023 opening for ERRA, so I wasn’t shocked by his vocal capabilities (I even met him after the show and he signed my merch), but that didn’t make it any less impressive. I think the best part of the set was the album highlight “nerv,” which coupled a dreamy chorus with vicious screams in the verses and a snappy breakdown to finish the track. The set flew by — not because the songs were short, but because the band put on such a good show.
The crowd was restless between Thornhill and Sleep Token. Whenever a sound guy walked on-stage or an instrument was tuned, people screamed as if the band was already onstage. A huge curtain was placed in front of the stage, and when the arena darkened, the crowd went wild.
A slow synth melody began to play as the band’s logo was gradually projected onto the curtain in pink light. The lead singer’s voice came in (to even more applause and screaming), and when the track kicked off with a scream and roaring guitars, the curtain fell to reveal a massive, castle-like setpiece, as what appeared to be rose petals rained down from the rafters. (Upon closer examination, they were thin plastic circles. I felt bad for the venue’s staff who would inevitably have a lengthy cleanup later.) A neon, color-changing logo emblazoned the top of the castle. The drummer was perched upon one turret, and three robed backup singers stood upon the other. The guitarist and bassist flanked Vessel, the lead singer, who wore his signature outfit of black robes, an elaborate mask, and body paint. This imagery and presentation is a big part of the band’s fanbase, and I could almost imagine members of the crowd swooning as Vessel took center stage and sang the opening track of their new album, “Look To Windward.” I was taken up by the cinematic presentation of this intro, and I was further excited when the band launched into an older track of theirs, “The Offering,” from their debut “Sundowning,”an album I still enjoy. It was a great performance, and it sent me down a tunnel of bittersweet nostalgia. I also had a great time when the band played their early hit “Alkaline,” the song that originally introduced me to their music. Throughout the concert, the band was accompanied by a wild light show that was impressive, if at times a bit hard to look at due to the rapid flashing.
Sleep Token’s anonymity is a big part of their schtick, and as a result, there was zero banter between the band and audience. Outside of their vocal performances, the band members didn’t speak at all, and the only breaks between songs were occasional electronic interludes,as the band presumably took breathers during their hour-and-a-half long set.
I will say that the set definitely started to drag for me after the first half of the performance. The band was touring for their new album, which, as I mentioned, I think is pretty poor quality. The attempted sexuality of “Provider” fell flat when I listened to it on the album, and seeing it live and hearing lyrics like “Yeah, I see you, the only bad baddy spinning eyes in the room” gave me secondhand embarrassment. Album single “Caramel,” while a catchy tune at its core, has bizarre fusions of reggaeton and black metal, two genres that I don’t need to hear in a single song. There were other moments that made me eye-roll, such as the Kenny G–esque saxophone solo during “Aqua Regia,” or the simpering lyrics of “Damocles.” In a way, my reactions to the first and second halves of the concert reflect my history listening to Sleep Token. The first half felt like reliving my initial discovery of the band; the second felt like experiencing disdain for what their music evolved into.
The set concluded with the seven-minute track “Infinite Baths,” a song with a long, guitar-driven outro. During the middle of the song, Vessel held up a sign to the crowd. He was too far away for me to make out what it said, but what I could make out was the sound of him crying while singing. I later found out from my mom’s Facebook exploration that the sign said, “You are so loved.” I certainly have my feelings about Sleep Token’s music nowadays, but it’s undeniable that they have an impassioned and loving fanbase, and that they’re immensely grateful for that. As cynical as I was for portions of that show, I couldn’t help but smile at that ending. I may have moved on from Sleep Token’s music myself, but I am happy to see them finding success and fans, even if I’m no longer one of them.
Overall, despite my qualms, this concert was far from the worst I attended. I had a good time, and I could tell it was really special for my mom. Would I recommend seeing Sleep Token live on this tour? Well … probably not, if you aren’t already a fan. Tickets were around $100, and if you aren’t already sold on the band, I don’t see that as a reasonable amount to spend on their tickets. But if you are a fan and have the cash, I would certainly recommend it.
I feel thankful for Sleep Token, for the good memories they’ve given me over the years, as well as the bonding with my mother, and a well-done show. I don’t see our paths crossing again, but as much as my music taste has changed, a part of me will always have appreciation for them.
