Just this morning, fans awoke to a surprise drop from Sleep Token – and well, it wasn’t necessarily a happy drop (Vessel talks about sad things). So, good morning to Sleep Token fans.
“Damocles” was available on streaming platforms this morning ahead of Sleep Token’s upcoming record, Even In Arcadia, due out on May 9.
Now, “Emergence” is a stand-out single from Sleep Token – it’s in my regular rotation; “Caramel” is alright (much to Greg’s chagrin) – I felt it lacked a certain amount of energy for a single; but, “Damocles”?
How do I say this? The instrumentals feel like a complete miss – it feels like a teenager attempted to write instrumentals to a 2000s pop-rock piano ballad in an angsty manner, but failed.
Granted, there’s a certain lyrical poetry to any Sleep Token track that no teen could ever accomplish, and “Damocles” is no exception.
And don’t get me wrong, I love experimental bands. You kind of have to in order to like Sleep Token. But, there’s a difference between experimental, and just bad.
However, I find it hard to pass a piano ballad as a single.
Singles, in my opinion, are often a way of getting fans excited for a release, you know? Get their blood pumping, foot moving, hands sweating – the good stuff. Not… sitting there, with tears in their eyes on a Friday morning as Vessel I sings about having a problem that nobody knows about.
Hell, “Emergence” kind of starts as a piano ballad, but within the first 90 seconds, you get hit with a collateral punch to the gut with intricate synths and prog-adjacent beats. “Damocles” just leaves you… waiting. Even the “crash and bang” that you sit there, foaming at the mouth for, feels unfulfilling, more emotional than anything else.
It’s disappointing, to see Sleep Token come out of the gate so unbelievably strong with “Emergence,” to falter like this. I was willing to forgive them for “Caramel.” “Damocles” just feels like a sucker punch, and I’m not sure it’s in a good way.
“Caramel” scored Sleep Token their first Top 10 Hit in the UK, with “Emergence” climbing the ranks at no. 17. However, I’m really curious to see where “Damocles” falls on the UK charts, if at all. Even In Arcadia is bound to sell well, regardless.
The fans are happy, and that’s all that matters. They’ve sold out every single US Sleep Token date, which you can check out below.
Pre-orders are available here. Sleep Token also has the following US tour listed on their website, though no announcement has gone out just yet. Those dates are as follows. Tickets will be available here.
9/16 Duluth, GA Gas South Arena
9/17 Orlando, FL Kia Center
9/19 Louisville, KY Louder Than Life 2025
9/20 Greensboro, NC First Horizon Coliseum
9/22 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
9/23 Worcester, MA DCU Center
9/24 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center
9/26 Detroit, MI Little Caesars Arena
9/27 Cleveland, OH Rocket Arena
9/28 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
9/30 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena
10/1 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
10/3 Denver, CO Ball Arena
10/5 West Valley City, UT Maverik Center
10/7 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome
10/8 Portland, OR Moda Center
10/10 Oakland, CA Oakland Arena
10/11 Los Angeles, CA Crypto.com Arena
Source: metalinjection.net
