Written: 30th November 2024
The chill of an English winter was ignored as an excited crowd approached London’s 02 Arena. It has been quite a rise for the masked collective Sleep Token. The last time I saw them live, they were supporting Architects at Alexandra Palace and tonight, they headline the first of two shows at the largest indoor venue in the capital. Coupled with the announcement that they are to headline Download Festival next year, it cannot be denied that the band’s popularity has increased significantly.
The venue is packed to the rafters and as the house lights dim, the electricity of communal anticipation crackles in the air. A hush then descends as the first notes of The Night Does Not Belong To God glide across the audience, lights on the stage highlighting the band's logo and changing in time with the music. From the first moments, Vessel’s ethereal voice and the haunting melody set the tone for the evening, drawing the crowd into Sleep Token’s mystical world. From here, the ensemble move through three other tracks from the band’s debut album Sundowning: The Offering (which immediately highlight the different genres in which they operate), Dark Signs and Higher. Any notion that Sleep Token are only known to many for their most recent music is soundly dismissed, with the ecstatic reaction and collective singing of the audience wonderful to witness.
After a short spoken word interlude (which occurs during each break in the set), the band return to the stage and following the chronological structure of the setlist, we are treated to an incredibly passionate version of Atlantic, the first track from This Place Will Become Your Tomb. Capturing the attention of twenty thousand with just voice and a single instrument is no easy task but with Vessel beginning the song alone at the piano, it highlights just what a unique and talented vocalist he is. He repeats the feat later in this section of the set with a guitar while performing a heart-rending rendition of Missing Limbs. During the concert, his voice ranges from delicate, evocative whispers to powerful metallic roars. His ability to convey emotion is matched by his physicality, moving sometimes with grace and, at others, a stomping intensity.
Special mention must go to the band’s lighting designer. An extraordinary light show further elevated the concert to an otherworldly and multi-sensory experience. Visual elements were meticulously crafted to enhance the mood of each song; the synchronisation of lights often matching each beat, riff or vocal crescendo such as during the breakdown of Alkaline. Simple but creative effects such as dots of light seemingly dripping from the lighting rig or the impressive use of varying colour during different songs are balanced with more spectacular moments when intricate laser patterns dance across the length of the auditorium.
At the heart of the concert is the performance itself. Sleep Token is a band that thrives on mystery, with their masked an anonymous personas – there is no speaking to the audience at any point - adding to their enigmatic allure. However, Vessel is a forceful presence on stage and with the rest of the band equally exciting, they create a sound that varies from the beautiful to the commanding. On drums, II handles the complex rhythmic structures with ease, while guitarist IV and bassist III provide intricate riffs and a thunderous low end, respectively. There is the odd occasion during which the bass is a little too loud in mix and overwhelms the vocals but this is as much to do with the unforgiving acoustics of the 02 itself. Backing vocalists Espera accentuate the band’s sonics with nuanced tonal palettes.
During the latter section of the concert, Sleep Token move onto their latest album Take Me Back To Eden, with seven tracks representing their 2023 release. While varied throughout, the concert is structured to become heavier as the set progresses and the band’s relentless development and sonic experimentation is presented in the form of Chokehold and The Summoning, during which blood red lights bathe the stage. Following Granite, Rain and a blistering Ascensionism, the band briefly leave the stage before returning for an encore of Take Me Back To Eden and the magical Euclid, the former one of the most staggering moments of the entire evening as Vessel pours every ounce of energy into his delivery as the music explodes two minutes into the song.
Sleep Token have divided opinion in some circles but those who have witnessed tonight’s performance are indifferent to opinions which deem the band (who themselves have never ascribed their music to one particular genre) irrelevant within the circles of metal. As the gathered throng file out from the 02 in their thousands, we reflect on what has been a transcendent auditory odyssey that veered from melancholic nostalgia to fervent strength. Sleep Token’s popularity is still on the climb and it will be fascinating to see where they their musical evolution takes them next. Worship.
Sleep Token Setlist
The Night Does Not Belong To God
The Offering
Dark Signs
Higher
Interlude 1
Atlantic
Hypnosis
Like That
Alkaline
Missing Limbs
Interlude 2
Chokehold
The Summoning
Granite
Rain
Ascensionism
Interlude 3
Take Me Back To Eden
Euclid
Σχόλια