public

PREMIERE: Sleep Token’s “Fields of Elation” Is Haunting, Larger Than Life Prog

Back in September, we presented to you “Thread The Needle,” the debut single from enigmatic rock group Sleep Token. The act is shrouded in mystery; little is known about the

7 years ago

Back in September, we presented to you “Thread The Needle,” the debut single from enigmatic rock group Sleep Token. The act is shrouded in mystery; little is known about the group at all outside of a suggestion that it is a supergroup of sorts featuring members of established acts. Presently, there’s no way to confirm which is equal parts frustrating and fascinating; I’ve known the publicist handling this act for years, and he’s not telling me a fucking thing outside of some conceptual lore:

Sleep Token are a masked, anonymous collective of musicians; united by their worship of an ancient deity crudely dubbed “Sleep”, since no modern tongue can properly express it’s name. This being once held great power, bestowing ancient civilisations with the gift of dreams, and the curse of nightmares.

Even today, though faded from prominence, ‘Sleep’ yet lurks in the subconscious minds of man, woman, and child alike. Fragments of beauty, horror, anguish, pain, happiness, joy, anger, disgust, and fear coalesce to create expansive, emotionally textured music that simultaneously embodies the darkest, and the brightest abstract thoughts. He has seen them. He has felt them. He is everywhere.

Sleep Token, led by the pepertually tormented, supremely talented Vessel, creates music that brings to the fore our most submerged thoughts and feelings, coaxing them from the desolate, terrifying caves of our subconscious mind.

Conceptual utility aside, the anonymity aids in the doing away of expectations, which is helpful if its members are indeed established musicians that operate outside of this musical style. “Thread the Needle” was a touching piece of art-rock, and the group’s follow-up single “Fields of Elation” takes it a step further. Fans of dynamic and emotive prog like Tesseract, Anathema, Leprous, and Agent Fresco will find much to love.

Sleep Token’s debut EP One will be available December 2nd in a limited run of hand-numbered CDs and will feature three tracks and accompanying grand-piano instrumental renditions. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long for a full-length follow up but for now, you can pre-order it right here. You even get a download of “Fields of Elation” once you do!

Jimmy Rowe

Published 7 years ago