Sleep Token have revealed their fourth studio album, ‘Even In Arcadia’, which is set to arrive on May 9 via RCA Records. The announcement follows months of cryptic teasers, including sheet music drops and mysterious emails to fans, hinting at a new era for the band.
Alongside the album news, the band has released the lead single ‘Emergence’, a sprawling six-minute track that showcases their signature genre-blending style. NME has already given the song a four-star review, praising it as an example of Sleep Token at their “sprawling, genre-defying best.”
The new album is described as a fresh chapter for Vessel and company, pushing their sound further into an otherworldly space where music and emotion seamlessly merge. Some fans speculate that ‘Even In Arcadia’ will break away from the trilogy of albums that preceded it, marking a new direction in the band’s evolving mythology.
Sleep Token first gained attention with their 2019 debut album, ‘Sundowning’, which introduced their mix of atmospheric metal, R&B, and progressive rock. The album received widespread praise, with publications like Kerrang! and Metal Hammer highlighting the band’s unique approach to heavy music. Their 2021 follow-up, ‘This Place Will Become Your Tomb’, expanded on their cinematic sound, earning them a growing cult following in the UK and securing a place on the UK Albums Chart, debuting and peaking at number 39.
However, it was 2023’s ‘Take Me Back to Eden‘ that solidified their status as one of the most innovative metal bands in the UK. The album debuted at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart, their highest position to date, and was praised for its ambitious songwriting, blending metal, electronic, and pop influences. Tracks like ‘The Summoning’ and ‘Granite’ became viral hits, further propelling Sleep Token into the mainstream.
In celebration of the album, Sleep Token have also announced a 17-date North American tour, kicking off on September 16 in Duluth, Georgia. The tour will include stops in Orlando, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and more.
Meanwhile, Sleep Token are set to headline Download Festival for the first time this June. Additionally, drummer II will perform at Black Sabbath’s final show in Birmingham this July, sharing the stage with Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, and Grammy winners Gojira. Speaking about the opportunity, II called it a “reverence and great honour’.
Fans can visit the official site to pre-order a limited seven-inch vinyl variant of the new single.
