Jazz Musician REACTS | Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden | MUSIC SHED EP363 

“Life is dark. Life is bright. Life is ugly. Life is beautiful. Don’t get lost in genres, they’ll only disorientate you. Music is for everyone.” - Vessel 2017

Watching people react to Sleep Token is almost as fun as listening to it on my own

Classifying Sleep Token as anything other than just “Music” is a crime. I’ve never seen a band touch so many people psychologically and emotionally. It’s what I imagine pure music to be

100% honest-when Sleep Token dropped their first song (jaws, I believe it was) I was literally days away from ending it. Had my affairs in order, a note written, and a noose tied and then I heard that song and for the first time in my life, I felt my soul being recognized and I knew I had to be alive to hear more. As cliché as it is, these songs sincerely saved my life.

"We dive through crystal waters, perfect oceans, but no one told me not to breathe. And the weightlessness recedes." May very well be one of my favorite lyrics of all time. It makes me think of an unprepared child transitioning from the innocence of childhood (eden) to adulthood. Beautiful.

The ending scream is one of my favorite vocal deliveries I’ve ever heard. You can hear the pleading and wanting throughout the song to be returned to where he was or who he was with but that scream is beyond demanding beyond telling you. It’s a force. This album is the human condition. It’s suffering through story telling man is it beautiful. Thank God for Music and Thank God for Sleep Token.

You know, there are a lot of reactors that do reactions just because it's trending and to get views. And it shows. This guy is not one of those. He's a real musician who understands and absolutely gets Sleep Token. He feels the music just like we do. Not for views or to gain followers but because the music resonates with him. It's very refreshing to see. Thank you. ❤️❤️

The fact that the Summoning was the song that absolutely blew my mind…. And that it’s not even my favourite song on the album is what blows me away. This album is the first album in years that has me shook in the best possible way. Love them so much and very happy to be alive to witness it. ❤

I just love the way Sleep Token let their songs "breathe". The space they allow in their compositions, which suck you in before taking you somewhere totally unexpected.

The fact that this guy plays this stuff and sings over it with such feeling means that he's probably in heaven during a live show

What an amazing track. I mean, Vessel and Phil Collins really outdid themselves on this one.

As far as classification goes, I don't even try. It's just amazing music.

My favorite parts of this song are “My, my, those eyes like fire, I’m a winged insect, you’re a funeral pyre” and “I guess it goes to show, does it not, that we’ve no idea what we got until we lose it. No amount of love will keep it around if we don’t choose it.” To me this song was written by someone who loved someone deeply and ended up getting hurt. That is something I can relate to a lot and I think that the use of his metaphor and the way it’s worded in the chorus is absolutely genius and brand new. Sleep Token never ceases to amaze me with their lyricism and the ability to switch up their style in ONE song the way they’ve done with this as well as The Summoning. It’s one reason I absolutely fell in love with them.

i love seeing reactors come out of comfort zones in videos and get excited over the craft these artists create. shows you truly enjoy music in its deepest form and i appreciate it so much

The fact that your channel isn’t getting 100,000 views a video is criminal. You’re one of the few people in reactions who speaks with a deep understanding of what you’re hearing. Not just a 😮 reactor👏🏼 big fan

Sleep Token and Heilung are the only two bands to ever make me feel nostalgic for something I don't even understand, but it's beautiful

Controlled, experimental chaos. Post-genre beauty. It’s 1) amazing to hear for the first time because you never really know where it’s going to go next, and 2) amazing to listen to repeatedly because the complexity of the lyrics is captivating. Love it.

:) I always knew you would understand them, and be moved by them, like I am. I love that you continue to explore their music. Keep going!

Masterpiece. Their song Euclid is just as much of Masterpiece.

Ugh... this reaction brought me to tears. First off, I love your energy and your playalongs are amazing! As a huge Sleep Token fan, I think my first appreciation of the band was hearing the emotion brought with every song I heard. It was refreshing to hear something outside of the box but with detailed control and intention. There isn't one song where I don't FEEL what Vessel is trying to share with us. Then the quality of the musicianship and expression of art through sound just permeates your being! I honestly believe there is a Sleep Token song for just about any emotion you're feeling at that present moment. From everything that ii plays, to Vessel's key playing, and the Power that III and IV drive out, it really is a force that just grabs you into their space and doesn't let go. I LOVE how you can't put them in a box. The genre is Sleep Token, a melting pot of styles, technicality, and art brought together by soul to express human emotion. Some people won't get it, and that's cool. But for me, this band has forever amalgamated itself to my walk through life. Worship! I'd love to see what you think of the last track, Euclid. It ties everything back to their Sundowning album.

This is post-genre at its finest. Everything working to amplify the whole song experience regardless of genre tropes. And that's one of the reasons why ST is so big rn, love them so much

the sneaky key changes right???? they are so smoooth you almost don't notice unless you are listening critically... usually artists lean into and accentuate key changes... it's the gimmick of the song sometime... they sneak it in under the radar like a musical pick pocket.... as dynamic and huge as their sound is they maintain these moments of beautiful subtlety... I love this band....

I heard someone describe their songs as Trauma Influenced. When I look at this album, It comes off as being about a "Rebound Hookup" in a toxic relationship. Listening to this from the lens of a traumatic thing like that, The lyrics reflect the main characters belief that they'll return to the "Good Times and Feelings", or Eden. It's why it starts ambient, then the second major verse is grittier reality, and the tail end is coming to terms that it's not happening and angrily demanding to return. All the song movements in most of the pieces on the album can be viewed is the psychological state of the protagonist speaking as the subject progresses. It's legitimately genius.

commenting again to add my own interpretation of this song after having listened to it many times, i think it might be my favorite from the album. when the song begins, we start out in eden. you hear the birds, the animal sounds. it's very ethereal. some lyrics that stick out to me: bite through these wires, i'm a waking hell, reset my patient violence, grow back your sharpest teeth, i will travel far beyond the path of reason, take me back to eden. to me these all feel violent. biting THROUGH wires, bloody and painful. i'm a waking hell and the gods grow tired, a WAKING hell. that's like someone so violent and ruthless that even the GODS are tired of it. but, reset my patient violence. his violence is patient. he knows how to bide his time. or maybe he is trying to hold it back. grow back your sharpest teeth. maybe the teeth were worn down from biting through the wires, he's saying okay, time to grow them back now, we have more to do. i will travel far beyond the past of reason. this ties back to the "i'm a waking hell" lyric for me because it's like he's so furious that he cant see reason anymore. take me back to eden. he wants to go back to bliss. to a time when he didn't have these feelings? possibly. to when things were better. this is all from the first chorus where we get that first escalation musically. if you listen closely you can hear a really deep growl in the background right before the chorus. lyrics from the second section that stick out to me: spit blood when i wake up, choking up brain matter, room feels like a meat freezer i dangle in it like cold cuts, i'll take a pound of your flesh, i need you to see me for what i have become. all of these feel directly violent, where as the first set of lyrics seem to allude to violence, these outright describe it. choking up brain matter, spitting blood in the sink. i immediately get that visualization of bright red blood in a stark white porcelain sink. the meat freezer lyric feels to me like he's saying he feels like a corpse hanging there. i'll take a pound of your flesh, again directly threatening violence. i need you to see me for what i have become. this tells me that he's given in to some of his violent tendencies. he was trying to hold back and he gave in. then we have the second chorus which feels more sped up musically than the first and has more of the beat from the previous verse backing it. to me this is like a second acceleration. these quiet interludes feel like him trying to keep his control. it's a breather. lyrics from the following verse that stick out to me: no amount of love will keep it around unless we choose it, i don't know what's got its teeth in me but i'm about to bite back in anger. no amount of self-sought fury will bring back the glory of innocence. in that first lyric i mentioned he just said before that we don't know what we've got until we lose it. i think he could be talking about a partner or possibly himself. then he says no amount of love will keep it around if we don't choose it. i love that lyric because it rings so true. if you're not prioritizing the things you love then you aren't choosing them, and your love won't be enough to keep it. i don't know what's got its teeth in me. something has taken hold of him. possibly these feelings of anger and violence we've seen previously. he's about to bite back, in ANGER. that one is pretty obvious but here it feels like he's losing control and his last resort is to bite back with more violence. his control is slipping. no amount of self sought fury will bring the glory of innocence. no matter how furious or violent he cant go back to eden. because what's been done can't be undone. then for this last chorus we have another moment of reprieve and it goes right back to full drums and guitars. these little quiet moments in between remind me of the lyric "reset my patient violence." every slow interlude is like a reset. after this verse he says "when we were made it was no accident" and "we were tangled up like branches in a flood" which is a call back to chokehold. then that heavy breakdown comes in as he's screaming I WILL TRAVEL FAR BEYOND THE PATH OF REASON. he's losing it. he's lashing out. this is his loss of all sense of reality, of reason, he's tried to hold it back but he can't anymore. he's biting back in anger. he's lost control. he wants to go back to eden. but he never will.

12:59 that keyboard fill was amazing lol

This is, hands down, the best reaction I have see to Take Me Back to Eden, thank you! Sleep Token does not belong to a genre they just make great music. Vessel and II (the drummer), are the perfect songwriting duo, there would not be Sleep Token without one of them.

This album is probably the album of my year if not more. the storytelling is absolute poetry. I love Metal, trap/hiphop, classical, etc. I can't give you a genre. It's just Sleep Token. They blend and bend genres together perfectly. Your piano ability is exceptional, do you teach? thank you for the content!

i fell in love with this band so fast it is ridiculous, the sound, the voice. Just everything, it is just something beautiful, you feel it all. I havent felt this way about music in a while. Truly a work of fucking art. Im just glad to be alive during this time and hear this beauty.

You ABSOLUTELY would not regret doing a full album review guys. It's phenomenal stop to finish, and as a musician you will absolutely appreciate the journey ❤️

I would pay to listen to your piano covers. Seriously, I love listening to your live interpretations and arrangements!

I saw sleep token live recently and I was absolutely blown away by the drummer! He does this really amazing drum solo during the slow part of the summoning which I can’t recommend enough everyone goes and listens to. Great band!

Your first sleep token reaction (Jaws) is the whole reason I got into sleep token when I did! I am so happy to see you reacting to them more. This album came full circle for me. Some of the most impactful music I’ve ever heard

The drummer goes by 2 or “II” and he hit god tier when they put out his playthrough of the hypnosis instrumental

LeftyLoosy out here doing the Lords work and spreading the word of sleep token edit: If I had to put a word to their style, it would be post-metal, implementing sounds and textures from all sorts of different genres over relatively typical metal structures, since most of their stuff is generally based around metal. But, to your other point, I don't think it matters at all. I think we as a musical society is beginning to move away from the arbitrary borders of genre. They've joined the rare sect of bands that can not only be genreless, but do it to the absolute highest degree.

I’m a lover of all things metal. I’ve probably never replayed an album as much as this one. Not for the things that typically I wouldn’t gravitate toward, but how it makes me feel. I’m watching fans of all genres feel this music. I’d classify Sleep Token as Emotional Collaborative Art.

i'm gonna tell my kids Phil Collins is Vessel II

Euclid is the nest song and one of the most beautiful songs I've heard. Though there is some context that is needed to get the full value out of the song, I think it is still a great one for you to react to.

I still haven't quite figured out whether this is my favourite Sleep Token song, although it's definitely in the mix for the title, but what I've absolutely no doubt of is that it is the MOST Sleep Token song. Everything they are, all of their identity, is contained within this staggeringly powerful track. GOD I love it. And you're not wrong about the drumming, it's outrageous

You and the charismatic voice are my two favourite reactions to any music I listen to because you both feel the music and are experts in your field.

We love you too man! Glad you like Sleep Token as much as we do! Love all of your reactions too!

So glad you're enjoying the Sleep Token journey. This band made me love music again.

II is such a phenomenal drummer. Worship. 🔥

I fucking love how they just drop you on your head with these break downs. The summoning did it to me first then this song did it to me completely unexpectedly and I just adore it.

Their songs just make me feel im healing from something i didnt even know was hurting me. Thank you for this reaction always love your sleep token reactions❤

I feel like this is one of those albums that we will look back on in years to come as one of those extremely influential albums of our time.

One of my favorite things about this song is that despite it being over 8 minutes long, it doesn't feel like it. At all. I don't feel time passing when I'm listening to it. I experience this with all of their music, but it's more apparent and incredible with the longer songs like this one and Ascensionism. I've never experienced anything quite like this until finding Sleep Token.

Man the way you play around with the progressions makes me really want a full piano cover of a sleep token song from you. Love watching you react, thanks for indulging us with your musical wisdom!

I have to suggest that you listen to this whole album in its entirety. It's a journey, to say the ABSOLUTE least. I've never been transported like I am with this album. Never. And I've also never had an album with SO many different, unique sounds/genres sound so cohesive... it's potentially one of my favorite albums of all time, and I've had a real passion for music for 30 years... This is an album of the year contender, as far as I'm concerned. And I know you asked what genre Sleep Token falls into... I do agree that it doesn't matter, but if I REALLY was forced to, I'd call them Prog Metal, but it doesn't feel good to be so limiting in my description of this band. Haha.

There is no genre when it comes to sleep token, there is just music.

Brother, I absolutely fucking love your reactions. Never stop

Yesss its a gift. Maybe thats why we all keep watching the reactions to see the receiving. 💕 The song Rain is what drew me to them. Thankfully 😊

Theres something incredibly satisfying about hearing a musician agree that his voice is unique and absolutely beautiful. And that his lyricism and musicality are unlike nothing else we've heard. Esp with the way a lot of metalheads pish posh them, Sleep Token is a one of a kind band.

I just stumbled on this channel!? How??? Bro you are obviously an incredible musician as well!! Bravo! And your descriptions are just on.

Have heard it called " Ambient Metal " but I call it Masterful

The part at 13:25 where you started playing really moved me to tears. I just really felt this in my heart. Thank you for these reactions. You're really moving me with your deep understanding of emotion and music. ♥️

Thanks for the great reaction! I love ST, for many of the same reasons you do, as well as all great music regardless of labels and genres. Surprised I haven't read this anywhere, but who they really remind me, in terms of song structure/approach is the band Porcupine Tree. They both know how to craft songs with immense emotion, change gears mid song sonically and often surprisingly. They're both unpredictable. They both love pop, and that reflects in their music. They both love jazz, metal, and are masters of infinite combinations. They both use soundscapes like scoring a film.They both know that to make things impactful, that music needs to breathe, swell up and down, and sometimes resolve in unexpected ways. Finally, both drummers are total masters of their craft and have very similar approaches. You mentioned Steve Gadd, whom Gavin Harrison (of Porcupine Tree) says is his biggest influence. Cheers and looking forward to your next reaction!

They are certainly genre bending when it comes to their music. It’s unbelievable how well they create music so beautifully. My fav band

Not just anything, but everything all at once. It’s only home, is with all of us. This is music. This is my church. Worship.

Can we talk about how beautiful his poetry in his writing is? I mean aside from his vocals, the first verse says I was happy, then I started drowning when you left. But the way he writes and words it, is something else. Amazing.

Talking about vessel's "meditative state," the guy literally cries on stage every single night. I saw it with my own eyes at 4 shows on the US tour.

My man. It is so refreshing to see a review of someone that physically feels this music the way I do. We as Sleep Token fans love you back for understanding and feeling this incredible music the way it should be felt and heard. What a masterpiece of a song. So happy to see your reaction!

I've heard this song a million times, and still get chills and tears in my eyes when he screams "I have traveled far beyond the path of reason." The most catharsis I've ever felt in a song. Phenomenal. Worship.

Back to watch this for the 57th time. It’s such a perfect analysis of the song. What a masterpiece.

Omg LFG Music Shed! Great pick, great song!

Their genre is atmospheric bliss.

Anthony Fantano, this is the reaction that Sleep Token deserves

I honestly would kill for an entire album of just acapella with your piano along with his singing cause man is it beautiful

I have found that the best way to listen to this music for me is to close my eyes. The ambiance and the tone of the track tends to take me somewhere that I can only see in my head. Wonderful

This is the best song of the year, any genre, for me. No question.

souds like a mix of Gospel Worship and ,metal ! I Love this Guys

The fact that he didn’t even get past “I dream in…” before he pauses speaks volumes. Vessel’s voice is indescribable

This piano arrangement was the cherry on top! Thank you!!

If I could make an attempt at putting them in a genre, it would be “Post Blackened Shoegaze”. But really their music has ascended any label you put them at this point lol. Thanks for the reaction man! Worship.

Can we just discuss how GORGEOUS the lyric is that says, "I'm a winged insect you're a funeral pyre." Because it makes me actually cry every time.

I love your understanding of music. When you capture the essence of music in freestyle with your piano. I have to say that I'm a big fan of the sounds of a piano.

I say this a lot on every reaction video I’ve seen, but I personally think that Vessel is not from this world. His voice is so powerful it literally brings people to tears or in a trance. I close my eyes and listen to this song because I can just imagine I’m in an open field with flowers and trees with a nice breeze and I’m just walking to a place unknown. This song also makes me cry because it reminds me of when I was a kid in simpler times.

Wow this man really feels the music!!! And the music just flows seamlessly out of him!! Really really enjoyed this reaction, Sleep token is a beautiful mixture of words, notes, rhythm, and space! They are so very talented and I hope they continue to do well!

Brings me so much joy to see someone else experience the music the way I do. It makes my experience feel seen and validated. Ugh full body chills so many times throughout this song.

So I very literally have only been listening to this band for maybe a couple weeks, as of today. And I keep going back and watching these reactions from when these songs I've come to love first dropped, and it is heartening to know that my feelings about them are reflected backwards through time in these comments. They have withstood the first test of time, and I don't see them losing their gravity ever.

ambient prog metal owns my heart

That end sequence Rain, take me back to eden, euclid is killer!

The whole album tells the story of a relationship. Starts off in the “honeymoon phase” with Chokehold, where everything is new and beautiful, then flash forward to TMBTE, reflecting on the pass trying to come to terms with what has happened, Vessel wants to go back to eden, or the beginning of the relationship where everything was perfect.

Sleep Token “is it really you?” You will love it. Trust me. Beautiful song

Yup. Put your hands up and worship. For Vessel is exactly that. A vessel for the music to come to us all. Worship the sound.

This album is a masterpiece and will stand the test of time. Worship.

Completely agree with the first thing you stopped to say. I love ST because their music is so transporting!

I can never get tired of this album if I need an emotional roller-coaster I just throw this album on to feel everything all at once

I really love your piano additions when you listen to songs, you really added something with this one, feels like you really get the soul of the song and you have to let it out. I love when you do it.

the first time i really got to listen to TMBTE, the beginning immediately transported me to a forest in another worlds. Vessel has an amazing ability to tell a story with his music

I love the way you explain music! I’ve never heard words that describe exactly how I feel about music ESPECIALLY this song 🔥

It's like they try out all the different styles and elements that they come up with. It's like them trying on different styles and modeling it for us.

Dude, idk why but I really enjoyed watching you jam out at about the 10:30 mark lol. Sleep Token is insane.. absolutely insane.. and it's beautiful.

I love this kind of music that just pushes beyond genres. Maybe that’s why this album has really spoken to me. Everything from the drums, the music, the feelings and the voice just hits for me, and I haven’t been as impressed with a band in a long, long time.

best part of the reaction is at 14:41 …. when he discovers the piano piece and begins to dissect it with ease but remains surprised for every new discovery he finds ❤

sleep token isnt just a band there are musicians from another universe WORSHIP

I STILL come back to your jam here in the middle after the rap section. I could listen to your piano inspo cover of this all day.

The drummer makes it for me too!! ii was what got me into this band, hands down.

You are easily my favorite reactor because you get So involved you bring instrumentation and knowledge of what each part is making you feel. Please please have a look at more of the album. I love seeing your piano almost accompanied by sleep token Vessel is a classically trained pianist by the way. So seeing you one up him is unbelievable at times! More more more.

One of the "rules" that Sleep Token always breaks is that the singer sets the melody. Usually that's a guitar riff these days, or a synthesized piano playing a set of notes, but for a singer to set the melody with the control that Vessel has is nuts.

What genre is Sleep Token? YES.