SLEEP TOKEN | CHOKEHOLD | When Is It Not Real Metal? - Scottish Singer Reacts 

Please do the rest of the songs on this album! You won't regret it.

“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

Sleep Token is their own genre at this point 😆 I personally think they’re geniuses

Haken is my favorite band. I also quite enjoy Sleep Token - I'm seeing both of these bands live soon. That Haken fan is a tool. Gatekeeping is a stupid thing metal elitists have been doing forever.

I'm 63 years old. I've listened to everything from Abba to Zappa and everything else in between, and I'm here to tell ya... This is some Good Shit! I also dig Skyharbor and TesseracT...

You’ve definitely got to check out “Take Me Back to Eden” or “Acensionism” from this album, both are a musical journey and spiritual experience, especially the live performances

I just wanna say I really love your perspective on “snobbery” and art! Great reaction once again!!

Sleep Token are without a doubt a metal band, metal is such a vast genre.. to where at points it doesn't even need to be heavy for most of the song. Even when you look at bands like Pantera and how much groove they added into their songs. It's always been a musicians genre that adapts new styles and genre blends, it's why I love it. Black Sabbath/Cannibal Corpse/Nightwish/Apocalyptica/Sleep Token are all wildly different bands, but they're all still under the same umbrella.

You mentioned sleep token being influenced by electronic music and that is certainly one of their influences. Drumeo has a rare interview with the drummer ii and he specifically mentions UK drum and bass music as an influence on his playing among other influences from bands like Deftones, slipknot, mudvayne.

That power cut needs an award. It amuses me that sleep token get comments like those. When a band like faith no more are lauded. And by the way please dive into faith no more and Mike patton some time. His vocal range and project variety will blow your fn Socks off hen.

I'd just like to respond to what Jeremy said as well. I feel like the vast majority of people that discovered Sleep Token did so without ever knowing what they looked like, and just fell in love with their sound. So I think it's incredibly reductive to just attribute Sleep Token's meteoric rise in popularity to their masks. That being said, music can be incredibly subjective, and I think it's everyone's prerogative to enjoy whatever kind of music that appeals to them. And one of the most beautiful things about art is that it evolves, often in multiple directions at once. Sleep Token represents a particular evolution of metal just as Haken represents a particular evolution. Some people like incredibly intricate and technical guitar work. Some people like the juxtaposition of melodic vocals and guttural screams. No one is wrong in this regard. Sleep Token may not represent the evolution of the element of metal that appeals most to you, but that doesn't make their art and contribution to the genre any less valid. There's enough gate keeping in the metal scene as it is, and we as a community should embrace new evolutions of the genre that introduces the scene to new audiences, otherwise the scene stagnates and dies.

i have been a fan of sleep token since the start of last year and even tho it does not fit in any typical jar or genre, i have to disagree with anyone saying this is not metal based music its a blend of many styles of metal including infliences of r/n/b, gospel,hip hop, drum and bass. You only have to listen to the rare interview on drumeo on vessel 2's(drummer) background to understand that both vessel (lead singer) and vessel 2 who are the main writers and recording artists for this band vessel3,4(guitarist and bass only appear live) that they are utlerly talented and invested in bringing metal into a new era of music ...and by the way this is album "Take me to eden" is the end of a triiolgy and a journey that started in 2016. and in 2019 been the first album of the triliogy, To fully appreciate this and to fully understand the story you will need to go back in to there catalogue

I’ve been a metalhead my entire life. Ever since I first discovered metal, I’ve always listened to the heaviest stuff I could get my hands on. That being said, Sleep Token is a phenomenal band. The “masks and mystery” is completely lost on me, because it doesn’t affect what I’m hearing, only the live shows. They aren’t what I’d call “heavy” by any means, but they do have metal aspects to them. Regardless of whether or not they’re “pop with distortion”, they’re packed with feeling and soul. Soul, being something modern music generally tends to lack. And the fusion of metal with pop is probably a necessary step in the evolution of the genre, that might help reinvigorate interest and bring about some other amazing bands.

While this song/reaction is still fresh in your head, I think you need to hear the cover Will Ramos (Lorna shore singer) did. Even if it’s on your time and not recorded. Sooooo goooood!

She likes it so much she had to get back to Sleep Token ASAP yesss!! If I were you I would listen to the entire album!

Sleep Token is such an anomaly for me. They do everything I don't want in metal music and yet they are quickly becoming my favorite band going right now.

the old head metal gatekeepers will say its not metal. You watch II play double bass drum, or hear Vessel scream, and tell me that it isn't at least fused metal. Keep reviewing Sleep Token! Really love your channel :)

I found Sleep Token by the music.... I did not know anything about their masks or looks...... I was smashed by their music. So no,- they are just awesome.

@thatmelisakelly Ok new subscriber here. As soon as you said Prodigy, I fell off my chair. 😂 Yes. I hear that. Agree with what you said about metal and the whole genre. The thing is some metal has taken a turn, probably around the mid 1990's maybe even just at 2000's, I recognize this because I am old as dirt and remember bands like Linkin Park, NIN, Marylin Manson, Deftones, Orgy, A Perfect Circle, Tool ....All these bands used electronic elements but most of those bands were also influenced by Metallica, Megadeth, I would even dare say Pink Floyd too because I definitely hear all those bands in the Sleep Tokens newest album. Even with the trappy hip hop vibes in Granite and Ascensionism. Still valid. This band along with MIW, Bad Omens, Spirit Box, more I'm forgetting I'm sure, can still be considered metal or metal core, it's just an extension of that music. Love the channel. 🎵✨🖤🤟

Point of interest, seeing as you've reacted to both Lorna Shore and will Ramos. Sleep Token is Will's favourite band. Also he has done a one take vocal cover of this song. And yes his ckeans are awesome !

You should check out Will Ramos' cover of chokehold. It keeps most of the feel and adds a little more spice* to the middle of the song. I love both versions equally.

I would say there’s room for everything in music - and that’s great and should be encouraged. We get to choose what we listen to, so if you don’t care for it, don’t listen.

ive been a metalhead for 35+yrs. last year i saw Mastadon, Gojira, Lorna Shore, Tool and Sleep Token. ...Sleep Token put on the best show by a LOT. Dont care if anyone thinks its not metal. Its damn good in any category you want to box them into. ....Tesseract is amazing and you definitely should do a deep dive into them.

"Snobbery is absolutely the death of really good art."

ST has wormed it's dark tentacles into my brain. They are easily my favorite band right now. This whole album is amazing. And yeah, it tells a story... What I love is.. the story is the most basic, common story ever... like a dude meets a girl, and drama happens... but damn, I need to know who hurt Vessel.. cause that guy was hung up on this lady. But I hope you do more ST, but honestly I have yet to find a reaction you've done that isnt awesome, so, obv. do whatevs. I totally give you permission to do whatever you want with your channel. 🤣

Vessel II (or just II) who is the drummer, has stated that he is greatly influenced by European Electronica as well as Gospel. Also I would consider this band metal adjacent but I wouldn't correct anyone from calling it metal. I would love to hear it on the radio just because their music deserves to be shared and recognized, but at no point would I ever consider them to be the downfall of "Metal." There will always be bands making more music using the sounds that you are accustomed to hearing from your version of Metal, but growth and progression are needed to keep any genre healthy

Preach babes! I really cannot understand why people comment so much on things they don't enjoy or like. That energy is better spent on things you enjoy imo

every sleep token song brings something different to the table, so if your expecting the same thing , think again. thats what makes sleep token so special, because you never know whats coming. all you can count on is that every song will be special it its own way. you have the song ‘gods’ at one end of the spectrum and ‘missing limbs’ at the other. enjoy and worship.

That person that commented in the beginning has obviously never seen Sleep Token live. And I disagree to a point. On them not being successful without the masks. Everyone in this band is so talented. II the Drummer is a world class Drummer. One of the best of our generation in my opinion. And it's not like it's difficult to identify the members. Vessels previous band before Sleep Token was so different but still amazing.

I am sneaking up on sixty-one, and have been a rock/metal head since the seventies. But I Love music that surprises and challenges me, no matter what genre it is assigned to. I love Sleep Token!! I haven’t heard anything as challenging/rewarding as this band! Every song has shown me something new!

as a lover of "prog metal" and "prog metal related" music, Sleep Token fall quite comfortably into music i enjoy, along with the likes of Jinjer - interesting, unconventional, varied time signatures, wide-ranging dynamics

"Take me back to Eden' is another banger! It's so good.

Sleep Token one of the most talented bands out there. You have to check out this upcoming band October Ends. Their song Damaged is unreal!

Love your take and completely agree on technical vs soul. Simple example I think the folks on American Idol, while technically sound instruments are vapid soulless sellout carbon copies, whereas there are so many artists I follow, admire and consume their output that aren't in the same neighborhood of talent technically but they're original, they play, write and produce all of their own music and they have something of substance to say. Sign me up for that all day every day, and twice on Sundays. I'm a new sub btw, brought here by ST and I am looking forward to many more of your takes. Cheers!

Sleep Token Give. Most underrated song in history

That was a good call with saying it was a bit of Prodigy in the electronic sounds used by Sleep Token. I never really made that connection but now that you mention I can see a bit of a correlation. I LOVED Prodigy's "Fat of the Land" album. I have not done a lot of research on Sleep Token but this band is DEFINITELY UK/English judging by how the lead singer pronounces some of the words when he's not "singing" them. Nice reaction.

I'm sorry...where have you been my whole life?.. Love your channel!

Melisa i couldnt i think your reactionvideos are really cool and i always enjoy your directness and honesty. I totally agree with your statement thats snobbery is the enemy of creativety. As a artist myself i have often wondered about it since when i make music im just focused on making a song i like and then its first when i try to market it when i have to decide what type of music it is because in todays musical climate you kind of have to fit in a narrow niche to fit the algoritm and that is not the way i like to restrict my self when i make music. Myiwn musical influyences have always depended on mood so i listen to everything from blackmetal to Tom Waits but i think that if many of the artists i admire have payed any attention to snobs especially early in their career we might have missed out on some great music. So i am glad that you speak up against such snobbery. I think artists like Sleep Token and Ghost that have a visual immage that are harder then their musical image often attract even more of the music snobbs attention but both these artists stand their ground and seem to be quite successfull even if they dont het the approval of the snobbs. Sure one could argue if what they are making is metal or not but why is that important, isnt it better to focus on if its good music or not.

I always find it quite funny when people angry about whether something is "metal" or not. It only matters if you've decided you're only going to listen to one single genre will reject everything else. Obviously in that case, it's pretty damn important whether Sleep Token are metal or not because it determines weather you're allowed to listen to them but... what a weirdly restrictive rule to insert into your life!

Imagine watching a reaction to a band you dont like, just to comment how you dont like them... idk seems like a waste of time to me. Keep up the good work. Tesseract are awesome! Sleep Token is awesome too.

Can’t wait to hear more of your reactions from this album and beyond! 🫶

Many of My favorite bands have been pissed on over the years, By people who claim to be intelligent. Do not listen to them. Make Your own decisions, based on how the music makes You feel! Keep up the great work My Fine Scottish Lady! ❤❤❤

If you are planning on listening to them in depth, it is worth starting with sundowning as there are alot of call backs to that record. Euclid makes me cry because it completes a circle and a body of work that has really made my life Brighter

BRAVO on your Metal Head Musings chica…totally agree. “It’s Greeeeeey” 🫠 🤘🏽😎🤘🏽

Excellent reaction as usual. You are spot on with their influences and you definitely have good taste. On that vein could you consider, Steven Wilson's, Routine or Drive home . Audio and visual art combined. Keep up the great work doll😂,lang may yur lum may reek🤘

Your answer to @TheJeremydinazareth comment was so on point ... love it.

LOVED your response to the hater. Made me hit that sub button with no hesitation dude!! 💪

Sugar by sleep token will make you melt! Cant wait to see you watch it! They have created a new genre!

@thatmelisakelly the titluar track from the album is absolutely amazing. Take me back to eden.

Great video! You are such a fun and insightful reaction person! When it comes to genre.. Hmm, who knows what Sleep Token is. Super hard to put them in a box. Like Alternative Prog Metal maybe? Idk. It's amazing anyway. Vessel has an AMAZING voice. The production on his voice is definitely not to hide anything, as you said. Purely a creative decision. If you're gonna check out something live you should definitely check out Bloodsport (Room Below Version) - probably the pinnacle of live Vessel vocals.

Tesseract?!?! You lucky shit! One if my favorite bands of the last 10 years. Dan Thompkins is probably my favorite current male vocalist. His range is insane.

I’m feeling this band more and more as I continue to listen. Having the lyrics to read along with helped me connect with it better, I think because vessel tends to stretch and bend words to fit the melody. Not dissimilar to what Maynard does with Tool lyrics. P.s. I think II is a VERY solid drummer.

Take Me Back To Eden is the first album I’ve listened to that has zero song skips, in years. Listening to the entire album is an experience. (I do have to admit tho that I really liked Will Ramos’ cover of Chokehold with the little growl break.)

Oh that voice!! 🥴 I'd happily invite Vessel to put me in Chokehold...or any type of hold tbh 😂

Lol, the power cut was in the perfect moment. Love Sleep Token 👌

I saw them live last summer. It was really cool! Vessel had 3 backing vocalists in order to account for all the layered vocals. Oh, and a fun fact: Will Ramos made a vocal cover of this song. You might find it interesting as a comparison between their voices.

Variety is very healthy. I have deathcore, metalcore(my love), classic rock, 2000s an some new rap, r&b and some EDM an trap all in my spotify library lol

One of my favorite reactors. You’re great, you stop the right amount and at the right times. You understand all aspects of the music. I HIGHLY suggest Ascensionism because that introduces another genre and melody and lyric is absolutely incredible on that song.

I would love to see you do "Blood Sport (from the room below)", a stripped down live version with just the singer and a piano

This is not the downfall of metal, this is the evolution of metal. If you want to see a live thing... look up the Drumeo interview with II. I found it really interesting.

Will Ramos cover of chokehold is also a must listen

Preach Melisa! Your intro is spot on and refreshing to hear. F the snobs right in their stupid arses lol.

I love TesseracT and The Prodigy, and I hope you react to this whole album, or at least Ascensionism

Hey, Melisa! Beyond the audio (and with all these Visualizer videos, that's all you've got, so far), these guys' live show is great too. I'd recommend you see them if possible, but since they sold out Wembley in 10 minutes, last year, I wish you luck if you try. Hah. 🤘😎👍

1st, love your energy 2nd, No, I don't think it's the downfall of Metal as with everything it has evolutions there will still be Metal this will just be another form of metal.

To quote Jello Biafra, “Heavy Metal is the most conservative of all loud music. Let's face it, not even a gym teacher could get as many people to dress alike.” Personally i am loving all the new progressive metal acts that are throwing out all the boring cliche's (like cookie-monster vocals) and bringing us some real f'ing art

Somehow, this is my favorite track off the new album. Not as adventurous as the more popular ones, but his vocal choices in this one and the atmosphere are my shit. Glad you mentioned Prodigy. Prodigy was the most metal electronic band and gained lots of cred with metalheads. Also my I suggest please ma'am, to check out their track Bloodsport(from the room below version) for a very intimate emotional look at Vessel's vocals. It's just him and a piano. Do it. Don't make this nice American boy get mean in the comments😚.

Happy to give you your 1000th like on this vid because of your snobbery Convo

I think sleeptoken is the ideal band to get anyone into metal. Take me back to Eden was probably my favorite metal album last year. I v been a metal enthusiast for 30+ years and I celebrate every diviation from the norm. I'm sick of the elitist snobbery in the metal cene. If we listened to them we'd all be listening to the same 10 bands on repeat. In the 90 it was nu metal that wasn't "real" metal in the 2000s it was metal core that was "bad" now it stuf like Sleeptoken and igorrr. (Igorrrr would make a great reaction) On another note, love to see pratchet books in your background

That power cut! 😂 I was ready to be outraged just as the drop was about to hit. I'll have to admit that im not a huge fan of ST. I love when bands meld metal and electronica like this, and i love the goth pop darkness. But for some reason, they just leave me cold - and i can't for the life of me figure out why.

You're rant about snobbery got me subbed Thank you ❤

I totally agree with You on the fact that it's snobbery to judge genres of music, or stating they don't exist or belong. You don't have to like every genre of for example Metal, I'm a perfect example of that, as I do not enjoy Sleep Token. But I respect the genre and I can definitely listen to it. Keep up your strong opinion - we love You for that!

I swear to god woman. We have listened to Haken both in the car and in the house extensively. Not two days ago we watched two songs, one you didn’t love and one you did 😂

Love 2 you from Brighton.. you are awesome!!

Ascensionism or Granite! Would be a great third step You'll be blown away! Save Euclid for last.

All artists end up using parts of other artists work one way or another. The trick is putting your individual spin on so that the end product is yours and yours alone. I think Sleep Token does this amazingly. You can hear influences of other styles and artists yet you know each and every song is Sleep Token. The true test is when others start copying them..........

My thought about sleep token is there's not a lot of bands out that can hit tons of genres. Sleep token not only plays one genre for one song and then another genre for another. But sometimes they cram three or four genres in one song and then make it so smooth. The transitions are just something so new to me. That moment when they released a new song and you're jamming out to it, switches from metal to rap, Goosebumps. I don't know what to define them as, they are literally everything. And the lore they have behind the band is great too. Gives another completely different thing to be excited about when you hear the name sleep token. Another part of their existence to learn about.

that power cut made me spit my drink out XD

Hi Melisa, I love your attitude! Tell it like it is and fuck the haters. I did want to take this opportunity to say that you might want to reconsider the belief that some of the lyrics in ‘The Summoning’ might be a bit lazy. The more you listen to the back catalogue and dive deeper down the rabbit hole, the greater you’ll appreciate the incredible attention to detail each and every piece of the art that Sleep Token had created. Nothing is there by accident, it’s all very deliberate and plays a part in the story. It’s an emotional journey, with the likes of ‘The Way That You Were’, ‘Blood Sport (From the Room Below) and ‘Euclid’ to come. The latter btw, should only be listened to when you’ve heard everything else. Can’t wait for your next Sleep Token reaction! W O R S H I P

I have never cried so hard listening to a song before, like when I first met Take me Back to Eden. Good luck when u get there

Hell Yes! Excited about another Sleep Token reaction. I'd recommend Granite next (but most of their music is pretty damn epic).

A new genre awakens. The brain says no but the heart says yes. Another line on the music genre tree of life however I'd prefer to find this in the "alternative" rack. Am I hearing the influence of Radiohead, Type O Negative, Bon Iver and Meshuggah? Keep going Sleep Token, you're "So very special"

This isn't the future of metal, it's the future of music.

I love your perspective ❤️

A little side note from the music... I just noticed the Discworld books behind you. You truly are a woman of taste and wisdom. You can stay.

Jeremy be saying some fighting words!

Sounds like a song you'd listen to while riding Angus, shooting arrows at various targets while riding though the glen. 🤭🤣

I love sleep token, they are a great band

Sleep Token my fav band 😍😍

Now that you're through hearing Chokehold, and while it's still fresh in your memory, you should have Take Me Back To Eden, you absolutely horrifyingly lovely WH*RE

If you're going to try a Sleep Token live performance next, you might go with "Blood Sport (from the room below)". Best view of Vessel from up close. He's wearing a half mask, and you can really see the mouth shapes he uses, and hear a good live recording.

Sleep token gets better and better and I'll tell you it changes your life

Sleep Token is above genres. They take so many musical textures and flavors and seamlessly meld them together. Stop putting everything in a box and just enjoy creative music and art.

Will ramos is a sleep token fan an does some of their songs an should give em a listen some time. Not even asking for a reaction, just a recommendation of fun music 😊

I think the problem some people are having is that Sleep Token isn't stuck in the traditional metal lane so some people get frustrated by it. Faith No More were the same but % wise had more "metal" songs. Some people will be spewing that Sleep Token were #1 streamed metal album of 2023 on Spotify, by a long way. I think they've hit this sweet spot of appealing to both heart and head, with phenomenal musicianship. This is the musicians band, but one everyone can appreciate. BTW Granite is a masterpiece. Keep going with the album!!! Aqua Regia next.

Every genre is guilty of the gatekeeping attitude of "this band isn't X genre", and you're right that while sometimes those arguments contain valid points as a whole the argument seems to be more about that person being a "true" fan of the genre as it becomes more mainstream/popular. People just need to enjoy music and stop worrying so much about defining bands between the lines of specific genres, some bands like Sleep Token just make this hard to do because of how they blend styles so seamlessly.

If you're interested in dark, genre-bending stuff...I would humbly recommend SKYND. An almost industrial level of processing, but a healthy dose of beautiful melody too. :D

as someone who has been a fan since 2016 (when they first came out) always thought it was a progressive metal band. it is.

Ambient Metal. Gospel. Progressive Metal. Groove Metal.

Ooooo, Tesseract live, you are in for a treat! Daniel Tompkins is on the top of his game at the moment and has an epic range, very similar to Vessel but cleaner and more classic rock voice. They are epic live, saw them at Shepherds Bush Empire and it was like listening to a CD. Don’t miss the support band Unprocessed they are worth a watch. Enjoy, would love to see a Vlog of the gig.