The newest Exploring the Concept just dropped! It's on Holding Absence's latest album, The Noble Art of Self-Destruction. Check it out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JMu2YHe1-ng.html
@@The_nazareth LOL @ this answer... EDIT... my dumb ass just realized who you are lol... I vibe to every one of your drum parts bro... straight killing it. Locked in and creative af. Especially your cymbal work... so expressive and just as much a part of the rhythm as the drums, not just a staccato background/time keeper... this is me gushing lol \m/
@@sol-ym5he well the way i understood it, he broke himself for her, then wished she could have re-fix him. By doing so he realized she was also really broken in her own ways and she will not fix herself nor let herself get fixed, and she sure won't fix him. So we're all right, kinda, lol.
When he said "these three albums,..., stitched together seamlessly in a 3 act structure of devastating sadness, captivating combat, and blood-curdling rage. Lets get our Teeth into this" This guy Sleeps.
Any song I hear, I just need to ask Vessel,'Who hurt you??' You can't help but feel every word. You can't just listen to Sleep Token. You experience it, feel it.
I love how in chokehold vessel states how he will "turn these walls to gold untill she returns home" as if he believes that will be whats good for him. Then, three songs later its "aqua regia" a solution that is used to melt gold ie. His false self before he is begging her to consume him
A part of me believes yes, he has now ascended, but most of the time Vessel sings acensionism, he cries deeply. Maybe Vessel doesn’t like having this power, but knows it’s what he needs
I have a personal theory for the song Euclid. I believe the "call me when you have a chance...." lines are Sleep attempting to call Vessel back because she's losing the power she once got from him. Even in the song, the words sound distorted and ethereal in a way, like it was meant to be another entity speaking in the song. I also like to believe that "we" the audience and fans are part of the reason why Vessel has risen in power. A lot of Gods thrive in the power of belief and following, and we are essentially that for him. Down to the band's name (whether they intended to or not), Vessel is essentially the proof of the consequences of being in a toxic and abusive relationship, a token of what happens to a follower of Sleep.
As someone who was in a very long marriage with a psychopath this music is like a biography. So glad im out and healed. Telomores has got to be one of my favorite songs, eeminds me of a deep dream.
As a non psycopathic someone since healed from the unexpected end of a very long marriage your comment resonated very much indeed. So glad we both found peace, sanctuary and meaning with a little help from Sleep Token 👊 Worship.
I like the concept of a forgotten god taking advantage of some depressed human and manipulating them; that's why I got sucked into this band, I thought that was their whole thing. But as I listened to their albums, I realized it wasn't that deep, the songs are just painful experiences veiled beneath poetry. Still great though, it still slaps and I still got hurt listening to all them albums lmao. My hope is that in the future Vessel writes more songs that reference the "lore" of his band more explicitly.
POTENTIAL SPOILERS ABOUT VESSEL IDENTITY, DON'T CLICK SHOW MORE IF YOU DON'T WANT IT. His old duo is back to putting out music, and speculation that the person all these songs are about, the other half of the breakup, is the other half of said musical duo, so it looks like this part of his story is over, closure has been had. Hopefully, that's the case.
@@roystoncharmaineFURTHER COMMENT REGARDING SAID IDENTITY DONT READ IF U DONT WANT TO KNOW Yes, they were dating at some point. Yes, it could be her but it also could be anybody else he dated or no one specifically to begin with. If you looked back into his older solo stuff he uploaded on RU-vid before this duo existed you will notice he has been writing depressing (love) songs from the start and even commented himself on that fact saying he can’t help it that’s kind of what he does. His tone was very light hearted almost as is he was making fun of himself in that sense so I wouldn’t read too much into it. Also the girl he was dating/in a duo with has made fun of these speculations herself on her RU-vid channel. If anything I personally don’t believe it is her he is talking about if anyone specifically at all. Also they uploaded some old songs they didn’t compose anything new as far as I know so I wouldn’t say they are back at it again so to speak but who knows.
@@roystoncharmaine I know it's a popular assumption that his old partner from that duo is what this whole trilogy is about, but I think it's a bit unfair to her for anybody to point fingers and say "ay hol up. Dis about u?" Like the other person who commented here said, it could be about anybody, or another ex. We won't know fo sure. Anyway, I was just thinking it might be a wasted opportunity for the lads to dump the "lore" that made them kinda distinct from the other bands out there. Because if the trilogy is about Sleep and Vessel has moved on from this god, then the band shouldn't be called 'Sleep Token' now, right? Since from the beginning Vessel said the songs are a 'token' for their god, like offerings. Just my two cents. Though tbh whichever creative direction they go, I'll be into it.
There are plentiful references to ancient mythology and Christian symbolism throughout the three albums. The runes on the album artwork and on the videos for the songs are also clearly referencing a mythology that's being highlighted throughout the music. Just because the songs can (also) be interpreted as a man going through a painful human relationship doesn't mean that the lore isn't also present throughout the three albums. The human relationship elements could just be the man making sense of what's happening to him in the only conceivable way he can--by comparing it to a relationship with another human. How do we express a relationship with a forgotten deity? By making references to it that make sense to our own sensibilities. Ancient deities were also often caught using humans as pawns by enacting some level of deception, manipulating them into adoration, love, and devotion by kindling a human-like relationship with them. It's not inconceivable that Vessel is using language that's reminiscent of a human relationship to describe a relationship with a deity called Sleep and referencing past relationship trauma to describe his current situation.
regardless if your interpretation is "correct" or not it, is most definitely profound and I absolutely connected with it. Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Well I both love and hate this view. I've been listening to Sleep Token from the perspective of Vessel having lost Sleep and desperately wanting her back, but I think that's because it's the narrative I wanted. I lost the person I love and wanted to feel like, although I blame myself, I still wanted to be the victim. The way you see and interpret the story makes more sense, which I love, but it makes me realise that as much as I want to be Vessel in this story, I am Sleep. I was the manipulator and I couldn't see how she tried to raise both of us up to be better, but I refused to see it and couldn't bring myself to grow with her. So thank you for opening my eyes to this truth. Music has always meant the world to me, so realising that you're the villain, not the victim, is fucking hard and it put me off listening to Sleep Token for a few weeks, but I'm back to them and determined to change things and be more aware of my actions and what I'm doing and how I'm acting towards those I love and who love me. Hopefully it's not too late to repair the damage I've done, but if it is I know what behaviours I'm prone to and I can do and be better.
For what it's worth, I am very happy for you that you've recognized these negative aspects of your self/past and that you're committing to change. The most important thing is to recognize that your hope for redemption doesn't trump the others' need for healing on their own terms. Should they be receptive to reconnecting and hearing your apology, wonderful! Should they request distance and/or not be interested in connecting down the line, there are other ways for you to make your peace while still honoring theirs (though I do recommend working through this process with the support of a therapist or counselor either way, should you have affordable access to one!). As someone who has been both the victimizer and the victim in different toxic relationships, I know how deep and intimate the grief can be as *either* party. Wishing you love and healing on your journey forward.
I love this interpretation so much, but there is one thing I would like to point out in Missing Limbs and perhaps DYWTYLM and especially even themes of this in Euclid. What I believe is that the "imaginary man" or "him" he speaks about at the end of Missing Limbs is not imaginary at all, he is talking about his past self, him from when he longed to be with Sleep, that part of him begins to die in TPWBYT, he looks in the mirror in DYWTYLM and sees that he is no longer happy, that he cannot love himself for who he is, but has a moment of clarity in Euclid that he must become a new person, that he must move on and shed his dependence on Sleep.
Oh, you're probably right! "Remember what you are to him" meaning what she used to mean to himself actually makes so much sense. Where were you when I was writing this!?
@@roystoncharmaineI've also interpreted some of Sleep Token's songs as introspective-essentially, Vessel speaking to himself. More specifically, I think Vessel's thinking has become disordered as a result of his trauma-"beyond the path of reason". He experiences a profound dissonance between two selves: the pre-traumatic self he longs to become again; and the post-traumatic self which is drowning the other in darkness. The pre-traumatic self is located in "Eden", a place of genesis and innocence. But there is no going back to Eden-"No amount of self-sought fury will bring back the glory of innocence". And so, as he exclaims in Euclid, he must wrench ownership of the darkness away from his fate ("the night belongs to you") and become someone entirely new. It is the only way to move past his trauma. Disclaimer: I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, and so this trilogy of albums might speak to me in a uniquely personal way. But they *really* speak to me, which causes me to wonder if Vessel is coming from a similar place.
@@biitchstixOr at least a close take! Or maybe ii is just acknowledging that it's an awesome, well thought through interpretation without it necessarily being anywhere close to the canon. I guess future releases will give us further hints!
I actually interpret this largely the same, but Euclid I feel could go both ways. Think it through from Sleep's perspective. Lamenting the past and regretting her actions, but recognizing that Vessel has ascended into something more beautiful and she was always too blind to really see him as more than just an object to use. The whole opening verse really makes sense from that perspective. "Call me when you get the chance, I can feel the walls around me closing in." He's finally left her behind, shaken off the shackles she had placed around him. Now she's lost and has fallen deep into the despair he had been in in the very beginning. She wishes so much that there was someone there - that he was there - to keep her together. "Yet in reverse you are all my symmetry, A parallel I would lay my life on. So if your wings won't find you Heaven, I will bring it down like an ancient bygone." Again, she's looking back and wishing she would have allowed herself to let him in. To embrace him. But she can't change the past, so instead she wants him to find the peace he deserves. The wording could be interpreted as her imagining doing it all over again and making entirely different choices. "Do you remember me when the rain gathers? And do you still believe that nothing else matters?" She's holding onto what little hope she can that his love is still there, even just a little bit. Remember how Vessel felt earlier on. Nothing else mattered to him but her. Remember what Vessel said in Rain? "When I open my eyes to the future, I can hear you say my name. So rain down on me." It kind of feels like she could be delirious, imagining the life they could have had if she'd just embraced him instead of mentally abusing him and preying on his weaknesses. All the while she's dying, possibly by her own hands, from the regret. But that's just an alternative theory! I wonder what you would think of that? Phenomenal video, I thank you so much for taking the time to put this together. I really enjoyed it.
I absolutely agree with your read on this track. RE the delirium of What Could Have Been, it's a common theme (from both sides!) in toxic/abusive relationships, that one's perception of their partner is less about the person in front of them and more about the person they have conjured in their mind. From early tracks I get the feeling that, though Sleep is clearly in the wrong, she/they ABSOLUTELY believe they are entitled to the worship, to the suffering, to the havoc they wreak in their supplicants' lives and bodies. It's only after Vessel has Ascended that Sleep's reality shatters and she realizes what she's done, and what/who she's lost. The echoes of the previous refrains from all three albums are her looking back on what they experienced together, what he cried out to her all of those times. The triumphant score above is Vessel's own glory and enlightenment, drowning out her self-flaggelation as she withers. Tl;Dr fuck that's a good song.
I'm happy that you made this. I've been of the opinion myself since really listening to their complete works that Sleep is Vessel's codename for his past lover/object of his love. I think that this is clear the more you listen to their stuff, and that throughout the course of the albums, he is and has been in intense, severe, horrible pain. He has been through it all; the Take Me Back To Eden album finishes with him coming finally to grips with it, understanding, remembering his pain, longing that things could have been different and better, and then saying goodbye in his own way. You can feel the tone of his words goes from hope to desperation to sadness, then to anger, frustration and bitterness, to finally release and to moving on. It's really relatable to me because I feel like he has a wonderful gift with creative and poetic words to describe feelings that are so common to almost all of us. The feeling of unreciprocated love, or at least incompletely reciprocated love, from the one that you would do anything for, is the kind of thing that breaks a person to their core. It is the most painful thing ever. In my own experience, like his, this process and drive to express one's intense desire, sadness, anger, passion and misery from such a wonderful yet terrible headspace is inextricably linked to the most creative part of our brain that seldom is driven to completely express itself so powerfully. In a sense, it can awaken a sleeping beast deep inside of us that we might not even know exists, that will stay awake until whatever awoke it is gone. Creativity and artistic expression like what Vessel has given us is so rare and special and real that to me it's unmistakable; only a man who is in complete anguish from his experience at the hands of a woman could create this. It's his deepest expression of his heart, so detailed, precise, raw yet refined, so painstakingly accompanied with the most beautiful arrangements of music to give your senses the same feeling that the words convey. He made this as his letter to her - his love, his sadness, his desire, his happiness, his misery, his hope, his disgust, his anger, his goodbye. A letter only he could make. I hope she hears it. She is one hell of a girl, whoever she is, to be able to get a man to create something like this. It literally took years to make. It's a masterpiece of music, like nothing I've seen. And it is her loss to have gotten him to the point where he got up and left. At least we are blessed to have the privilege of enjoying the art and sharing his pain with him. No, our pain. One of my favorite bands and best collections of music ever for me. I'm going to see them live in a month. They deserve my money. Also, II is one of my favorite drummers ever, and his drumming is what got me to listen to all their stuff. Wonderful stuff to him too for elevating the quality of the music even higher.
That's not a bad interpretation, and the fact that so many people have different takes on the lore, i think is part of what makes them so great. For me I think there is a supernatural story being told, as somebody being possessed by an entity, in this case Sleep is the entity slowly taking over Vessel, and I think while we only hear the songs in Vessel's voice, Eden is somebody that he did terrible things to while being controlled by Sleep, who also is vocalized in some of these songs - and as we get towards the end of TMBTE we hear some of Vessel's regret for what he has done... I could probably explain it better then this, but a youtube comments is not the place for a novel haha.
" a call from Olympus ringing off the hook" reminds me of the story of Pandora when Ephimetheus were warned by Prometheus not to accept any gift from the gods and then he received Pandora "all gifts"
Whether you're On Point or not... YOU, sir, have SOLD me on this band. Made me a fan where I was NOT. I'm not just being polite either. I was literally in ugly tears at points throughout this video. I hadn't realized just how brilliantly deep these lyrics are. Either that or you've given them an even more meaningful depth. Either way, I LOVE this theory, and I can relate to it. This theory is deep, and I hunger for content in lyrics. Thank You for sharing this and opening my eyes to a whole different band through this.
I can honestly say I've never been so moved by a body of work. I was Vessel, once. He reminds me that, to love someone so deeply, so recklessly, so sacrificially is to bestow upon them the power to destroy you, and trust them not to. Ultimate vulnerability. Bravo, Royston!
Sorta right. From Vessel himself... “How we got here is as irrelevant as who we are - what matters is the music and the message. We are here to serve Sleep and project His message.” From the same interview, he states that the songs as a T0KEN to Sleep thru the emotions they convey. It doesn't make sense to break up and LEAVE Sleep but still call your shows Rituals and your songs offerings to him. But the subject of the songs, that woman....is a piece of work
Okay, so what exactly IS Sleep's message? That's something I haven't been able to work out (keep in mind I only discovered Sleep Token about a month ago).
Here's an idea: Vessel is simply a "vessel" for sleep to tell his own story, this story of being battered and broken down and rebuilding into a god greater than the one who destroyed him in the first place is Sleep's story, its how he became the forgotten god he is. Thus the woman being sung about isn't Sleep, but the one singing is. Perhaps this is why he is forgotten? After the end of Euclid, he just couldn't go on and was simply left to stay stagnant until he eventually stumbled upon a vessel, Vessel. Just an idea!
Yeah, I don't think that Sleep the band talked about in the interview is the main character of the lyrics. More like an idea behind their art as a whole, something that represents human subconscious and deeper emotional parts (which tend to come out in the form of dreams as well).
Tongue in cheek my lad The whole interview you refer to is basically them saying. Enjoy the music. Don't worry about our identity. It is a great interview and really puts a great story to the bands image as well. Gotta love double meanings
this hit me so deeply and personally… I’ve been listening to ST for a long time actually but never recognized the underlying story being told across the albums. I connect with this story because I was in a relationship with a manipulative narcissist and it broke me down and gave me so much trauma that I still don’t know how to work through, even now over 8 months after I broke free I’m still just a shell of a person and trying every day to rebuild pieces of myself. Vessel’s story gives me hope that I can become a new person again, and I am also a blossoming songwriter, so maybe someday I can write a collection to express my story too. Thank you for sharing your interpretation
I think that's ultimately what this whole story is about. Falling in love with someone who isn't what you've crafted in your head and constantly trying to reach out to the person you believe they are; hoping they'll just magically become who you see. But in reality, they're only worried about themselves. The constant being hurt and then manipulated with their false empathy.
As a first time listener of the band, Aqua Regia is so enthralling and stands out. To me, if you follow the hidden story within the songs about him being abused and manipulated then go back to this song. He talks about Eden's vices running in his veins. I wonder if thats because in the context of this song he's still innocent and new relationship makes him feel like he's on cloud 9, not recognizing or ignoring all the blaring issues and red flags that are staring him in the face.
I have been on the ST train for a bit. When my emotions took over (which did not take long) I decided to document my interpretations of each track in diary style from One, their first EP, citing the track name, album, meaning, and moral meaning (if any). I achieved my vision deep into Sundowning when I realized that publishing this would be impossible as RCA signed ST and anything resembling the band would soon be severely copyrighted and policed online. The project died that day. But the diary in my mind continued on, dissecting each track heavily and allowing the depth of each track to permeate my mind. Soon, I was waking up in tears, humming the tune inflicting the emotion upon me. I realized much of what I was attempting to understand was the relationship trauma I have sustained from three separate relationships(each occurring in three different decades), each possessing a toxic undercurrent each time. This was long before any mention of toxic relationships entered the mainstream, I have been understanding that my grief from each deceased relationship that I had remnants of healing I never knew I needed to pursue. Since listening to ST endlessly, I notice (like many) that rehashing past hurts via STs music has also led to healing. This deep realization is continuously purging me of past hurts. I am endlessly grateful to ST. Then you produce this gorgeous breakdown and storyline. Thank you. You have written and presented the unfinished work lingering in my mind. Now I need to see ST in concert on May 27, 2024. I sense something inside me will break wide open or apart. I do not know which will occur. But there is an undercurrent driving my deep interest in ST, especially toward a pinnacle of inner change. I no longer fear that change (which is the real reason I stopped making diary entries of each ST track). I am ready now. YOU have assisted me tremendously. Thank you from the depths of my soul. Vessel does not understand how he helps listeners and instead insists we saved him. Whatever the trajectory of benefit there is with STs music, there is powerful saving going on here. And you have catapulted me into that completeness of healing with your astute interpretation and eloquent presentation. Thank you!
Keep us updated after you see them live. I barely knew them when I saw them in concert, but I can say it has changed me. I can't even imagine what it will do to you ❤
@@NeoQueenEternia I cannot imagine either. But I am preparing myself for anything. Things are only as big or little as we build them up to be. However, this music is a force of its own and has a hold on me that no other music ever has. And I adore music. This Sleep Token act is beyond anything I have dedicated my listening ears to in a very very long while. Rush was the last one. And when Neil Peart died (drummer of Rush), something in me died. I knew meaningful music would be a rarity for a long time. Then Vessel emerged. Vessel II joined in. These two men have captivated my listening ears, heartfelt emotions, soul deep reverberations, and a DNA embedding resonance I never expected. When I attend this concert, I will set aside my life experiences for 90 minutes and listen with all of my being, much like I do at Church. If I die, a smile will be permanently on my face. If I live, the euphoria will stick for a time frame only God knows. But my life will change. This is I what know for certain.
all of the feelings and deep connections to each song, needing to break them down to fully understand the meaning, i’ve been going through that heavily lately. i’ve found myself out of breath or completely awestruck by their lyricism at times that i have been brought to tears. just saw them live at the red rocks this past weekend and it’s all i’ve been able to think about. please let us know once you see them live, your life will be further changed in ways i cannot describe to you. WORSHIP 🖤
@@NeoQueenEternia Have you ever been so emotionally affected by an artist that you're inner chest feels heavy and your whole being feels nearly paralyzed with emotion. This is me with every song played at the concert. My tears flooded my face the entire time. This concert sank into my being and by the time Euclid (the final song) was performed, my whole being changed. I mean CHANGED. It was as if a weight had been lifted up and away from me forever. And I do not drink, smoke, vape, do drugs, or anything of the kind. I do not partake. If healing occurs, it will be on natural terms. Just to let you know, I have listened to ST incessantly since early 2020 (their entire discography up to that point and beyond). To say I am emotionally moved daily is an understatement. This concert truly moved my spirit into a new plane of existence. It is tough to explain this. It is as if anyone I had to forgive, I forgave via this experience (and I demanded my mind release them as deeply as possible, which has been the missing ability for a very long time). I have finally moved beyond the weight of disappointment and heartbreak in ways no amount of mutual discussion or so-called professional help could ever achieve. No music artist has EVER affected me this deeply, this consistently, and this thoroughly. Aside from my Faith in God, music has been my healing path. However, long before Sleep Token, nothing really took root as a means of lasting healing. And I was not even looking for it. Hoping for it, yes. But not actively seeking. But my sheer accidental discovery of Sleep Token has led me into different rabbit holes of unhealed pain, suffering, and deeply rooted self-limitation. I am almost embarrassed to say as much. However, the number of emotional traumas I have needed to get past were given a pathway AWAY from me through this music. The collective weight of numerous traumas has been damn paralyzing for far too long. And who knew this concert would have an extremely powerful healing effect on me. I expected euphoria. But this is beyond euphoria. Beyond being blown away and impressed. Beyond being amazed. I swear my soul has shifted more toward healing and God, Himself. The venue, light show, Vessel, Vessel 2, the choir, and the audience (fantastic people, btw) were spot-on terrific! Moreover, there is a lightness of being emerging, much like Vessel being someone new for himself in the lyrical sense by the end of the trilogy of his albums. I gave my past heartaches and suffering to the night at this concert- where they belong. And I did so in a mini ritual of my own after the concert, weeping and sobbing like a helpless two-year-old. All of this sounds so loosey goosy, weird, sappy, oddball, and sissy-like coming from a man. But, Vessel is a man who processed a huge amount of trauma, loss, heartache, and heartbreak with his mastery of music, vocals, lyrics, piano, guitar, and post-production skills. 40+ songs have been mastered by one man needing to heal. Vessel of Sleep Token is a genius -- a healed genius. And Vessel healed me with his music. I will never be able to thank him personally (although I wish I could.) This concert was the pinnacle of healing. God allowed me to be alive to do this! I am certain I am not the only one with a response like this concert. ST is just THAT great! Sleep Token are my music heroes. Imagine that, having heroes in this day and age...
Remembering the video of Fall For Me, I started to believe that Sleep is us, the audience (in extention of one or more traumatic relationship(s) Vessel had ) i think Sleep is an amalgamation of her and the audience worshipping Vessel for singing his guts and feelings. Now I understand the "if we are to submerge, let us be submerged together "
What an absolute fucking masterpiece this trilogy is. The storytelling of love, heartbreak, anguish, anger and overcoming. Vessel poured out his heart right before our very eyes and little did he know helped more people overcome their situations with current or past relationships than he could ever possibly imagine. Thank you SO MUCH for this breakdown. What a fantastic video my man 👊🏻
I've listened to sleep token for a while now. I've listened to these songs everyday, analyzed them front to back and sideways...This is perhaps the most concise and the most beautiful video I've ever seen when it comes to bringing all 3 albums together. I was well aware of the story but listening to you lay it bare and talk through it😭🥺💔 It became the most stunningly beautiful and the most tragic of love stories I've ever heard. This just made me so happy to relisten to each album with this knowledge in my head❤ You've given the Sleep token community a gift🥰
As I watched this, this story brought me IMMENSE closure to my relationship that somewhat recently ended. It feels like I'm looking at my own story from the outside in, listening to this. Whether this is what Vessel intended or not through these albums, this story, your interpretation helped me see. Wildly appreciate that.
Thank you. Very late to the Sleep Token party here, and it’s always been obvious this has been about one HELL of a toxic relationship, but having been through something that felt very similar to this when I was younger it hits hard. I hope Vessel has gotten either some serious therapy, or at least has managed to put this all behind him with these albums because I don’t believe you write something like this unless you’ve been dragged through it.
So here for this, this band has completely consumed me. I guess that's what happens when you share the same emotions and similar experiences, they'll always be special to me🙏
I'm so glad I'm not the only person with The Love You Want as an all time fav. There's something so grand and yet intimate about it that holds you in a state of vulnerability.
End of 2023, marked by this band and it's ability to make me cry, it has been a while since I could cry. Amazing songs in each album, top favorites would be, TMBTE, Rain, Higher, Dark Signs
The beauty of music is that is up for interpretation of the listener. Of course the artist has their meaning and interpretation from their lyricism, but putting it out there for the world to use and take meaning from all differ from one person to the next. The 3 albums from Sleep Token are in my option a true lyrical and musical masterpiece. The deep feeling of hurt and anguish of a messy relationship and break up portrayed beautifully through the eyes of vessel. Of course everyone’s different experiences will vary the meanings slightly. Love the video, I think your rendition of the music through your eyes and life experiences if right to you. Keep it up
That's the beauty of music, for me. Maybe because of the lack of a visual element, it's so easy and immediate to slot yourself and your life into it and feel it from a very subjective position.
Also, a minor detail that's really cool when vessels says, "Run it back, give me 5 more minutes," in Euclid, There's 5 minutes exactly left in the song.
As someone who is an addict in recovery I relate ALOT to every single song tbh. On this album and I related it to my addiction. Not to say that is what it’s about but, that’s how I saw it.
I also think this can be kind of accurate. Drugs are constantly referenced as a god. It also can describe a "sleep token" as if an opioid/heroin. It seems like he's personifying a drug into a god. I believe a lot of the other songs are about relationships during this time. But take me back to Eden, the song and album name ending in so much rage and attraction to this "deity" that he wants to wants to travel to the time before he first "sinned" or had his life ruined by it.
Very well done on this video. Like you I found Sleep Token late (end of 2023) and was introduced via The Summoning, but quickly consumed all their other music. I'm sure they will be my top artist for my Spotify 2024 wrapped summary. lol I think your interpretations make a lot of sense, especially in this video format. I don't think I've seen other channels review the trilogy in this way before. I really liked how you simplified the intent of each track. Vessel with his story telling abilities its easy to get lost in the musicianship and lose the connected emotion of the highs and lows throughout the albums. My favorite albums are TMBTE, Sundowning and Tomb in that order but the concept behind the trilogy has me constantly looking for content like this, so Thank you.
We're in a very similar position, for sure. I had heard of them before, but never really listened, just heard, if you know what I mean. The song I used for the outro, When the Bough Breaks, had been in my post rock playlist for years, but I never really bothered keeping up with them as a band until last year.
@@roystoncharmaine I'm actually new to this genre of music (metal?). Growing up I listened to a bunch of R&B, Hip Hop and old soul music (dad's playlist). But over the last 5 years I've been listening to a bunch of 80's rock and pop music along with other indie stuff. I found Sleep Token by going down a Drumeo rabbit hole and someone was trying to learn The Summoning drum parts. The algorithm then took over from there. lol
That's great to hear that you've come from a non metal route! A criticism I've seen of Sleep Token is that by appealing to everyone they satisfy no-one. I think their success shows that's not true. Also, I love Drumeo 😄
I found them at the same time as you did (late 2023) I was going through a breakup and I was struggling with depression for months. But there was just something so comforting about listening to Sleep Token out at night. It really captured a unique atmosphere for me that I still long for. Fortunately, I think I have finally found a new way to be happy and have recovered. This band definitely played a part in helping me pull through.
@terrillcooke338 As you mentioned being new to the genre(s) Sleep Token displays, I thought I'd recommend some more accessible bands that you may enjoy as you delve into more prog-rock, nu-metal and melodic metal (and more 😅)! Aside from the Deftones references laid out here (Team Sleep- an unrelated Sleep 🙃- is another side project of the lead singer's I definitely recommend!), I was often reminded of A Perfect Circle (or even Puscifer?!), Animals As Leaders, Chevelle, Opeth, and Mastodon (especially for themetic/operatic albums). Possibly lesser-known, but (IMO) extraordinary and probably something(s) you'd latch on to: Immortal Bird, Helms Alee, Cloud Rat, HRVRD, Funeral Suits, The Red Paintings, Porcupine Tree, Thrice, Mogwai (mostly instrumental, but you can't go wrong with Scottish space rock, honestly), Oh Hiroshima!, and Otep. Best wishes on your sonic journey! There's really nothing like stumbling across your Next Musical Obsession 😊
I just got into all of this recently, the music, the lyrics and the meanings. Your Video helped me very much to understand more. Thanks for the hard work you put into this. Sleep Token just brought me back to heavier music after a very long time and i'm very thankful. Can't wait to hear them live in November!
This band is nothing short of a marvel.. I've been listening since the EP 2..and the journey from Sundowning to Take Me Back To Eden was so incredible on a level I can't even describe. They make music that far exceeds anything anyone in modern music is doing right now..I will say that Euclidis the most important song for me personally and for the band as well..I finally got to see them for the first time at the Red Rocks Amphitheater and it was the most incredible concert of my life..the entire experience was ethereal on a whole other level and the best part the closed out the show with Euclid..needlessto say I was in tears of joy to experiencethat song live..this band will forever be my #1
Sleep Token is the Beethoven of the modern day! They are possibly the most brilliant band I have ever heard or will ever hear! Wow, what a journey! What a story! What a band!!!❤
also, the fact that the second song is always the heaviest signifies another thing. The number 2, may actually resemble vessel and sleep. the heaviest song is 2 because the TWO of them have this heavy and intense relationship.
I think Euclid is where the writer (Vessel) breaks away from the metaphors and the story. Its the actual man behind the mask speaking to the woman who destroyed him and its his closure in real life. I think its the 4th wall breaking and him moving on. A breakthrough from hiding behind the symbolism. A true farewell. Beautiful.
I think this is spot on to the way I have looked at it as well. I feel the trilogy is a story, each song is a story... and they van be looked at differently. Big picture, or individual. No matter what it truly is, it is special and impactful. The lyrics, the instruments, the visuals... everything is in perfect measure for you to take what you need from it. Pure beauty.
I thought I was late to party discovering them in 2021 with “higher” & “Calcutta”. All the videos had yet to really blow up. Was something special feeling about that. Now they’ve blown up and have the usual group of haters that come with popularity. It’s a shame people find the dumbest things to hate them for.
Sleep Token has been my obsession for several years now and what I wouldn't give to go back and hear everything for the first time again. Man this was great. I loved hearing your theories and have to say I pretty much agree with it all. Whether this is all based on a character and story, or an allegory for his real life, Sleep Token are genuine masters of their craft. 🙌
This is a great video and interpretation of these songs. The thing that impresses me the most about Sleep Token is their ability to write lyrics that can be interpreted in so many different ways but still make sense and are relatable. Personally, my interpretation has always been these songs are about Vessel dealing with a prior relationship that ended in tragedy and him having to deal with the aftermath in unhealthy ways. The goddess Sleep is a metaphor for him trying to avoid dealing with what happened in various unhealthy behavior, but eventually succeeds in moving on. But then my brain keeps playing with this interpretation that aligns more with this video with one important difference: Sleep is in fact a literal vampire (hence all references to teeth, biting, tasting, and only seeing them at night). So many ways to interpret the lyrics, that allow them to mean something different to the individual listener but still remain meaningful.
Honestly, the way these dots are connected and the depth of emotional complexity being gleaned from not only the lyrics but tonal shifts and melodics... this can't be as simple as addiction. This is love, this is sacrifice, this is the source, not the crutch.
Speaking for myself and what I've seen. Sleeptoken music literally helped me save myself and see when I'm getting under appreciated and simply not loved. Big Respect to you for making this breakdown
madly in love with the fact that english is not my first language. im russian and translating every song, adapt every word every time, look for a new angle of this diabolical puzzle of the closed mind of the Vessel. and i really couldn't understand the songs 'Higher', 'Are you really okay?', 'Sugar' as our character perspective. a person on an emotional swing, in such deep addiction can be *that* way. sometimes even i am as a traumatized person can be that way. but Vessel is different. and there i finally so something that could be new perspective. her hella perspective and i love this so bad. and I love the fact that the story of Sleep is closed to us. Olympus, British legends, northern legends, Indian legends - she is Sleep, an image inaccessible to us. her wars are not his wars, but his dreams. to be that staff, the strength, the one on which she will depend in this war.
This was a masterful deep dive into the story and lore of Vessel and Sleep and, in my mind at least, it confirms what I suspected... I believe Sleep is a Succubus. Very well done sir!
already knew in my mind how great of an album all three of these are, but having the thoughts and connections laid out makes them hits even harder. what an absolute banger of an interpretation from you too mate, I was tearing up when you got to Euclid!😂
First off, thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed and interesting explanation of this trilogy! I never would’ve thought to have seen these 3 albums from your point of view, however, it’s my favorite explanation thus far. What dedication it patience it must have taken ST to complete such a story, granted, it more than likely reflected a lot of personal experiences from the band members. Again, thank you! This was amazing!! You did an excellent job! Also, plugging in “When the Bough Breaks” at the very end was a nice edition. Crazy how long this band has been around and thankfully they’re getting rightful recognition. WORSHIP
Sleep Token has helped me sort through a lot of trauma from a past relationship of mine. One eerily similar to Vessel and Sleep’s. This Place Will Become Your Tomb, especially, helped me experience buried emotions and put a timeline to that relationship. My Sleep wasn’t intentionally abusive. But this brilliant band helped me, three years after said relationship ended, put closure on my trauma and allowed me to forgive her, and to say goodbye for good. Thank you for making this.
Brilliant, well done mate, I agree with some of your interpretation,but alas everyone's is a little different depending on our journeys, as far as ST goes they are all true poets, lyrical & musical genius, I'm 56 years young and absolutely adore these gents, and all they stand for, they've been on the map since 2016, and I'm for certain they will have a longevity and relevance for decades to come,for me they will live on in the depths of my soul until my final breath....🖤 WORSHIP 💜 ...🤝Love 🇨🇦🤘✌️
I think this is one of the best interpretation of all three albums I’ve ever heard very easy to follow along with every song You drew me in more and more
I really like your interpretation when it got to Higher, because i've also wondered if sometimes the songs switch between the two. That said, I think Higher is still from Vessel's POV. The going back and forth between anger, sad, coming back, and leaving is such a constant cycle in these types of relationships. That basis alone makes it make sense to me personally.
Thank you for making this video. This was my first ever exposure to Sleep Token, I listened to this before even listening to their music. You made such an impact on my interpretation and admiration of their music. Thank you! I am currently obsessed with Sundowning.
Wow, this was really great. I first heard about Sleep Token last year when songs from their third album were released individually. What initially drew me in was how they play with genre. Most songs combine two or three shifts in genre, and I'm wonder what meaning-- if any-- there is in that. But then, after listening to this album on repeat for a while, I'm on a bus with earbuds in, DYWTYLM comes on and I pick up on something I never heard before. I had always thought the song was about if Vessel was singing to Sleep. But then I realized the song could be seen differently. He's not singing to Sleep, he's looking in a mirror and he's singing to himself. He asking if he can love himself. And the second that perspective shift happened in my head, I start crying, remembering times in my life when I had that feeling. I was getting concerned looks from others on the bus. After steeling myself, I decided to listen to the previous album. And after listening to it, I liked it more than the third. I still didn't have the full context from album one yet, but the one thought that kept coming to me was, "man, whoever this psycho bitch is in real life that you decided to turn into this story arc... GET OUT." And I wonder if the real Vessel is writing about one woman in these songs of if he's blended multiple women he's experienced into "Sleep". And if so, Vessel, buddy, why are you attracted to women like this? After saturating myself with the second album, I've started going over the first. Lyrically, it gives the necessary context. But musically... I haven't gotten as much into it as the second and third. It's still great, but I think I need to listen to it a few thousand more times.
Whilst you're on that journey, give the EPs One and Two a chance. They aren't as genre bending, but their take on proggy-posty rocky-metal is really cool.
With the idea of reflection, you have Nazareth from the ep two. it could fit with the lore pretty well and is as heavy with meaning than the rest of the other albums.
in the third album, more specifically TMBTE, I think when vessel starts rapping that's him breaking through the possession of sleep. the second verse is more materialistic then the other two verses which is interesting. I have to do a deeper dive to explore this idea further in other tracks but the signs are there
This band is GOATed. From a lore perspective, I have to wonder how the other band members/characters play into the story and if (this is a stretch) even their “real world” interactions like the shows or interviews play a part in the story. Thank you!
@@The_nazareth I have so many questions… but I just would like to see your drumming style and that snare is iconic… love the work that you guys do for real… it’s helped me in more ways that I can understand 🖤
I’ve been a fan of this band since 2020 when me and my friend found this band while working in a pizza place during covid. i absolutely LOVE your take on this band. Thank you for the video.
I've been wanting to make something like this for months now. I glad someone has done it for me. I still might make my own even if its just for me. Great video man.
@@roystoncharmaine I don't have the patience nor the skill to write that long of a script. If I did I feel like I would just ramble for 2 hours on one song.
This was immensely pleasurable to listen to! Thank you for putting this together! I can say that I pretty much, 100% agree with your interpretations and there’s a few that made me rethink the perspective of said song! And I do think the Sleep character is representative of a past lover, but I love how he turned it into this elaborate story, almost like a 3 part film! And also, how all the songs are open to interpretation as once sees fit…absolutely nothing short of genius! What a band….*sigh* Cannot wait to see them in May!!
I have never been so hooked into a video, thank you for putting words to how these albums make me feel and how I see it. Great work my guy, keep it up!
Amazing video, really well done. It was nice to listen to someone dive deep into their interpretation of Sleep Token's music. I first heard Sleep Token when I was in an abusive relationship, but I FOUND Sleep Token in the wake of that relationship. No other music, or art form in general, has hit me as hard as Sleep Token has (especially This Place Will Become Your Tomb). While I love thinking that this trilogy is about Vessel's relationship with Sleep as a deity and that is probably how Vessel intended the music to be perceived, I like to think Sleep is a reference to one's unconscious mind, our "shadow side" if you will. We are all in a toxic relationship with ourselves and if we could ascend/join/learn to love ourselves, things... would be better. Thanks for the vid! Subbed and Liked!
Sleep is his soul. Carl Jung stated that every man has an anima, the feminine opposite of his being & every woman has an animus, the masculine opposite. I’ve seen Sleep Token as an elaborate form of shadow work for Vessel where he tries to reconcile with that lost part of himself, his anima, his soul. If you haven’t read Carl Jung’s book “The Red Book” this will help provide more context into the psychological relationship of shadow work & this band.
this is an excellent video. worship 🖤 edit: also your take on the track higher had me collapsed on the floor. i couldnt agree more! second edit: holy shit your take on are you really okay? my mind is blown
Dude I love this interpretation! Even if it isn’t necessarily “right” I’m still going to take parts of it to build on my own interpretation. Your idea of the switching characters is actually genius, as soon as you said it for higher my mind went immediately to are you really ok, and sure enough you said exactly what I was thinking for that song. I really like these kinds of videos and it would be sick if you could do one for “juggernaut” by periphery.
I absolutely love this band, and have a big thing for lyrics-especially poetic “deeper meaning” type of songs, and you basically put a lot of my thoughts to video- It’s nice to know that someone else will dissect the ish out of a song and see into the backbone of it. Not only did I agree to most interpretations, I really enjoyed how you took yours and created the story... Also- II is most definitely my favorite, as well😊 Thank you for taking the time to put this together!
I still have so much trouble actually listening to blood sport.given things that I have gone through, the utter devastation in his delivery crushes me. The live version even more
its took me almost a year to come around to their latest album, i followed them since jaws got really into ii and then witnessed sundowning as it released track by track i fell in love with music again, their way with words and instruments is so artistic it really takes you on a journey. their following album was great for me aswell but as i mentioned i struggled with their newer sound on the latest album until recently i finally began to appreciate it, Love this band and their journey has been cathartic
Absolutely brilliant my friend!! Cannot say enought about the thoroughness and conciseness at the same time. Absolute mastery. Well said. Leaves room for alternate views but definitely weaves a through story among songs and albums. I already loved the band and all their work, but after your summary here, I'll stop describing it to people and instead just send them a link to this to explain what the band is if they dont want to just listen. Perfection....and thank you sir!!!
Absolutely amazing video, the format is super effective for how simple it is and I have to commend you for playing the actual songs as you talk about them. Hopefully RCA isn’t too anal about that, because you deserve all the attention for how much effort this must’ve took.
So, I started Exploring the Concept in 2020 and everything used to get blocked worldwide, then I'd have to individually appeal for every song, then wait, then it would get unblocked for a bit, then eventually blocked again. But, it appears things have changed. I started writing this script when I saw new comments coming in on the Linkin Park and Fleetwood Mac videos as they'd been hard blocked since week 1. So, if they're back, maybe these videos can happen again? Touch wood, this video has been marked for the copyrighted material, but no adverse effects to the video, it's still fully viewable and just means I can't monetize (which I don't care about).
Adding another “thank you for making this” to the collection of ones I see. I love your insights and opinions and kind of opened my eyes to a couple new theories with the back story. I just love how much artistry and depth is behind them to have so many of us who love them so much wanting to go into detail about them like this. Sleep Token’s music has helped me heal in ways nothing else has been able to, and I’m glad to see within this thread others feel the absolute same❤️❤️❤️
i do like some of sleep tokens music, i was not aware there was a story, i just randomly have it popped up in my random music listening and really vibbed with the music
Homie, I feel you--wishing you'd discovered them earlier and being so close without even knowing. I heard Alkaline when it came out and was OBSESSED with the song and always thought "I need to listen to more of this band" and never did until a month or two ago and they're slowly becoming my favorite band 😭
The effort put into this is truly commendable. I love your interpretation of the entire story. Gave me a different outlook from the way I interpreted it and I love it!
