Iconography, particularly in the form of sigils, has always played an important part in conveying Sleep Token’s message. To be clear, I do not think Sleep is a direct transposition of Hypnos, or any god for that matter, but they may have influenced its aesthetic construction. Further, Hypnos resides in the underworld, which can only be accessed through bodies of water, recalling the title of the band’s sophomore album, This Place Will Become Your Tomb ( TPWBYT). Or it can be Hypnos, whose river washed away the memories of those who drank from it memory loss, either forced or wilful in service of returning ‘happily’ to an abusive relationship, is present throughout Sleep Token’s records. He is everywhere.” In the band’s only interview, they referred to worshipping as conveying ‘primal and powerful emotions.’ Thus, the above suggestion. Fragments of beauty, horror, anguish, pain, happiness, joy, anger, disgust, and fear coalesce to create expansive, emotionally textured music that simultaneously embodies the darkest, and the brightest abstract thoughts. Even today, though faded from prominence, ‘ Sleep’ yet lurks in the subconscious minds of man, woman, and child alike. The initial summary of Sleep from the band’s original record label, Basick, read: “ This being once held great power, bestowing ancient civilisations with the gift of dreams, and the curse of nightmares. Sleep, for example, bears a lot of similarities to the Shadow archetype from Jungian philosophy, consisting of carnal desires and all of the things that are unacceptable not only to society, but also to one’s personal morality – the darker side of the psyche, representing wildness, chaos, and the unknown. For those that want there to be more, there can be. Worshipping shows the danger of putting someone on a pedestal in a relationship. Stripped of the mystical aesthetic, Sleep is an abusive partner Vessel believes he cannot live without, and staying hurts him more in the long-term. The figure of Sleep demonstrates the methodological problem but also fulfilment of examining the group’s writing: you can look as cursory or closely as you want, and the message resonates equally. Usually we do this lore segment in conjunction with the bands, but Vessel hasn’t been answering my calls. However, all the lyrical callbacks suggest there is a continuity. Vessel guides the listener to their own meaning. I am the teeth of God.” With such an arcane approach to circulation, as well as their allegorical lyricism, it is important to note that the lore of Sleep Token is not something which can be truly pinned down. Most recently, the band unveiled a banner at their live shows, with the encrypted text (using characters of their own alphabet/cypher) reading “ I am hunting something and in turn that same thing is hunting me. Merch designs, music videos, pre-recorded addresses at live shows, and cryptic clues uploaded to their social media are all ways in which the masked collective communicate their message. That said, there are plenty of breadcrumbs to follow, though the trails twist and turn, double back, cross over in ways which makes it incredibly frustrating, but also incredibly rewarding, to decipher. Each song is a Token (or an offering) in the name of Sleep. Only one thing is definitive: the UK band is fronted by Vessel, and they are ‘committed’ to worshipping the ancient deity known as Sleep. It should be no surprise, then, that the stories told within their songs are equally as mystical and open to interpretation. Hiding their identities behind masks and black body paint whilst baring their pain for the world with their music, Sleep Token are among the most enigmatic outfits in metal. “ Each time we battle, the blood and the fury takes us a little higher.“
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