The Summoning by Sleep Token

Album: Take Me Back to Eden (2023)

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Sleep Token is a British musical collective that was formed in London in 2016. The group's music is often described as a fusion of progressive metal, ambient music, and alternative rock. The band members are anonymous and perform under pseudonyms, with the perpetually tormented lead vocalist known as "Vessel."

Sleep Token's members obscure their faces and remain silent on stage, wearing masks and cloaks that contribute to their anonymity and visual style. This approach has drawn comparisons to other bands like Ghost and Slipknot.

The group incorporates symbolism and mysticism in their music, with prominent themes of spirituality and personal growth. In an interview with Metal Hammer at the time of their signing with Basick, frontman Vessel expanded on the band's lore. He explained that Sleep Token exists to serve Sleep and project his message. Vessel stated that Sleep is omnipresent and that he encountered Sleep in a dream, where he was promised glory and magnificence if he followed him.

"The Summoning" is the second single from Sleep Token's third album, Take Me Back to Eden.
On "The Summoning" Vessel desires someone who is not yet his partner. He entertains the idea that the girl may be the one for him, even though he doesn't know her well enough to determine if she is a good match.

I would be lying if I told you that
I didn't wish that I could be your man
Or maybe make a good girl bad

Despite any potential flaws she may have, Vessel wants to connect with her and use his love to change her into a better person.
Vessel employs his atypical mystical language to express his infatuation for the girl:

Something you say or something you do
The taste of the divine
You've got my body, flesh and bone, yeah
The sky above, the Earth below
Longtime Bullet For My Valentine producer Carl Bown oversaw the track's production. Bown has also worked with Trivium and While She Sleeps.
"The Summoning" became Sleep Token's first entry on the Billboard rock charts after it went viral on TikTok. The track garnered thousands of views from users who shared their takes and mimicked their favorite parts of the song.

Comments: 2

AnniehasturThe summoning sounds like it was inspired by the music of the Game "Risk of Rain" mostly the one solo and the overall atmosphere of the song. In the same vein that "past life" is inspired by the fairy fountain
Laurel Selby from Glasshouse Mountains Qld AustraliaI can safely say a vast majority of musician's pen lyrics that are birthed from their own life experiences, highs and lows, good and bad etc, it is my belief and experience that when their song resonates within a listener it becomes more than music and verse, it is added to ones 'soundtrack of life'. Within these songs listeners may find themselves, forgive themselves, make peace with themselves, finding themselves stirring emotions, finding strength, awaking thoughts or memories long forgotten. Sometimes this alone can be life changing for that person.
Sleep Token offer their followers a rollercoaster of all of the above with their Trilogy (beginning with Sundowning followed by This place will become your tomb ending with Take Me Back To Eden) where Vessel bares his soul to tell of his journey with a deity called Sleep.
For me, these songs are so much more.
Sleep Token have bridged a much needed reconnection to my soul, renewing my belief that there is more to life than my physical self experiences and that I should always remain hopeful even when in times of darkness.
May sound a little cultist but we like to call it Worship.
Vessel, II,III,IIII and all that is Sleep Token transcend not only genre's with their music but the age of those who follow and worship them.
The Summoning shows everything from Vessel's vast singing capabilities to some absolutely solid and top notch instruments played by II, III and IIII, all the while taking the word genre'to a whole new level.
To anyone that asks I simply say- how long has it been since your heart beat in time with the music and you let yourself go?, Welcome to the journey.

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