Sleep Token: An Ethereal Final Night in Arcadia
The final show of Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia tour was more than just a concert; it was a ritual that transcended musicality and artistry, an ethereal experience that will resonate and shape the future of what alt-metal and metalcore performances can become.
Sleep Token remains a magical enigma, defying traditional concepts of alternative metal by continuously evolving and blending multiple genres. With the success of their latest album ‘Even in Arcadia’, which debuted in May, they’ve secured their place as a dominant force — easily one of the top metal albums of the year. It’s no surprise their rituals (tours) sold out within minutes. Their Spotify listeners number in the millions, and the band has been unstoppable over the last two years. After their final ritual performance at the sold-out Crypto Arena, there's no doubt the entity of Sleep that Vessel worships is only awakening.
Their lore is expansive with the fandom breaking down each puzzle and riddle with challenging ingenuity that surpasses the marketing of their offering itself. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and anyone lucky enough to experience it will tell you: it can never truly be replicated. No footage or photo could ever describe the euphoria brought upon us, halting the eclipse in all of us.
The show began, oddly enough, outside the venue. Spectators arrived dressed for the ritual, wearing the band’s masks and regal garments. The merch lines buzzed with electricity as fans exchanged trinkets and colored flashlight tape in preparation for the songs to come. That deep sense of community is what elevates this enigmatic band to stand on the shoulders of metal giants of the past.
Upon entering the labyrinth-like venue, the 20,000-seat arena had been transformed into the façade of a marbled mausoleum-like temple of worship. Obstructing and hiding it was backdrop with a single, commanding name: THORNHILL.
The Australian band THORNHILL surprised many for two major reasons. First, Vessel personally requested their addition to the tour — effectively poaching them from LANDMVRKS’ original lineup. Second, there was the question of how they’d handle opening for one of the biggest metal bands in the world. The answer: they delivered flawlessly — and then some.
The pressure was immense. Their job was to fire up the audience for a headliner that performs entirely in character, offering little direct interaction. That made THORNHILL the only band able to truly connect with the sold-out arena beyond the music itself.
They rose to the occasion with ease. From the opening notes of ‘DIESEL’, they ignited the pit and the energy reached from the nosebleeds all the way down to the floor. Jacob Charlton’s explosive stage presence, backed by the driving bass and guitars of Nick Sjogren and Ethan McCann and Ben Maida’s relentless drumming, defined what it means to open with impact. Theatrical lighting hinted at the spectacle to come with Sleep Token, but THORNHILL owned every moment. Their setlist was tight and curated — the kind that made sure if you didn’t know them before, you did now. ‘Silver Swarm’ carried the momentum, Jacob turning the stage into his playground as the crowd erupted at every breakdown.
Tracks like ‘Mercia’, ‘TONGUES’ and ‘Under the Knife’ kept adrenaline levels spiking, their mix of aggression and atmosphere preparing the room for what was to follow. ‘For Now’ brought the only calm moment of the set, the arena turning into a sea of lights as the crowd swayed in unison. They closed with a back-to-back onslaught of ‘Revolver’, ‘Arkangel’, ‘Obsession’ and ‘Nerve’. ‘Obsession’ stood out as the perfect embodiment of THORNHILL’s dark, seductive edge and why they were the ideal choice for this tour. With a roaring finish and a heartfelt farewell from Jacob, they left the crowd buzzing, perfectly primed for Sleep Token’s otherworldly arrival — ready to be taken back to Eden.
The haunting, celestial sound of chains swaying filled the arena as howling whispers drifted through the air, guiding the audience into the fabled Arcadia.Those who follow the lore recognized immediately that this was the journey into the promised land curated by Sleep, and we were about to cross its threshold.
The lights dimmed as a spectral projection of the band's iconography appeared on a large curtain. Apple blossom petals began to fall slowly from the rafters onto the crowd, their light refractions dancing across the darkness as the titular opening of ‘Look to Windward’ began. The buildup unfolded in near-total darkness, illuminated only by the theatrical light design. Silence and shadow consumed the arena until the drop hit and from that moment on, the concert ceased to exist. A ritual had begun, and an arcane presence took hold.
In what could only be described as an explosion of creation, the stage erupted in technicolor lights, lasers and a towering multi-level platform. The band’s insignia burned above a mausoleum-like castle structure in full display. High above, the Espera (backing vocals) sang to unseen gods from the top tier. Center stage, perched like a herald of the divine, stood Vessel.
II immediately showcased his complex percussion work, holding tempo with precision — among some of the best in the metalcore scene — while III (bassist) and IV (guitarist) descended onto the stage from a waterfall-like staircase. They played the entirety of their opening album track, with Vessel’s vocal versatility on full display before the song closed with its iconic breakdown.
From there, the show never lost momentum. They launched straight into ‘The Offering’, Vessel leaping across the stage with his iconic hoppity hops as the band’s technical prowess took full effect. Live, their dynamic range was undeniable — one moment hauntingly melodic, the next twisting into darkness as a whispered “take a bite” transformed Vessel into a demonic entity with his signature fry scream.
This shift led directly into ‘Vore’, invoking the wrath of the entity of Sleep as the arena flooded in blood-red lights and burning flags. The harsh vocals rang with fury and betrayal. The synergy between II’s crushing fills and IV’s razor-sharp riffs felt otherworldly, their rhythms syncing with the red lasers that engulfed the crowd. ‘Emergence’ pulled the audience back from the edge, transitioning from brutality into a meditative mantra. Vessel’s voice wrapped around you as lights shimmered like solar flares for dead gods, and apple blossom petals fell — layering the stage in ritualistic beauty.
Then came ‘Alkaline’, ‘Hypnosis’, ‘Provider’, and ‘Rain’ — slower, melodic prayers. ‘Provider’ became a seductive showcase for Vessel’s vocals, with improvised cadences and soaring notes sending the crowd into a frenzy. Every “good girl from this side of the moon” shouted in praise long after the song ended.
‘Caramel’ followed, softening the feral energy into something reflective. Deeply personal for the band, it offers a window into their struggles — from harassment and attempts to unmask their anonymity to the weight of success. The stage glowed in caramel-orange light as Vessel took center stage, channeling pain and vulnerability while pulling us into the bassline. The audience raised orange lights and signs pledging devotion for Sleep Token to endure despite the roses and landmines along the way to this final ritual.
‘The Summoning’ pulled us back into the astral plane of worship, its breakdown erupting into a technicolor storm of strobes and theatrics that shook the arena with primal devotion. From there came the mellow resonance of ‘Aqua Regia’, the genre-blending brilliance of ‘Granite’, and a rare, coveted ‘Thread the Needle’. Each felt like Eden’s vices running through our veins.
Then, the arena vanished into blackness. A single spotlight descended onto the mausoleum-like stage, revealing Vessel at a keyboard for ‘Damocles’. A sea of orange, white and purple lights radiated outward, creating a moment of intimacy. Fans held up pre-made stickers, adding a layer of collective devotion beyond simple participation.
The final song, ‘Infinite Baths’, brought every theatrical, visual and musical element together into an engulfing black hole. Its second-half breakdown was pure euphoria — a sensory overload that rippled through every nerve. The crescendo wasn’t just heard but physically felt, the kind of climax you chase unknowingly all your life. As the ritual ended, apple blossom petals rained down in a final torrent. The arena glowed in soft pink and purple as applause thundered. In a rare break of illusion, Sleep Token brought their team onstage for a final bow — the only time on tour the veil was fully lifted. ‘The Book of Love’ by Peter Gabriel played, turning the curtain call into a tear-soaked moment of reverence. Every emotional specter — grief, awe, elation, release — filled the air as thousands tried to process the journey they had just endured.
Sleep Token’s Even in Arcadia ritual embodied every motif of their offering. There is art in finding solace within turmoil — discovering destruction even in paradise, letting perfection crack the moment the end is achieved. Whatever troubles waited outside Crypto Arena melted away as we found beauty in the fleeting present.
Like the apple blossom petals that drifted gently down, there is resilience and elegance in their nature — capturing everything this ritual and offering brought to the surface. Sleep Token is not just an enigma, but an embodiment of personal reflection, mysticism and musical craftsmanship. A once-in-a-lifetime experience that will live on in generations, halting the eclipse in us and knowing that if we are lost and in a war of attrition, we'll keep dancin’ along to the rhythm.