If you are a rock/metal fan and haven't heard of sleep token, then you are living under a rock. If you aren't a rock/metal fan, then keep reading.
Of all metal albums released in 2023, theirs had the most streams on spotify. Second place? (by a gap of over 100m streams) a little band you may have heard of, Metallica, and their album 72 seasons.
A far second place. 357m streams for 1st place, and 2nd place metallica at 227m streams.
Why is this album metal though? Sure, it has a few song and parts of songs that certainly belong in the category.. but you have songs like aqua regia that are far from metal, with full on jazz piano combined with vocal melodies reminiscent of imagine dragons or maroon 5.
Or a song like Granite that for most of the song is in the same vain, blending R&B and hip hop, only to be joined by heavy syncopated guitars for the last minute or so. Still something even my kids enjoy (granted, they are exposed to a lot of heavy music through me)
Much of this album is not metal, so it's worth a listen to all music lovers. Aside from one part in one song, all vocals are clean and R&B tinged.
Then of course, the song that put them on the map. Pretty much unknown in the US prior to 12 months ago, when this song hit youtube it immediately racked up a million views and went viral, as well as making it's way completely around the reaction channel world.
The summoning.
A new mix of heavy, djenty R&B first half, with a borderline funk outro, but not until you get through the 2 minute middle ambient instrumental section. Nothing like I've heard, and I've listened to 'metal' for 30 years.
I checked them out back in the fall and am def. a fan. Now they are coming around again, but to red rocks, and it sold out immediately.
So I may have to wait a few years and hopefully the hype will die down some.
Of all metal albums released in 2023, theirs had the most streams on spotify. Second place? (by a gap of over 100m streams) a little band you may have heard of, Metallica, and their album 72 seasons.
A far second place. 357m streams for 1st place, and 2nd place metallica at 227m streams.
Why is this album metal though? Sure, it has a few song and parts of songs that certainly belong in the category.. but you have songs like aqua regia that are far from metal, with full on jazz piano combined with vocal melodies reminiscent of imagine dragons or maroon 5.
Or a song like Granite that for most of the song is in the same vain, blending R&B and hip hop, only to be joined by heavy syncopated guitars for the last minute or so. Still something even my kids enjoy (granted, they are exposed to a lot of heavy music through me)
Much of this album is not metal, so it's worth a listen to all music lovers. Aside from one part in one song, all vocals are clean and R&B tinged.
Then of course, the song that put them on the map. Pretty much unknown in the US prior to 12 months ago, when this song hit youtube it immediately racked up a million views and went viral, as well as making it's way completely around the reaction channel world.
The summoning.
A new mix of heavy, djenty R&B first half, with a borderline funk outro, but not until you get through the 2 minute middle ambient instrumental section. Nothing like I've heard, and I've listened to 'metal' for 30 years.
I checked them out back in the fall and am def. a fan. Now they are coming around again, but to red rocks, and it sold out immediately.
So I may have to wait a few years and hopefully the hype will die down some.