Gray Logan

This album keeps you on your toes and takes you in directions you don't expect, but every surprise is a pleasant one to say the least. With this band in particular, new listeners should abandon all expectations and just enjoy the ride. It's a practice in letting go of genre boundaries and breaking free of what you're "used to." While Sleep Token is lumped in with the metal crowd, they simply aren't a metal band. They make heavy music when they want to, and they do it well, but putting them in a box will limit your listening experience. Lyrically, myself and many others relate to the story told in this album and its predecessors Sundowning and This Place Will Become Your Tomb. They are a trilogy, after all. Vessel's songwriting and lyricism are masterful, and his vocals are emotional, soulful, bold, and brazenly skilled. The conclusion to this story is bittersweet and triumphant, and existing fans who've listened to their previous albums should be aware that it takes some serious effort to hold back tears towards the end. This album stands just fine on its own but, in context, it hits like a truck. This isn't just my album of the year, this album is my favorite of all time. Worship.