SLEEP TOKEN PERFORMING AT LONDON’S O2

★★★★★ (5/5)

SLEEP TOKEN PERFORMING AT LONDON’S O2
PHOTOCREDIT: ADAM ROSSSI

If you are still wondering why Download has picked Sleep Token out of all bands to headline it, the answer is very simple. They have pulled two (!!!) sold-out nights at London’s O2, and filled every single venue they have performed during their tour in the UK. Their final show before a small imminent hiatus in London was no exception, a venue that vibrated from the waves of people that filled it, all ready to worship the band that seems to be going stronger than a cult this year.

It is difficult to put into words what a Sleep Token show entails, and much more when they continuously out-do themselves night after night. The concert is often described as a transcendental experience, much like being initiated into a new and mysterious religion. If you are not already part of the worship party, then give them a chance and you’ll convert straight away. Walking into the venue feels like walking into an altar, about to witness something sacred and otherworldly. For those who are religious, they know exactly the kind of experience I am talking about. For those who are not, Sleep Token’s show is the closest thing you can come to if you want to worship a God – Sleep in our case.

The minimalistic stage design and the impactful lighting make the venue feel like a temple, as the lighting dims, the fog thickens and the aethereal projections shroud the stage. To the voice of a woman explaining the premise behind the final Ritual of Sleep Token’s biggest tour to date, Vessel – the band’s enigmatic yet immensely talented singer – enters the stage cloaked and masked. The silence before the first note feels like the quiet before a prayer as the audience holds their breath. Vessel’s stage presence is magnetic, carrying himself with the authority of a spiritual leader, while his voice – raw, haunting, and soul-piercing – cuts through the ambient haze. The setlist is the same as every other show, the band has no surprises. ‘The Night Does Not Belong to God’ comes on as the great opener to the final act of the band going straight into the hearts of the audience. The whole show is a circle, with the lyrics ‘the night comes down like heaven’ setting the scene for the ritual.

I could not stop talking about how captivating Vessel’s stage presence is. Whether he is whispering a quiet lament like ‘Dark Signs’ or delivering a cathartic scream like ‘Higher’, his voice soars into a flawless falsetto which feels like a divine invocation. The introspective lyrics sound clearer when performed live while the band’s ability to perform musically creates a heavy atmosphere, carrying an emotional energy that is hard to witness in a show of this scale. Each song is a sermon, performed with extreme precision and heavy energy. And it being Sleep Token’s final show, the energy was even higher among the band and the audience, Vessel’s vocal range hits higher octaves, his energy making the audience follow the journey collectively as the music shifts from soft piano to crushingly heavy guitar breakdowns and drum solos.

As the show enters the middle segment, with songs such as ‘Atlantic’, ‘Alkaline’ and ‘Missing Limbs’, evoking emotions to lie bare, half the audience headbangs to release the energy, while the other half sits still with tears running down their faces. The songs feel like hymns for the broken-hearted, whilst the tracks are intertwined with calls to action, demanding catharsis and release. The music and the lights move like a pulse, creating an immersive experience for the audience, making the show feel like a congregation, giving themselves to the moment.

The night is not without its shenanigans. For their home crowd, Sleep Token have prepared funny tricks such as playing games on a streaming deck on stage, breaking Christmas crackers and wearing paper crowns as songs such as ‘The Summoning’ and ‘Granite’ (arguably the band’s most famous songs) shift the atmosphere. By now the show feels like a spiritual passage, as the audience sings along with menace. The pit in the middle of the standing arena is wild, the band can feel the crowd’s energy as the breakdowns become heavier and each songs feels like the connection between band and audience deepens. As ‘Take Me Back To Eden’ echoes, arguably a masterpiece of a song that one cannot get enough of, Vessel’s presence truly embodies the divine.

The final song of the final show, ‘Euclid’, is an emotional one. Its lyrics ‘the night belongs to you’ is like a full circle from the set-opener, a completion of the emotional purging that Sleep Token’s final show has promised. As the whole 20,000-strong arena lights up from phone torches, and the audience screams the lyrics back to the band, it feels like a holy moment. By the end of the show, Vessel is on his knees, offering the microphone to the audience. His voice cracks through the lyrics, and his final bow feels like a benediction, leaving the audience with a sense of gratitude and a lingering ache. We’ve all been invited to worship and exiting the venue feels like stepping out of a holy place. With hearts lighter yet heavier, the soul feels raw. The Sleep Token concert feels more than a show, it is an initiation. ‘You just had to be there’, is what I said to those who asked me how the show was. It is an undeniably powerful experience, one that makes you feel forever changed.