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With “Even In Arcadia,” has Sleep Token cracked the code for metal in the streaming era?

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As a veil of mystery enshrouds them, I find myself captivated by the enigmatic British metal outfit whose members remain shrouded behind cloaks and cyber-masks. Dubbing their anonymous vocalist as “Vessel” while numerically designating their backing band, they claim to be emissaries of a divine entity known as “Sleep.” Titles such as “The Night Does Not Belong to God” echo through the airwaves, and yet, they refuse to engage in interviews or bask in the limelight. This week’s bestselling album in America hails from this elusive band, and I can’t help but wonder what secrets their music holds within its haunting melodies.

Regardless or possibly due to its cryptic nature, Sleep Token’s RCA Records debut “Even In Arcadia” made a significant impact this month, topping the Billboard 200 chart and setting new streaming records for the hard-rock genre. This achievement makes it the highest-selling hard-rock album since Metallica in 2023.

According to RCA Records’ COO, John Fleckenstein, it was already clear that we had a significant thing on our hands due to the exceptional engagement and scheduled live dates. However, “Arcadia’s” chart-topping debut surpassed even those high expectations; it’s much more substantial than we initially comprehended.

Lately, that chart-topping position has been graced by some company. The veteran Swedish hard rock band Ghost, known for their eerie masks and ominous aliases, managed to secure their first No. 1 album with “Skeletá” in May. Interestingly, both bands have reached this pinnacle after years of cultivating dedicated, closed-knit fan bases, while simultaneously acting as inviting gateways into the genre for new enthusiasts.

Could it be mere chance that these bands reached No. 1 in the same month, or is there a pattern suggesting a growing preference for intense, escapist, and mythology-rich rock within American culture today?

Fleckenstein noted, “Metal has a rich history, and its community is dedicated and thriving; it’s always been a constant. However, the metal scene has traditionally focused on album sales and physical purchases. What we observe with Sleep Token is something unprecedented – streaming figures that mirror the consumption habits typically seen in pop music.

Fleckenstein jokingly commented that it wouldn’t shock him if newborns began to be named ‘Vessel’ within a year, highlighting the intense level of fan engagement we have here.

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From their hometown of Sacramento, this metal band has never attained greater popularity, nor have they been more instrumental in shaping the desires of young listeners when it comes to heavy music.

In the same year of 2019, two music groups with a metal genre alignment simultaneously reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Slipknot and Tool each achieved their third chart-topping albums that year. These two acts are longtime chart-toppers who have been headlining festivals for many decades.

2025 saw Sleep Token and Ghost achieve their first number one positions on the Billboard 200, implying a shift in the genre as up-and-coming bands are now reaching chart successes similar to those seen during the nu-metal era of the late ’90s and early 2000s, hinting at a new generation taking over.

Initially in May, the band Ghost released their sixth album titled “Skeletá.” This group, fronted by singer Papa V Perpetua (also known as founder Tobias Forge), is accompanied by a group of musicians collectively known as Nameless Ghouls. The band’s aesthetic leans towards the satanic, yet it carries an element of campiness. Their musical style is influenced by heavy metal bands from the 1980s, such as Judas Priest and Pentagram, as demonstrated in their recent single “Satanized.

This band, contracted with L.A.-based independent label Loma Vista, debuted its first album back in 2010 and climbed to the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 with their 2022 release titled “Impera.” In 2023, they earned a Grammy for Best Metal Performance, having been nominated four times previously.

In simpler terms, the band member explained to The Times in 2022 that we are a rock ‘n’ roll group with occult, pop, and satanic influences, intended for an audience who appreciates such themes. He described this environment as a secret hideout discovered after school hours. However, when someone tries to change or evolve it, it becomes disruptive because it upsets the established norms.

The band ‘Skeletá’ took the number one spot on the charts by selling 86,000 copies of their album in its debut week. Interestingly, about 89% of these sales were made through traditional methods such as CDs and vinyl records, demonstrating that a diverse selection of physical media can still achieve success – they provided 15 different vinyl versions of the album. This marks the first time since 2015 that a hard-rock band has claimed their first win on the Billboard 200 with an album.

Music

Tobias Forge, the enigmatic figure behind Ghost, often referred to as “Papa Emeritus,” discusses the cyclical nature of wickedness, expresses understanding towards metal purists, and shares his fondness for ’70s music that addresses the themes of divorce.

Sleep Token’s “Even In Arcadia” reclaimed the spot for metal two weeks later.

The band hailing from London remains unidentified offically (despite much speculation about their members on the internet), yet their sound is massive, melancholic, and melodic – a fusion of electronic music, jazz, hip-hop, ambient tones. Positioned between the gritty textures of Deftones and Meshuggah’s growl, they embody the genre-blending perspective popular among today’s Gen Z audience.

The band’s neo-pagan masks, ornate gold swords, and macabre body art give off an eerie, almost sinister vibe, yet their music selection is surprisingly upbeat – a cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” However, they cleverly leveraged their gothic-opera aesthetic to cultivate a voracious fanbase. Emerging from the pandemic, they managed to sell out arenas and secure high-profile festival dates across the globe.

The band made their initial impact on album charts with the release of “Take Me Back to Eden” in 2023, and they entered the Hot 100 for the first time in March with “Emergence.” At present, all ten tracks from the album “Arcadia” are featured on the Hot 100, with “Caramel” peaking at number 34.

In a surprising twist, “Arcadia” claimed the number one spot on the Billboard 200, selling approximately 127,000 units. However, the blend of sales and streaming indicated a unique pattern that deviated from the typical metal music-buying demographic. The band managed to sell 73,500 physical albums in its debut week, with an astounding 47,000 of those being vinyl LPs – a record for any contemporary hard rock group. Yet, it also amassed a staggering 53,000 streaming equivalent albums (equivalent to nearly 69 million on-demand official streams) in its first week – a record for any hard rock album ever.

Fleckenstein remarked that the listeners we’re observing are super enthusiasts, not just showing enthusiasm, but repeatedly streaming the album eight to ten times, which resembles the way people stream top pop stars. He described the timing following Ghost’s chart-topping album as coincidental, but added that seeing fans being so daring, discovering this music, it wouldn’t shock him if we see more experimental and courageous acts like them.

Music

Two years following the release of their seventh studio album titled ‘The End, So Far,’ the band is marking the anniversary of their self-titled debut album, which continues to influence metal music with its raw imagery and experimental elements. They will be embarking on a tour that includes performances at Intuit Dome on September 13th and 14th.

The band’s anonymous identity and intricate aesthetic are credited for driving Sleep Token’s chart success. The band has managed to cultivate a massive online following through mystery, which in turn has led to a vibrant community of over 166,000 fans on Reddit. This community regularly shares fan art, cosplay outfits based on the Vessel character, and memes featuring Sleep Token lyrics integrated into “Twilight” scenes.

The lyrics of Vessel express a sense of unease with the spotlight. On the song “Caramel,” they express regret, singing “This stage feels like a jail cell / Too young to become jaded about it all.” Similarly, on “Damocles,” they humorously confess, “I’m aware I should be touring / Aware these chords are monotonous / But I can’t always be at the top of my game.

That mix of emotional candor and personal distance feels enticing in an overexposed TikTok era.

In today’s world, where so much information is readily available, Fleckenstein expressed his belief that there might be a growing sense of fatigue from this lack of privacy and constant exposure. Sleep Token, however, offers an opportunity to explore an alternate realm, one that encourages individuals to develop something substantial through their individuality. The concept of personal space, genuine creative liberty, and perhaps even this is a response leaning towards reclaiming that freedom.

On earth, L.A. record shop proprietors claim that these major artists are transforming the merely curious into devoted followers of the genre.

At his individual record shop, Midnight Hour in San Fernando, owned by Sergio Amalfitano, there’s a focus on punk, metal, and other intense music genres. As Amalfitano explained, “Right now, heavy metal and related genres are experiencing a massive surge in popularity.” He added that Sleep Token and Ghost are frequent choices among customers. These bands seem to appeal to both long-time metal enthusiasts and new admirers, serving as an introduction to the genre for many young fans, thereby expanding its fan base.

As a music enthusiast, I can’t help but anticipate that more metal and hard-rock bands will ascend the album charts in the near future. With contemporary heavy acts like Turnstile, Spiritbox, Poppy, and Knocked Loose receiving Grammy nods, and metal bands such as 200 Stab Wounds and Sanguisugabogg revitalizing timeless hard styles, they’re resonating with a broader malaise in society through intense, pertinent sounds.

Amalfitano stated that these bands have a broad appeal that transcends boundaries, yet simultaneously boast an extremely dedicated fan base. He experienced this firsthand in Mexico City when the latest Ghost album was released, as the lines were enormous. Their popularity is significant worldwide, and it’s not limited to the United States.

It’s not unlikely that the emergence of this wave occurs during a conservative, retaliatory U.S. administration, as there might be a connection between the two events.

According to Amalfitano, a trend toward conservatism in society often sparks a reaction of creative expression. For instance, during the ‘satanic panic,’ genres like glam, heavy, and black metal emerged as a response. It seems that music serves as a pendulum, swinging in reaction to mainstream politics.

Although Ghost’s 2025 arena tour schedule in Los Angeles hasn’t been set, Sleep Token is scheduled to perform at The Forum in September instead. Fleckenstein mentioned that the band is only now starting to meet the immense demand for a large-scale live show suitable for the U.S. market.

Fleckenstein stated that so far, fans haven’t gathered physically. Instead, they’ve been connecting with the album in an unusual way, almost as if they were interacting with a friend or acquaintance. What excites us most is the anticipated effect when fans are finally in the same room together.

Time will tell if this current state will last, but Morgan Wallen, who frequently tops the Billboard 200 charts, is back in the number one spot.

RCA believes there’s ample opportunity for Sleep Token and similar groups to captivate new, intrigued listeners, and potentially spawn additional metal bands that ascend the music charts.

He expressed that our role is to draw people into exploring Sleep Token, a band he believes will captivate many new followers. He hopes this could spark a fresh trend, symbolizing a significant shift in the music industry. This change transcends traditional genres such as metal and pop, pushing the boundaries of what these styles can encompass. He feels there might not be a stage large enough to accommodate the innovative ideas they harbor in their minds.

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2025-05-29 00:01

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