Image used under CC BY-SA 4.0; Credit: Douglas84 on Wikimedia Commons
Metal bands rarely garner mainstream attention or success, and the few times that they do, they are criticized for “selling out” or using too many “clean vocals” (singing, to normal people). But what happens when, in perfect circumstances, a band can retain their experimental and abrasive qualities while also drawing in new fans through the accessible and catchy side of their music?
We’ve seen the phenomenon before in the modern metal landscape with acts like Spiritbox, Bad Omens, and even Knocked Loose. In most cases these bands have some sort of accessible, easy to listen to aspect to their music like hooky vocal melodies and simple rhythms, but sometimes bands with a heavy sound can blow up into the mainstream with their aesthetic or unique qualities rather than clean singing. Knocked Loose, for example, dropped their heaviest and darkest project to date with “A Tear In The Fabric of Life” in 2021 and have only continued to rise to the top of the heavy music scene since, even appearing on the lineup for Coachella in 2023.
With this in mind, it isn’t entirely surprising to see Sleep Token, a mysteriously anonymous metal band with some of the best sung vocals in the scene, gaining some attention on streaming services. The degree to which they are blowing up is entirely unique, however, as all but one of their singles to their upcoming album have appeared on Spotify’s Viral Top 50, with “The Summoning” reaching the number one spot.
“The Summoning”, a six-and-a-half minute song with an incredibly unique song structure and experimental elements, rose to become Sleep Token’s most popular song ever within about a week of its release (currently sitting at 21.5 million listens on Spotify). The song even garnered attention on TikTok, with thousands of videos using the song. It is rare to see a song of this caliber in regards to experimentation and structure become popular, especially to this extent. The track begins with a low-register heavy riff to start things off with a kick but quickly moves into a sultry vocal passage that utilizes the elements that have made alternative metal band Deftones become so popular in recent years. This passage transitions incredibly smoothly into a beautifully ethereal chorus that again exemplifies what has drawn so many people into metal lately. The rest of the song includes a guitar-driven heavy chug section, a beautiful piano-laden guitar solo section that transitions absolutely perfectly back into the chorus, and then the final two sections that make this song truly a standout: an ambient spacey synth passage and… a smooth, seductive funk section to close it off…? Somehow, it all works perfectly together to create a monster of a song that absolutely deserves all of the recognition it’s gathered.
The virality that this track and Sleep Token in general have received speaks to the modern metal scene, and the modern music landscape as a whole. People are becoming more accepting of unorthodox sounds and embracing strange aesthetics on a wider scale than ever before. Bands like Sleep Token that continue to experiment with new combinations of sounds while remaining extremely interesting and somewhat accessible pave the way for future bands of the alternative variety, progressing the modern metal movement to places it has never been before.
My name is Austin Lamb and I am a senior at Oswego High School. This is my third year with 42Fifty, and I can't wait to get back into writing and reviewing. I greatly enjoy playing and listening to music, as well as writing. I've always been interested in writing, especially about things that can be critiqued and looked at subjectively. I play the guitar in a band with my friends and primarily listen to metal music but enjoy and appreciate all genres. I hope that my editing abilities, writing knowledge, and leadership skills will pay off for the publications.
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[…] and 2022 brought about the rise of several major modern metal bands including Sleep Token, Spiritbox, and Bad Omens, but none have been as impactful or consistently boundary-pushing as […]
[…] of djent and progressive metal by bands like Catsclaw, Humanity’s Last Breath, and Vildhjarta, the meteoric rise of Sleep Token, Spiritbox’s collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion, and the explosion of popularity for bands […]