Have you been waiting long for me?
Song review- Emergence by Sleep Token
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: ABBY
Yes, we certainly have.
Beloved genre-defying band Sleep Token has done it again. Ahead of their impending new record Even In Arcadia (May 9, 2025), they have released their much-anticipated single entitled “Emergence” after weeks of teasing the metal community.
And it did not disappoint.
The six-and-a-half-minute masterpiece shifts like a classical composition through genres, instrumentation, and visualization, with intensity building each second before closing with a cameo longtime fans of the band will adore.
In true Sleep Token fashion, the song opens with a peaceful atmospheric background and gentle piano notes supporting Vessel’s silky voice. This first movement brings to mind a soft sunrise in spring, full of hope and rebirth—a theme woven throughout the entirety of the track. It’s clear the band is paving the way to a new era, full of the healing and joy that the storyline so far has been hungry for.
Then the song shifts into an almost techno-sounding bridge bolstered by an ‘80s-reminiscent synth riff before exploding into a futuristic trap verse. The imagery is incredible, with lines such as “Dark light on my culture / Sapphire on my white gold” and “Blood beats so alive might / Bite right through your lends” evoking a setting that is ancient, sophisticated, modern, and crisp all at once. There’s even a reference to the 1979 science fiction film Alien hidden in the lyric “Burst out of my chest and / Hide out in the vents,” proving that Vessel and II are, as always, having the time of their lives hiding Easter eggs for fans to find.
Another bridge leads into the signature djent-inspired drop, where tuned guitar rips alongside another trap verse, II’s drums and the bass weaving with the riffs to create a musical unity that soars beyond the realms of your average recording. But then there’s a pause: it’s as if Vessel begins to have second thoughts about stepping into this new era. His hesitation is belied by the lines “And you might be the one to take away the pain and let my mind go quiet / And nothing else is quite the same as how I feel when I’m at your side.”
This hesitation quickly vanishes, as a breakdown bursts into the brief quiet reprieve. It’s deliciously rhythmic and wildly interesting, with just enough changes to the melody and drums to keep the listener thoroughly engaged.
But perhaps the most delightful movement comes at the end of the track, as the distinctive sound of Bilmuri’s beloved saxophone player, Gabi Rose, cuts through the lingering atmosphere, proving that the band still has plenty of surprises in store for us listeners.
It truly does feel like the beginning of a new chapter for Sleep Token with “Emergence”—not just in terms of Vessel’s story but also the confident, innovative ways these brilliant musicians choose to boldly bend the boundaries of genre and create something new, fresh, and, as always, beautiful.
Be sure to check out Emergence here while you wait patiently for next offering “Even in Arcadia” which you can pre-save here.
