Sleep Token hails from London, England, where the group formed in 2016. Led by a masked frontman named Vessel, the group debuted with the self-released single "One." Although the song's unique mix of post-rock textures, soulful melodies, and heavy metal aggression quickly earned Sleep Token a following, so did the group's membership of similarly masked bandmates, all of whom claimed to worship a hitherto unheard-of deity known as "Sleep." Despite rumors that well-known British singers like Sam Smith and Hozier were members of the band, Sleep Token remained shrouded in mystery, releasing tracks like "Calcutta" and "Nazareth" in 2017 before signing with the Finnish label Spinefarm for their full-length debut. Sundowning was released in 2019, featuring electronic and R&B influences that weren't present in the band's early material. Sleep Token continued to evolve with 2021's This Place Will Become Your Tomb, which reached Number 39 on the UK charts. The band also appeared on "Is It Really You?," a track from the Loathe album I Let It In and It Took Everything. Beginning with 2023's "Chokehold," the band began to enjoy attention in America, where the song reached Number 15 on the US Hard Rock Digital Songs chart. A follow-up single, "The Summoning," rose to Number 2 on the same chart, as well as Number 39 on Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart and Number 15 on the UK Rock chart. "Granite" and "Aqua Regia" were also released during the first two months of 2023, with all four songs appearing on the band's third album, Take Me Back to Eden. Signed by RCA Records in 2024, Sleep Token continued with the singles "Emergence", "Caramel" and "Damocles" (respectively ranked number 17, 20 and 25 in UK charts), ahead of the fourth full-length Even in Arcadia (2025), tinged with R&B, trap and pop.
