Sleep Token - Take Me Back To Eden (Analysis/Reaction by a Musician)

[@JWSoundworks2]

As PIAS (On behalf of: Spinefarm) have claimed the monetisation for this video; if you enjoyed my Analysis/Reaction and would like to support me to make more content like this, you can do so via any of the links below: ☕ Coffee fund! - www.buymeacoffee.com/JWsoundworks 🎸 🎶 Original music & covers - jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/ 🅿 Join me on PATREON - www.patreon.com/JWSoundworks 🎹 🎶 Piano Commissions - ko-fi.com/jwsoundworks 🎹 🎶 Piano Reductions Vol. 1- jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/album/piano-reductions-vol-1 🎸 🎶 Original music & covers - jwsoundworks.bandcamp.com/ Thank you for your support, JW

[@AHoserEh]

That's not cool of Spinefarm at all. They'll allow (I assume) reactions where they play the song straight through but claim monetization on an actual analysis?

[@AHoserEh]

That's not cool of Spinefarm at all. They'll allow (I assume) reactions where they play the song straight through but claim monetization on an actual analysis?

[@BigOG75]

That's not a drum machine. That's actually the drummer with an electric drum kit to the left of his regular drum kit. Their drummer is amazing.

[@Wholelottalugs]

100% agree, if you check out Drumeo, ii actually blessed us w/videos breaking down his method for creating such articulate and amazingly nuanced percussion. He drums to highlight the metre of the lyrics, I listen to just his drumming alone, it’s so musical.

[@robdaniel3211]

For studio recordings, you program. For live performances, you use electronic drum pads.

[@harbardthewanderer9151]

​@robdaniel3211 Well we watched it so...shut up know it all bish

[@joshdaigle6212]

One of the things that makes your reaction videos superior to all others I have seen, is that you actually sit respectfully and listen to the entire song as it's intended to be heard instead of pausing every 30 seconds. I just wanted to applaud you for this, as a fellow musician it does not go unnoticed. Keep it up!

[@mblasterful]

Yes this is great if you are not trying to monetize the video. Many reactors do this as their job however and can't do it that way.

[@Emanuelbraam]

"fortunately Beethoven was deaf, and he's also dead..." 😂 Again, this is easily one of the best analysises out there, and there are so many. I will definitely be anticipating your next Sleep Token analysis. The depth and thought behind their music deserves this level of appreciation. Thanks!

[@tho_she_be_but_litl]

I continue to be fascinated by the amount of detail you can extract from these songs in just one listen. You have an incredible ear and an amazing brain. I learn so much from these analyses. Thank you!

[@joshuallewellyn2648]

Me: what genre is this? Sleeptoken: yes

[@Sethmacd0]

The lines in the background near the end of the song "It was no accident" and "we were tangled up like branches in a flood" were the first two lines on the first song of the album this song is on. This is the 2nd to last song on the album of the same name. First song is Chokehold, second song is The Summoning.

[@ToddReynolds420]

Vessel is a master of singing in “slow motion”. His affectations and mouth shapes, and his uncanny ability to extend consonants is amazing.

[@sonya5043]

It's unreal because it doesn't strain my ears like I would expect it to.

[@Forestgravy90]

He just oversings like a metal bastille

[@John-vm2sq]

Ascensionism by Sleep Token next please. The Summoning is a good intro. But they have even more in their repertoire.

[@martina_laray]

Second this. Ascensionism is a masterpiece, it altered my brain chemistry.

[@tanjajko7220]

What you said about his singing, clinging on to each syllable, is absolutely amazing and even more captivating when heard live. Sleep Token was one of the greatest live performances I have ever seen, last summer at a festival here in Finland.

[@stangcobra592]

You need to go to more concerts😂

[@hardypahardypa1]

@@stangcobra592?

[@chrisskarsbo]

Had to go grab my headphones as soon as I opened KZbin and saw this, absolutely love your reaction/analysis' man!

[@AMikeStein]

The “towers” are actually pillars. The figure is a god, part of a pantheon of 12. One god for each song on the album. But there’s also 12 pillars around the room the angel is in. It’s a different room for each song specifically made for each god as well.

[@xVoLxPaYnE]

I've honestly never heard of the 9/11 comparison before. Interesting for sure. But considering that their trilogy of albums tells us a complete story, I don't think that the 9/11 theme was intended. But that's the beauty of art, isn't it! There's an entire website dedicated to all of the lore behind sleep token and their music. Definitely worth checking out. It's an entire rabbit hole worth going down.

[@justicedefreest]

What’s the name of that site?

[@joshg338]

Your brain and the way it absorbs music is fascinating to me. And how you are able to reproduce and break down. Just blowing me away.

[@kierankelly1344]

You would really enjoy bloodsport from the room below. Stripped back and hard hitting. You could also listen to the album version as a comparison. Love the break downs dude! Thank you.

[@happy_girl4813]

Holy shit I was just re watching your first reaction wondering when this one would be released 😭😭

[@UnXplainable1]

I remember recommending Sleep Token to you a few years ago and you absolutely made it worth the wait, to no surprise I might add. Such a brilliant analysis of a brilliant song. You spoil us, man. Thanks for sharing your outstanding gift with us.

[@Norgatron]

One of the greatest songs ever made

[@otaku4life972]

Ascensionism is what I’d recommend from sleep token, if you liked the two you’ve reacted to already then I think this one will be up your alley, it’s one of my favourites, truly an awesome piece of music!

[@venomstellium]

I adore your reactions and analysis videos. You provide so much detailed commentary, and I really appreciate it. Thank you for this. 🩵

[@danandersson7768]

Notice how the chorus has different intensity and style each time

[@TomN_D]

Great reaction and analysis! React to their song aqua regia. Has a big jazz influence in the sound. I think you will appreciate it with your musical background! Best!

[@sinkler123]

Happy to find your channel, exactly what i was looking for. An actual musician who listen to the whole thing, and then prob the chords on his instruments. I hear something i enjoy and immediately want to learn the theory behind it and how to reproduce it myself.

[@RealTroyE23]

Been looking forward to this.. Such an amazing track. I look forward to your future Sleep Token analysis and will be making requests on Patreon!

[@albamartinez4987]

Hi! I'd be interested to see what you make of an artist called Ren. He is a British and independent artist who is self taught on all the instruments he plays. He is an incredible lyricist, storyteller, actor and musician, with most people calling hima have a modern day bard. First song I suggest from him is Hi Ren, which is a good place to start. Thanks.

[@chroniclich]

The "don't look back in anger" line made me giggle. Good stuff. :)

[@CriticalMass333]

Ngl, i love your reactions. They make me release how many modern songs have influences of Beethoven and other classical music in them At one point, you played a chord and i heard a discordant fur elise (@34:33). It was beautiful.

[@cat-o-matic]

Drums and vocals are magnificent! The end section is absolutely brutal! And the way they incorporate piano in their music is so good. I'm usually not a fan of genre mixing, but this band does it so well that I can't be the least bit angry about it. Your analysis is informative and greatly appreciated. (though I don't get the 9/11 interpretation of the visuals). Thanks, John.

[@jessica.cash36]

I related a bit too much to the optimism sarcasm. You nailed the feeling regarding the time signature, it borders on feeling, as some say, “slow” but the dragged or pulled description is what I relate it to. You mentioned his pronunciation and one thing that effects that, that we really don’t hear much with a lot of music production, is you can hear the mechanics of his mouth, tongue, teeth, and his breathing in and around some of those more drawn out lines. It’s a very intentional placement and is left in a lot of his vocal takes. What’s always been highly interesting is that everything but the drums Vessel played and recorded as well as his vocals of course. That layering effect when he is live is now filled in with a trio called Espera. II-the drummer will mix in the jazz or Gospel elements and it’s fascinating to hear his parts. There is a whole lore around a deity called Sleep that is used to tie together the first 3 albums. If you Play the most recent from start to finish if will unfold like a story and he will reference or call back to other songs and themes. But he’s said he wants people to have their own interpretation of what it means to them, not just what he was thinking when we wrote it all

[@lpucci]

it's very selfish because they pump out so much content but I'm ready for new Sleep Token songs

[@hardypahardypa1]

I wonder if I will go insane hahahahaha. Discovered them in Jan 2023. Then I went back in time to the demos. Looking forward to new material BUT, I will prepare pre listening like before drinking a nice wine or listening to a season finale of a top series.

[@Nathdood]

Please keep doing sleep token reactions we will always come. worship.

[@TheKenpachiNL]

Once again, an absolute gem of an analysis good Sir. Hope you continue this side quest of going through the web that is Sleep Token, it deserves all the worship :) I can't wait to see them here live in the Netherlands in November

[@TheAngelicAli]

I thought you sounded beautiful 🖤 oh & 2 is fast becoming one of the best drummers out there (& I know nothing about drumming lol) just what I’ve seen 🖤

[@SharilynBratton]

I love the song Ascensionism off their newest album and the song Atlantic from an older album, that song is gorgeous (even with the sad subject matter). Euclid off the latest album makes me so emotional but you won’t get the significance of it unless you go all the way back to the beginning and start with the whole Sleep deity myth arc and the song The Night Does Not Belong to God; Euclid won’t make sense without that song and the whole fable following it for context. Once you have heard it all then Euclid hits in a whole different way!

[@bradglenvoices]

I heard Euclid way before I went back to Sundowning; agree that it gives Euclid more meaning but I don't think you have to know the back story to still appreciate Euclid as an incredible, incredible song.

[@Nonya12608]

ST's songs tell a story. Of course, you can extract your own meaning, from each song, but the first 3 albums are a trilogy.

[@highwater820]

Worship🖤

[@matthewwilcox7484]

Amazing analysis. Thanks John!

[@tjh5716]

Really enjoyed your breakdown and analysis. Really enjoy this song and their writing.

[@motorpsycholj]

I think the birds chirping in the intro aren't actually birds. I think they are chopped and synthesized blips of screaming and arguing. Which would support his toxic relationship theme. I like it. Very smart idea if it actually is. Like a double meaning, with "birds" and returning to Eden, but toxic.

[@o-vGH05Tv-o]

That's interesting - I'm nothing close to a teacher but yet I do the same thing with lyrics. It takes me multiple times to actually pay attention to the lyrical content as I also hear it as another instrument source in the beginning.

[@ColieBear18]

I always find this so interesting cuz I was an english writing major and the first thing i notice is always the lyrics. It was the poetry of Vessels lyrics that pulled me kn

[@olinesorensen]

Ascensionism is my favorite song of theirs, you should check it out next! :D

[@Wholelottalugs]

Same!

[@spiritually-awake-metalhead]

The walls are turning into gold. In order to understand all of this you would have to listen to the whole album and then the figures would make more sonse. You can get lost in so many details such as the objects they are holding and stuff like that. A way I describe what they are doing with their music is that they give you room to breath. I guess that is a way of describing the pauses and the "word stretching" and all of this. You get room to breath and really process what you just heard. Great reaction btw 😊

[@colindrahouse9079]

Vessel sings in cursive, and I'm here for it.

[@Dyrtbag68]

Beautiful master class of a breakdown. Very well done. Just a note, it's not blood, it's tar. It will come back later in the album when you get to it. Most of the visualizers have those two containers next to the object. It's a metaphor but not the twin towers.

[@TaverenTech]

You really are one of the best music reactors. Its extraordinary how much I have learned about music from you, MTR, TCV, and couple others. Musicians and vocalists, especially with education and training, truly can add a lot of education and deeper understanding about music as a whole. Your own compositions are quite extraordinary as well. My favorite though is still JINJER - Pisces (for Solo Piano) - piano cover by JW Soundworks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/boakZoWtaa-jm6c

[@JWSoundworks2]

Thank you, sir! 😊🤘

[@kevinbrown3082]

You and Vessell are similarly talented. Vessell is also a multi instrumentalist, classically trained pianist who was giving lessons. I’d imagine given the success and workload for ST, he may have knocked that on the head now. There is a KZbin channel dedicated to his pre Sleep Token work. But maybe stay away from it. There’s such a deep well here already to go down.

[@juttaman25]

Looking forward to this……..

[@hmmm5200]

Hmm, an anonymous patron requested this you say... Is Vessel out here requesting reactions to his own songs? 😂 jk jk... Unless? 👀

[@brettwhitefield8748]

Oh snap! Lets goooo.

[@stewjacks1]

I’m still into your personal intro music. And I’m old !🤘😂

[@Misrabelle]

Not sure about the twin towers references, but the whole trilogy is relationship based, so I always took the two shapes to be the two parties to the relationship, and about how they've broken down and been rebuilding.

[@robotwaifuengineer]

Worship.

[@takeaiim]

all sleep token songs are connected to each other in some sort of way, they keep to the same topics surrounding the band’s lore and vessels personal experiences. their 3 albums are a trilogy written to be listened together in order, the last song on the last album loops back to the first song on the first album. with that being said, i highly doubt 9/11 would have slipped into the mix, but i see where you’re coming from!

[@eilselp11]

This album was a catharsis for my spiritual awakening, and yea, I do have my theory about the twin towers that one day I can voice.... but not yet. This collective of musicians are magicians. Personal opinion. Thank you for your views❤😊

[@JDplayJD]

very nice.

[@leviathan3630]

New Jinjer is out! 🚨🚨🚨 Would love if you checked it out

[@tonjaleaflows2913]

I didn't even consider the twin towers. I was thinking more about the twin pillars of boaz and joachim. In the Bible Solomons temple, but esoteric and freemasons also use them in symbolism

[@tonjaleaflows2913]

Also the pillars of justice in kaballah represent the balance of mercy and severity. Which I think he portrays that balance in alot of his songs

[@AlGraff-w1m]

Please do more ghost!!!!

[@raoulduke8003]

Yeeeeeesssssss

[@AkhtarRafassya]

Mister. Please reaction again Alip Ba Ta. Many amazing original from her. Semoga, Sepi, Reorien, Larauntu, manuk emprit, etc.

[@jordangarza8877]

I glanced at the thumbnail and saw jacksepticeye, where are you from also curious since I don’t really detect an American accent - all curiosity CHEERS❤:)

[@JWSoundworks2]

Don’t know him. I’m from Northern Ireland. 👍

[@julianaserrano1756]

Hello!!! So sorry to invade a Sleep Token reaction... just wanted to ask you to react to the new opeth track :) please... if you have not already heard it lol hope not.

[@eardrumfilms]

This song makes a lot more sense if you listened their previous material. Listening it alone is a bit like watching the second to last episode of a great show without proper context.

[@andrewpeach8385]

I have never considered any kind of correlation between this song and a political standing, in fact I can’t recall a single ST song with any political draws as they tend to focus purely on introspection, relationships, hurt and healing, so I’m not sure whether there’s some apophenia going on with your analysis, and to that I say to each their own! The main takeaway I’ve found with this song is that he desperately wants to go back to a time in which he enjoyed a whole lot of peace and happiness, his own personal Eden as a place in time rather than space or place. He begins by pleading in a fairly calm manner, but ends up begging and screaming for it near the end of the song, full of angst at not being allowed or able to get back to it. From your standpoint though in a wider world view and externally to his own journey and emotions, perhaps he is talking about going back to a time before such worldly chaos and anger and disparaging behaviour, where there was relative peace and calm. I’m not convinced though but I see your point. The whole trilogy has focused around his relationship with Sleep, the deity, and his own struggle in their chaotic, toxic relationship for whom he is the Vessel of her message.

[@tonymireles7413]

Great reaction and analysis! May I suggest you go to the beginning, the EPs “One” & “Two”, and then the three albums as they are a trilogy. I personally found this progression to be helpful in appreciating the band’s development in song writing and musicality.

[@achmadanggara9798]

Please alip ba ta reaction ... His have a new bohamian raphsody guitar cover

[@IMPULSE0101]

No drum machine there drummer II is one of not the best right now...checj iut his drumeo

[@ruben5868]

Spiral out

[@SgtBuck01]

A friend of mine linked this to me on a whim and thought I wouldn't like it I cannot tell you how wrong he was.

[@Jellycubist]

Appreciate your musical analysis but Sleep Token are from the UK so I really doubt the video has anything to do with 9/11 lol. The black substance is more likely to be tar which is referenced in another one of their songs, 'Like That' - 'I stumbled into your tar trap'.

[@JWSoundworks2]

I'm sure you're right. You know more about the band than I do. Although, I wouldn't presume that only Americans have been impacted by 9/11. Thanks for watching!

[@alexgablin317]

All the songs are about vessels relationship with a deity “sleep”, who they worship. This album is the 3rd in a trilogy and seems to be him realizing the toxic nature of the relationship and breaking free. Take me back to Eden, may just be him longing for a time before his relationship with sleep. A simpler time. Obviously who ever vessel is, has had some serious loss in his life and is translating it into his music.

[@Jellycubist]

@@alexgablin317 I actually wouldn't say many of their songs are actually about Sleep specifically. In the only interview Vessel has ever given, he referred to Sleep as a man (and when they finish tours they usually sign off their social media posts with 'and now He rests'). But Vessel refers only to relationships with women in his songs which tracks with him describing his songs as 'offerings of human emotion to Sleep'. Although I'd definitely agree Vessel is probably channelling parts of his life into his music.

[@TheErazar]

Oh yeah, although it's one of the less interesting songs of the album for me. Sure, it has everything, but it's very linear and quite slow. As much as I love Sleep Token, the ending feels a bit forced Edit: do Aqua Regia! It'll be fun watching you playing along

[@alexgablin317]

Nah bro. Nah.

[@Philthy82]

And here you are, taking time to comment?? 😂

[@stangcobra592]

This band and Lorna Shore are Overrated, tell me I'm wrong😂

[@andrerbs1]

You're wrong.

[@venomstellium]

You’re wrong. 🙂👍🏻

[@xdeliverancex1152]

45 min reactions? Are u serious? No thx.

[@justTas_]

Well, it's an analysis of the composition of the song as well as a reaction so...if you're not interested in hearing a musician breaking down the composition of the song, it wouldn't be for you.

[@alexgablin317]

What these songs deserve

[@stangcobra592]

You must hate Elizabeth then, lately she literally pauses every 5 seconds and repeats the same part of the song 5+ times. I can't watch her anymore.

[@jamespetitt7013]

And he barely scratched the surface

[@tho_she_be_but_litl]

Your loss. This is an excellent piece of analysis content.

[@venomstellium]

I would LOVE to see you do an analysis of Atlantic. 🩵🙏🏼