This summer season, European pageant goers have been handled to the sight of Sleep Token lastly arriving on a stage that may adequately deal with them. First, there was Germany’s Rock im Park and Rock am Ring fests, the place they unveiled their huge Even In Arcadia stage set in all its rocky, multi-level, water pouring glory for the primary time. Per week later, they stood as colleagues to Inexperienced Day and Korn when they headlined Obtain. Although Vessel continued to say fuck-all, all of it mentioned loads. Principally: good slot, we’ll hold it.
Even so, seeing them right here – headlining certainly one of Kentucky mega-fest Louder Than Life’s two equally-pegged, alternating predominant levels, with solely Avenged Sevenfold up subsequent – makes these earlier rituals really feel like a warm-up. All day, different bands on the invoice – Spiritbox, Dayseeker, PVRIS – have needed to play towards the entrance third of the area, with an unlimited, ominous black curtain hiding the primary occasion, because the inexperienced flags of Home Veridian dangle from the rafters. By the point the eerie wind sounds and spooky chimes that sign Sleep Token’s arrival start taking part in out, the large crowd who’ve offered at the moment out for the primary time within the fest’s historical past is spilling over onto its sister stage. Having seen on-line what’s in retailer, expectation is excessive. However equally, now Vessel has his eye in for this chapter, what’s delivered places earlier showings firmly within the shade.
Because the curtain drops and the large rocky, castle-y stage set is revealed, there are the identical impressed gasps as in every single place else. Ditto the feedback about how way more Deftones-heavy the riffs sound than on file. And now, with a few nights out with it beneath his belt, Vessel is positively imperious as he struts amongst it. Odd an remark as it might be, even his abs forged a shadow tonight. Every thing is one larger, one louder.
