A new single was dropped on April 4, 2025, by the band Sleep Token. Another preview of their upcoming fourth studio album, Even In Arcadia, which is going to be released on May 9, 2025.
The Band
The Song
Before releasing Caramel, the band joined forces with Chris Michaels, a weatherman from North Carolina. He is known for inserting some metal lyrics in the weather forecast. Michaels teased the release of a new offering before the song dropped.
Caramel begins with a creepy lullaby that transforms into a reggaeton vibe (it reminded me of Knocked Loose’s Suffocate). Then in the breakdown blast beats meet black metal screams and back to reggaeton beats, just to let Vessel sings alone at the end. Experimental, progressive, blackgaze. The transitions are so good and smooth.
If you don’t read the lyrics you would think it’s a happy song, but it’s very deep and emotional, sad and angry but grateful at the same time. Vessel talks about the consequences of fame and how he feels blessed and cursed at the same time.
A raw and vulnerable way of expressing himself about some part of his fan base that doesn’t respect the band’s wish to be anonymous and had leaked personal information about them, like their names. These situations can be scary, as he says in the song: “Terrified to answer my own front door“.
And in another line, “This stage is a prison, a beautiful nightmare“. The price of fame, and the lack of privacy, which is even more patent in these social media times. It’s almost impossible to escape from it, even more, so for a rising rock band. A similar situation happened to Bad Omens a while ago, and other bands too.
A much more personal song in which we can hear Vessel’s struggles with fame and fans. Here are his direct feelings, with no metaphors that leave no room for doubts or interpretations.
They want their music to shine, not them, not their personal lives.
Well, I hope the situation calms down over time. And for now, all we can do is wait for the release of her new album in May, which I’m very excited about, or maybe new offerings, who knows?
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Count me out like sovereigns, payback for the good times
Right foot in the roses, left foot on a landmine
I’m not gonna be there tripping on the grapevine
They can sing the words while I cry into the bassline
Wear me out like Prada, devil in my detail
I swear it’s getting harder even just to exhale
Backed up into corners, bitter in the lens
I’m sick of tryna hide it every time thеy take mine
[Chorus]
So stick to me
Stick to mе like caramel
Walk beside me till you feel nothin’ as well
[Verse 2]
They ask me, “Is it goin’ good in the garden?”
Say, “I’m lost, but I beg no pardon”
Up on the dice, but low on the cards
I try not to talk about how it’s harder now
Can I get a mirror side-stage?
Looking sideways at my own visage, gettin’ worse
Every time they try to shout my real name just to get a rise from me
Acting like I’m never stressed out by the hearsay
I guess that’s what I get for tryna hide in the limelight
Guess that’s what I get for having 20/20 hindsight
Everybody wants eyes on ’em, I just wanna hear you sing that top line
[Pre-Chorus]
And if you don’t think I mean it, then I understand
But I’m still glad you came, so let me see those hands
[Chorus]
So stick to me
Stick to me like caramel
Walk beside me till you feel nothin’ as well
I’m fallin’ free of the final parallel
The sweetest dreams are bitter
But there’s no one left to tell
[Bridge]
Too young to get bitter over it all
Too old to retaliate like before
Too blessed to be caught ungrateful, I know
So I’ll keep dancin’ along to the rhythm
This stage is a prison (Too young to get bitter over it all), a beautiful nightmare
A war of attrition (Too old to retaliate like before), I’ll take what I’m given
The deepest incisions (Too blessed to be caught ungrateful, I know), I thought I got better
But maybe I didn’t
[Breakdown]
(In these days of days) Tell me, did I give you what you came for?
(I wish it all away) Terrified to answer my own front door
(I thought things had changed) Missin’ my wings in a realm of angels
(But everything’s the same)
[Outro]
So I’ll keep dancin’ along to the rhythm
This stage is a prison, a beautiful nightmare
A war of attrition, I’ll take what I’m given
The deepest incisions, I thought I got better
But maybe I didn’t