A radio message is the first thing that greets us when we put on this album. A beautiful message that tells you the band is here for you whenever you feel like giving up and that it is ok to start over. On this positive note, lets start with While She Sleeps‘ new album: ‘Sleeps Society’.

‘Enlightenment (?)’ starts with that radio message mentioned above. After 40 seconds, full power blasts through your speakers. This is a classic While She Sleeps song with the raw, screaming voice of Lawrence Taylor and the clean vocals of Mat Welsh and Sean Long. Heavy, going all out parts mixed with calm harmonies and soft melodies with a lead guitar on top. Metalcore that soothes the ears and eases the mind. 

”It is ok to not be ok’’.

‘You Are All You Need‘ is a raw song. It has a fast melodic riff that continues thoughout the song. It has nothing to hide. It’s straight into your face and that is exactly what the song wants you to know. Be honest, be true to yourself, be true to others. When you do that, the world might become a slightly better place.

‘’We’re gonna set the record straight, no hidden fucking meaning’’.

‘Systematic’ starts with a child saying “This world is broken”. Then it has this technological sounding riff to it. A strong drum pattern by drummer Adam Savage will make you bang your head instantly. A power anthem that you can shout at a protest, that’s the vibe this songs gives you. 

‘Nervous ft Simon Neil‘ starts off with a piano. While the piano plays, you hear the sound of something that is played backwards. With heavy guitars and vocals in the chorusses and breakdowns, and piano in the veins of this song, ‘Nervous’ is like the While She Sleeps version of a power ballad. It is not a real power ballad though, but I can imagine an alternate world this could be the definition of a power ballad. The song speaks about the band’s own struggles with mental health.

‘’This is a song for anyone struggling with mental illness of any kind. It’s a song to bring us all together to a universal understanding that we all struggle in life, one way or another.’’

‘PYAI’ is a break from everything. A moment to catch your breath. Near the end, you hear the sound stuttering a bit, almost like in a horror game. It has this calm vibe to it, but at the same time it creeps me out a bit due to this eerie feeling it creates with the high pitched sounds thoughout the song.

‘Know Your Worth (Somebody)‘ is a straightforward song. Heavy guitar strums, no lead melody on top, heavy vocals. It just comes at you right out of your speakers. A lot of people say a lot of things, but never loose your own worth. That’s basically what this song wants to tell you. It’s nice to listen to other people, but other people sometimes might want to drag you down. Never let that happen.

‘No Defeat For the Brave’ has Deryck Whibley from Sum 41 joining on vocals. A song that feels like it’s written for him. Sum 41 is a punk rock band, but While She Sleeps made Deryck’s voice perfectly blend in in this song. Lawrence Taylor is doing the scream vocals, Deryck the clean vocals. The harmony is beautiful on this song. It’s true candy for the ears. I don’t know how to describe the breakdown in this song. Every instrument comes together and creates this wall of sound that emerges with your body. Pure instrument control, that’s what it sounds like. It’s heavy, it’s powerful, it’s melodic, but yet also peaceful at some points. But most of all, it’s While She Sleeps.

‘Division Street‘ also starts off with a piano playing. It sounds like you are in the studio together with While She Sleeps. They are singing and you are in the middle watching and listening. The piano guides this whole song. On top of that, the harmonies of the guys singing with an echo of an open space to it, is truly beautiful. 

Time for title track ‘Sleeps Society‘. We have the technological sound back with this one. After 30 seconds the guitars blast in. A heavier song with higher sounding melodies on top. Just before the breakdown, we have a calmer part that tells us that the tables will turn, they will turn many times, but this time While She Sleeps is taking them into their own hands by giving a second meaning to the name Sleeps Society. It’s not only the name of the album, but more about that later. While She Sleeps already tells you in their video in short about what Sleeps Society is.

‘Call of the Void ft Sleeps Society’ is a calmer song that starts off with a clean guitar. Beautiful harmonies are being heard and the message of “not knowing what to do with the world right now” kicks in. Later the electric guitars blast in one more time. At the end, you need to fight for what you want. Wether the world wants you to have it or not, you have to find the strength to continue.

‘DN3 3HT’sounds like a radio message from somebody in outer space who is trying to contact Earth. Even though it’s not always clear what is being said, it’s the band that is saying their thanks to their fans. They are saying how grateful they are that they can live their dream and that is because of their fans. They are saying that you can do whatever you want, that it is possible to live your dream. Don’t let others drag you down by saying you can’t do something. I think that this is also the whole message of the album in general. In the time of Covid 19, they are not able to perform live, which is not only hard mentally, but also hard financially.  

While She Sleeps started numerous pop up shops in England, called Sleeps Society, where they would sell exclusive merch and would talk to fans and sign stuff. Not only the album is called ‘Sleeps Society’, but Sleeps Society is also a way to support the band with different monthly subscriptions, starting form as low as 6 euros per month. They are trying to create a model where bands can survive in a world where live performances are uncertain. If you want to support the band and support the project Sleeps Society, click here.

It’s not often that all the songs on an album appeal to me. But on ‘Sleeps Society‘ they do. Every song has this energy, this power to it that needs to get out. It needs to be heard. This message needs to be heard. To me, this album says that it is ok to be me, that it is ok to fail, and that there are always people to back you up whenever you feel down. You might not always know where those people are, but they are there. Maybe in places you don’t expect. This message is poured in a metalcore mix that is candy for the ears. It’s loud, it’s out there, but it’s also calm and soothing at the same time. 

Thank you, While She Sleeps, for sharing your emotions with the world and supporting each and every person to chase their dreams and be themselves.

Release date: April 16, 2021
Label: Spinefarm Records
Tracklist:

1. Enlightenment (?)
2. You Are All You Need
3. Systematic
4. Nervous ft Simon Neil
5. PYAI
6. Know Your Worth (Somebody)
7. No Defeat For the Brave ft Deryck Whibley
8. Division Street
9. Sleeps Society
10. Call of the Void ft Sleeps Society
11. DN3 3HT