While She Sleeps - ‘Sleeps Society’ Special Edition - album review
While She Sleeps - Sleeps Society (Special Edition)
For anyone that doubts that synths belong in metal music, While She Sleeps are proof that you are simply wrong. The Sheffield band have just released the follow-up to their 2021 album Sleeps Society – a special edition of the same release. But what makes it special? A complete overhaul of the original with the addition of extra tracks, acoustic additions, and a special guest appearance from Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds.
The first two tracks on the album are the same as the original, but then third track ‘Systematic’ sees Reynolds break through what those who have listened to ‘Sleeps Society’ know and love with his easily distinguishable vocals (for those that know to clap during Sorry ‘You’re Not A Winner’, anyway). He adds a whole new level to what is already a standout song on the record in a reimagined version of the track that takes the time to carve a place in the song to include him, not just add him to the open space provided by a break in vocalist Loz Taylor’s lyrics. Reynolds enhances the crescendo before the aggressive synth filled breakdown that is driven forward by the combined fuel of powerhouse drummer Adam Savage and bassist Aaran McKenzie, who are nothing short of perfect throughout the album.
This Special Edition is unlike many others of its kind. Instead of just adding the extra tracks to the end of the album as a bonus, the band have chosen to incorporate them throughout the entire record. Lead single ‘Eye To Eye’ is one of these tracks. Coming in at track four, it has all the elements that made ‘Sleeps Society’ such an acclaimed album. It begins with a side of Taylor that we don’t usually get to see, displaying his almost angelic vocals to ease us in before we are assaulted by his aggressive, dirty vocals that are accompanied by the driving force of a thrashy and intense instrumental. This track switches between the two flawlessly, giving us a type of whiplash that fans of While She Sleeps may be familiar with already. Not only are the band the centrepiece of the song, but the track is propelled forward by gang vocals from over 100 members of the ‘Sleeps Society’, the band’s subscription only Patreon page. These vocals add to the power behind the track and prove that this song was created for the sole purpose of being belted out by a room full of people.
The next new track we are gifted with is ‘The Enemy Is The Inner Me’. At the forefront of this song is a bouncy riff from guitarists Sean Smith and Mat Welsh that makes this one of the more aggressive tracks from While She Sleeps in recent years. Again, it features the Sleeps Society which enhances the original lyrics to something almost heavenly or celestial. These vocals themselves are enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention and add another layer to an already complex song.
In a complete 180 to this aggressive nature, the album also features an acoustic version of popular track and single ‘You Are All You Need’. It allows us to again see a whole other side of While She Sleeps that we rarely get to see. It doesn’t sound like the original song in the slightest but in the absolute best way. It is completely stripped back and instead of the whammy filled guitar riff that usually propels the song forward being at the forefront, we are gifted with tender harmonies that allow us to really listen to the lyrics. What before was a song that an audience could let off some steam to is now a beautiful ballad that is filled with a majestic orchestral section and given the lease of life that it so desperately needed.
For many, ‘Sleeps Society’ is not just an album but a support system. The title itself represents not only a captivating mixture of bouncy guitar riffs and gang vocals, but a whole new way of bands communicating and interacting with their fanbase. What was once a close relationship with fans has become even more meaningful with the conception of the Sleeps Society and for many in the fanbase has become a way of life. This special edition is a way for While She Sleeps to reiterate these ideas to their audience. Somehow, they have managed to exceed expectations yet again and have not only managed to grow into their skin but outgrow it entirely with a slew of impressive collaborations and tracks that keep pushing the boundaries of what we know and love as metal with the incorporation of synths and other unconventional choices. While She Sleeps have proven yet again that they are here to stay, and they are nowhere near done just yet.
10/10
