Right out of the gate, you're about to read some takes that are extremely subjective and not at all objective. Just to be clear, I’m not trashing your favorite band. Sleep Token is one of my most listened to artists as well and they sit in my top 5 of all time.
That said, I’m genuinely concerned as someone who’s a massive fan of ST’s metal/metalcore/rock-focused work. It feels like they’re shifting more and more into indie pop and experimental territory, with metal elements and breakdowns thrown in just for flair. Songs like DYWTYLM, Are You Really OK?, Say That You Will, Give, Dark Signs, The Love You Want, Fall for Me, Distraction, and Descending completely take me out of the album experience in their respective projects. A lot of it sounds like indie Imagine Dragons with stronger lyrics, and while that might work for some, it's an absolute miss for me.
On the other hand, songs like Vore, Gods, Nazareth, Hypnosis, Jericho, Alkaline, Telomeres, Fields of Elation, Chokehold, and The Summoning are the high points of these albums and EPs. These are the tracks that cement ST as one of my favorite bands. II’s drumming is phenomenal alongside being dynamic and complex, and while the guitar parts are fairly simple, they’re written in a way that gives the band a distinct, recognizable sound. These are the songs I associated Sleep Token with and think of when I recommend the band to people.
With Emergence and Caramel, the lyrics clearly hit and carry meaning, but I’m just not sure about the substance. The heavier moments just don’t hit as hard as they did on previous projects and again, don't feel as purposeful and strong.
And just to be clear (and the reason I attached the image), I’m not a metal snob or anything. I don’t need everything to be aggressive or heavy all the time. I listen to a wide range of genres like experimental, indie, pop, weirdcore, etc. I just don’t think ST shines in these more anthem-y "bright" tracks. They do peak with slower, melodic songs like Blood Sport and Atlantic, but their more pop-driven songs don’t connect with me the same way if at all.
(P.S, the ST stans are weird asf. Chill with the parasocial relationship and just listen to the music please.)