Sundowning (Sleep Token album)

For the neurological phenomenon, see Sundowning.
Sundowning
Studio album by
Sleep Token
Released21 November 2019 (2019-11-21)
Studio
Genre
Length54:37
LabelSpinefarm
ProducerGeorge Lever
Sleep Token chronology
Two
(2017) 		Sundowning
(2019) 		This Place Will Become Your Tomb
(2021)

Sundowning is the debut studio album by anonymous English rock band Sleep Token. It was recorded at G1 Productions in Wells, Somerset, produced by George Lever, and released on 21 November 2019 as the band's first release on Spinefarm Records.

Concept

Sundowning is the first of an album trilogy, preceding This Place Will Become Your Tomb (2021) and Take Me Back to Eden (2023).

Each track was given its own emblem and accompanying visualiser, all of which contributed to the lore of the album.[2]

Release

Alongside the announcement of Sleep Token joining Universal Music Group label Spinefarm Records in June 2019, they announced Sundowning and released the album's opener, "The Night Does Not Belong to God".[3] More songs were released bi-weekly in tracklist sequence, which were posted on YouTube at the time of sunset in the United Kingdom.[4]

On 20 June 2020, seven months after the album's initial release and the day of the summer solstice, Sleep Token issued a deluxe version of Sundowning containing four bonus tracks performed entirely on piano dubbed The Room Below.[5] The four tracks were a new version of the album's closing track "Blood Sport" (for which a music video was also released), a new track entitled "Shelter", and cover versions of Billie Eilish's "When the Party's Over" and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".[6]

On 20 March 2022, the vernal equinox, an instrumental version of the original 12-track album was released.[7]

Live performances

According to Setlist.fm, "The Offering" is the song performed live most times by the band; "Higher" is ranked third, with "The Night Does Not Belong to God" also in the top ten from Sundowning.[8]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Distorted Sound10/10[1]
Kerrang!4/5[9]

Critical

Sundowning received critical acclaim from music critics. Distorted Sound magazine's Daniel Fella gave the album a perfect 10/10 rating, praising it for providing a "dense palette" featuring "sheer beauty". Fella claimed that Sundowning served as a "redefinition" of heavy music, praising various elements of the tracks therein and predicting that its release would lead to "a storm of well deserved success" for the band.[1]

Reviewing the album for Kerrang!, Tom Shepherd gave Sundowning a rating of four out of five, writing that the record features "moments here to truly savour, and ideas and experiences that feel unique". Shepherd highlighted in particular the songs "The Offering", "Dark Signs" and "Drag Me Under", but also noted that "the continuous nature of this dark mood entwined with the group's slow-burning, listless pace does begin to drag across [the album's] 50-minute runtime".[9]

At the end of 2019, Distorted Sound ranked Sundowning as the No. 2 album of the year, with Dan McHugh writing that "Sundowning has proved that [Sleep Token] are not just a flash in the pan with its spellbinding experimentation ... the combined product is a force to be reckoned with".[10]

In a feature published shortly after the release of the first four singles from Take Me Back to Eden in January 2023, Metal Hammer included "Gods" and "The Offering" in its list of Sleep Token's best songs.[11]

Commercial

The album did not initially chart, but would later register on the UK Albums Sales, Physical Albums and Vinyl Albums charts, as well as in Scotland, following a 2023 vinyl reissue.[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Vessel. While II is listed as a writer for some songs, that is referring to the drum tracks, which he wrote and performed..

Sundowning track listing
No.TitleLength
1."The Night Does Not Belong to God"5:03
2."The Offering"5:49
3."Levitate"4:58
4."Dark Signs"4:28
5."Higher"5:21
6."Take Aim"3:39
7."Give"3:56
8."Gods"3:25
9."Sugar"4:52
10."Say That You Will"5:03
11."Drag Me Under"3:56
12."Blood Sport"4:07
Total length:54:37
Deluxe version bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Blood Sport" (from the room below) 4:15
14."Shelter" (from the room below) 3:12
15."When the Party's Over" (Billie Eilish cover; from the room below)Finneas O'Connell2:26
16."I Wanna Dance with Somebody" (Whitney Houston cover; from the room below)
2:49
Total length:67:19

Personnel

  • Vessel – vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano
  • II – drums
  • George Lever – production, engineering, bass
  • Jens Bogren – mastering

Charts

Chart performance for Sundowning
Chart (2019–25) Peak
position
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] 45
Uk Album Downloads (OCC)[14] 98
UK Albums Sales (OCC)[15] 29
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[16] 4

Certifications

Certifications for Sundowning
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Silver 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b c Fella, Daniel (19 November 2019). "Album Review: Sundowning – Sleep Token". Distorted Sound. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  2. ^ Peacock, Tim (17 September 2021). "Watch The Video For Sleep Token's Fragile New Single, 'Fall For Me'". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Sleep Token Sign With Spinefarm, Debut "The Night Does Not Belong To God"". The PRP. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  4. ^ Peacock, Tim (5 August 2019). "Sleep Token Release New Track, 'Dark Signs'; Album 'Sundowning' Due In November". uDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Sleep Token Release Deluxe Edition Of "Sundowning" With Whitney Houston & Billie Eilish Covers". The PRP. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  6. ^ Weaver, James (22 June 2020). "Sleep Token release deluxe edition of 'Sundowning'". Distorted Sound. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Sleep Token Release Instrumental Version Of "Sundowning"". The PRP. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Sleep Token Tour Statistics". Setlist.fm. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b Shepherd, Tom (22 November 2019). "Album Review: Sleep Token – Sundowning". Kerrang!. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  10. ^ Weaver, James (13 December 2019). "Distorted Sound's Albums of the Year 2019". Distorted Sound. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  11. ^ Hobson, Rich (26 January 2023). "The 10 best Sleep Token songs". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Sleep Token songs and albums: Full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  13. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  14. ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart (5 December 2024-11 December 2024)". Official Charts Company. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  15. ^ "Official Albums Sales Chart | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
  17. ^ "British album certifications – Sleep Token – Sundowning". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 August 2025. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Sundowning Sleep Token in the "Search:" field.
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