Album Review: While She Sleeps - 'Sleeps Society'

WSS lead by Giles Smith.jpg

Break down the walls and come together as one. Welcome to the Sleeps Society.

Sheffield metalcore outfit While She Sleeps are bringing a sense of community in with their latest album SLEEPS SOCIETY, named after the community they have created to bring their fans closer to them and give them a cut of the thrills and spills behind the scenes of one of the most exciting acts right now. Continuing this theme in the new record, the band have expressed themselves in an open honest manner, and the message is loud and clear and one to follow.

One of the most honest tracks is 'KNOW YOUR WORTH (SOMEBODY)', as the lyrics show the struggle behind fitting in with what people want; whether this is other musicians, critics, or even their own die-hard fans. "Somebody told me to change", moving straight into, "Somebody told me to stay the same". The age-old battle of pleasing everyone, when the truth is you have to "know your worth" and only listen to the one opinion that matters: yours. It's a perfect metal anthem of authenticity, and it's motivation so loud it cannot be ignored.

Title track 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' was one for the fans and only the fans. Sleeps Society was a community created to keep the band and their fans together throughout the COVID-19 pandemic while live shows were too risky to go ahead - for those passionate fans, this is for them. It's catchy, it's powerful, it's mighty and one of the most important songs. Such as the recent single 'NERVOUS', a true tune of anxiety and fear, and misleading calm and false hopes, featuring Biffy Clyro's own Simon Neil, 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' is one of the most important tracks on the album.

With the inferred goal of the record being the chance to get closer and be more transparent with their fans, at a time where they couldn't be further apart, While She Sleeps have won over hearts and lungs and love and respect. For old fans and for the new, this album is all for you.

Words by Jo Cosgrove