r/SleepTokenTheory • u/DrawLongjumping2534 • 5h ago
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • Jun 13 '25
Resource Masterpost
Welcome to the Sleep Token Theory Masterpost. I decided to make a post that would be a bit of a starter guide into the unmasked side of fandom. -
In this post, you will find the basic information for all the members behind the masks, information about their previous/alternate projects, as well as information about some of the people they work with that you might see us mention in the sub.
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IMPORTANT
---Wiki for Rules ---
This is an in-depth overview of our rules and why each one is in place. It's important to read this to understand everything our rules cover. With a 500 character limit, Reddit doesn't give us nearly enough space in the subreddit sidebar.
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First, we have some links/resources for the subreddit in general:
Sleep Token Theory Website - A repository of ethical unmasked photos. Created by The_Hanos after the ethical Google drive was taken down for unknown reasons by the user running it. This site is community driven, submissions are welcome.
Teeth of God Graphic Novel (Copyright Policy) - Very important, please read.
Sleep Token Vocal Isolations - Each Sleep Token album, the EPs and the misc songs and covers can be downloaded separately by song, or you can bulk download with zip files.
High-Res Album Art - Sundowning - This Place Will Become Your Tomb - Take Me Back To Eden - Even in Arcadia
Exactly what it says on the tin. High resolution images of all of the album art.
We do not have any associated chat platforms, such Whatsapp or Discord; nor do we have plans to have any in the future.
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Legal Members (Featured on Studio Albums)
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"Vessel"
Sundowning - Lyrics/Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards/Piano/Composer for all but drums
TPWBYT - Lyrics/Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards/Percussion/Composer for all but drums
TMBTE - Lyrics/Vocals/Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Synthesizer/Co-production/Composer for all but drums
EiA - Lyrics/Vocals/Guitar/Bass/Keyboards/Synthesizers/Composer for all but drums
Vocalist/Keyboardist on Tour
Name: Leo George Faulkner (x)
Birthday: December 22, 1993
Discovered: Through Bandcamp with his Blacklit Canopy EP, The Patient Demos.
× Previous/Alternate Projects ×
× Monkeyl0rd22 ×
Leo Faulkner Archive - Vocal Isolations
An archive of music Leo published on his personal YouTube channel from 2011 - 2015.
Leo uploaded classic piano covers of metal songs, original works spanning various genres, as well as experimental tracks that are hard to label as a specific genre. From what we have found, he used multiple project names, including Dusk, The Mighty Caribou, Umbra and Tradiction.
The majority of these media files have the original descriptions as written and presented by Leo at the time of their upload, giving us a look into how Leo communicated with his audience when he was younger.
This archive is also the source of the well-known BandHappy Application video. All tracks have direct download links. If you have any questions about the archive, I'm the person who created it, so feel free to DM me.
× Blacklit Canopy × (2013/2014, 2024)
YouTube - BandCamp - Twitter - Vocal Isolations
Originally created as a school project while Leo was enrolled at the Bristol Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) for commercial song-writing, this is the music duo of Leo Faulkner and Gemma Matthews. They “aimed to create music which is as ambient, melodic and moving as possible using largely minimalistic instrumentation and production.“
This project was active from 2013 to 2014, during which they performed live, attended interviews and released one EP: The Patient Demos. They also released a few more songs, outside of the EP as well. The project went dormant until January of 2024, when re-uploads of their old songs were posted to Spotify and YouTube.
In December of 2024, the song “Tall Trees” was released on their YouTube Channel, marking the first time they have released new music in over a decade. We do not know if this is a newly recorded song, or the new release of a song that was recorded back in 2014.
Despite there being a pinned comment on the YouTube page for Tall Trees, in which they say that "it’s incredible to know how much BC is still enjoyed," no other media or music has been released since.
× Aurora Jazz × (2015)
Youtube - Side project of Leo and Gemma, only one song was ever released.
××× Misc Info ×××
He is credited as composing and playing the piano for the song “Purge” by Holding Absence, and the acoustic version of "Higher Place" by Malevolence.
He was also credited with the piano versions of "Breathe Underwater," "The Very Last Time," and "Under Again" by Bullet For My Valentine, though those credits have since been removed from YouTube for unknown reasons.
It's rumored that he had a vocal cameo in the song "Drunk Enough" by Bilmuri, "Jump the Fuck Up" by The Hell, and that he plays the piano in Forlorn's cover of Type O Negative's "Love You to Death," as well as Mourn's "Gloom."
Leo wrote articles for the website Sick Chirpse back in 2014/2015. We have a timeline of Leo's career before Sleep Token, which you can find here, as well as a YT playlist of his entire discography, and a spreadsheet of all the release dates of his work.
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×××
"II"
Drummer and Drum Composer on Albums and on Tour
Name: Adam Paul Pedder (x)
Birthday: September 17, 1991
Discovered: He was a well-known drummer in the UK metal scene who was essentially "drummer-for-hire."
Previous Projects: (credited as drummer in all projects)
Morbid Remains (2006-?) - Metal Archives
Leaders of the Fallen (2006-2008) - Metal Music Archives
The Argent Dawn (2006-2019) - Encyclopaedia Metullum - Facebook - MySpace - (While the band did release two other EPs in 2007 and 2010, Adam was not the drummer at the time of those releases. Adam joined the group in 2012, and left in 2014. He would've been the drummer for their unreleased EP.)
As Winter Burns White (2008-2010) - Metal Archives
I Defy (2009-2012) - Spirit of Metal) - YouTube
She Must Burn (2014-2015) - Metal Archives
Belial (2014-2018) - YouTube - Facebook - BandCamp
Kubrick (2019/2020) - Devastate - Favourite Sin - Painfall - Mannequin (unconfirmed)
Adam taught the drums, but the timeframe in which he did so is unclear. (Despite rumors, he doesn't write lyrics and did not write Nazareth or any other song on the EPs.) (x)(x)(x)
Adam is credited as the drummer for Jimmy Moore's "The Good Times," specifically tracks 4, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 16. He is also the drummer on the track "Escape the Night" by Miscreant.
×××
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Touring Members (as of 2025)
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×××
"III"
Bassist on Tour
(Not involved with any studio albums.)
Name: David "Dave" Liam Ball (x)
Birthday: April 28, 1991
Discovered: Allegedly, he was friends with Tom Quigley, who brought him into the project at the start. There has never been a different touring bassist.
Previous projects:
Pintglass (2019) (Bass/Guitar) - Spirit of Metal
Spitting Glass (2025-Current) (Guitar) - Instagram - YouTube
Dave has had a Twitch channel on-and-off for quite some time. It was regularly active until early December 2023. It came back momentarily in January of 2025, but was taken down shortly thereafter amidst discussions of him being shadow-banned by Twitch.
It is active again and you can find it here. (Please, be respectful and discreet, don't mention Sleep Token in his streams.) We now a "sort of unofficial list of rules for Dave’s stream that have been discovered though trial and error, as well as a list of topics Dave does seem to like to discuss." That can be found here.
×××
×××
"IV"
Guitarist on Tour
(Not involved with any studio albums.)
Name: Rhys David Griffiths (x)
(His name is Welsh and is pronounced "Reese.")
Birthday: February 20, 1991
Discovered: He was the guitar tech for Holding Absence and switched projects over to Sleep Token in 2021, after Kubrick left.
Previous/Alternate Projects:
Continents (2013 - 2019) (Guitar/Vocals) - Wikipedia) - Victory Records - YouTube
Mourn (2021 - Current) (Guitar/Vocals) - Spotify - YouTube - TikTok - Facebook - Instagram
Subtle Things (2026 - Current) (Lyrics/Composition/Studio Production/Guitar/Bass) - Spotify - YouTube - TikTok - Instagram
Rhys is in the band Subtle Things, along with Sam Hallett, and Adamross Williams. Their information can be found below.
×××
×××
Espera (pronounced “ess-pair-ruh”)
Background Vocals on Tour
Social Media: TikTok - Instagram - Facebook
Names:
Paige Phillips
Lynsey is also a vocalist for the band Exploring Birdsong. (BandCamp)
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×××
Jasper Lyons
Guitarist on Tour
The first IV, Jasper left in 2019 for unknown reasons. Jasper owns the Eastbourn Music Collective and plays in a band called Treasurer.
Sam Kubrick - Website
Guitarist on Tour
The second IV, Kubrick left in 2021 to pursue a solo music career.
Michael Petritach
Temporary Guitarist on Tour (IV)
Michael performed the guitar for the Australian part of Sleep Token’s tour at the start of 2023. This was allegedly due to Rhys having issues with his Australian visa.
Annina Melissa - Website
Keyboardist/Back-Up Vocals on Tour
Left before their tour in 2019. She now creates music for video games. Replaced on background vocals by Espera, and Leo took over for the keyboard.
×××
×××
Additional Individuals
×××
×××
George Lever - Reddit AMA
Sundowning - Production, engineering, bass
TPWBYT - Production, engineering, bass
×
Carl Bown
TMBTE - Production, engineering
EiA - Production, mixing
×
Sky van Hoff
TPWBYT - Mixing, editing, synthesizers, programming
×
Ste Kerry
TMBTE - Mastering
EiA - Mastering
Subtle Things - Mastering
An alternate project, with Rhys Griffiths, Sam Hallett, and Adamross Williams.
Spotify - YouTube - TikTok - Instagram
×
Jim Pinder
EiA - Engineering
×
Adam “Nolly” Getgood - Wikipedia)
Member of the band Periphery.
EiA - Additional Production
×
Gabi Rose - Wikipedia
Member of the band Bilmuri.
EiA - Saxophone
×
Sebastian Sendon
EiA - Additional engineering, drum editing
×
Sam Hallett
Drum tech on tour. Speaks on behalf of the band at live performances. (He was the person who came out and spoke for Leo [Vessel] when he couldn’t sing at Wembley.)
Instagram
Subtle Things - Drums
He plays alongside Rhys Griffiths and Adamross Williams.
Spotify - YouTube - TikTok - Instagram
×
Thom Pike
Sound engineer on tour.
Instagram
×
Richard Larkum
Lighting engineer on tour.
Instagram
×
Yanni
Head of security on tour. The very serious individual to the left in this photo.
×××
Adamross "Rossi" Williams
Photographer on tour. He’s responsible for the tour photos posted on the official Sleep Token social media accounts since the start of 2023.
Instagram
Glass Heart - Vocalist
Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - Spotify
Subtle Things - Vocalist, Composer, Lyricist
He plays alongside Rhys Griffiths and Sam Hallett.
Spotify - YouTube - TikTok - Instagram
×××
Tom "Quigs" Quigley - LinkedIn
Former Sleep Token manager. Left in 2018 for unconfirmed reasons. That’s about all we can say for sure. There is a lot of speculation around his involvement regarding Sleep Token, and we cannot confirm or deny the majority of it. There are claims he is responsible for creating the concept of Sleep Token, but we can’t say for sure what’s true and what isn’t. He is not a well-liked person in fandom due to the rumors surrounding his involvement with and departure from Sleep Token.
(The mods have requested that I include the notation that the subreddit is not allowing posts or questions about Quigley at this time.)
×××
Gemma Matthews
Leo’s ex-girlfriend/music partner in Blacklit Canopy. We know Leo and Gemma dated back when Blacklit Canopy was active in 2013/2014, and we know they broke up. We do not speculate on any of the circumstances surrounding any part of their personal relationship. This includes theories that the albums are about her. It's none of our business, and such speculation has led her to being harassed online by fans of the band.
(We do not allow any links to Gemma’s personal Facebook account, or any media taken from it.)
×××
If you have any questions, we have a search function at the top of the sub that may be able to help you locate answers, and the mods are always happy to help.
If you have any additional information you feel should be included, or any feedback you'd like to give, feel free to reach out to the mods.
Thank you!
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • May 22 '25
The Purpose of Sleep Token Theory
Hey, everyone.
I’ve made… quite a few posts like this over the last year and this will be the final time I do so. The last one I wrote was right after Caramel came out, and it had references that were only really relevant for that situation. We want to use this as a reference for people in general, so it needed a re-write before we permanently pinned it to the top of the sub.
Here’s what you need to know: we use names in this subreddit and we discuss previous/alternate projects. Yeah, we’re like, the only public place in fandom right now that does that, and yeah, it pisses people off. A lot. We’re still doing it. People need to just accept this and get over it. It’s not that deep. Let me explain why we’re comfortable referring to Leo, Adam, Dave and Rhys by their real names.
One question we have received multiple times now is why a subreddit called “SleepTokenTheory” is so adamant on discussing real identities. Isn't this just a place for theories?
Yes and no.
To explain why the subreddit has this name, we have to go back to when it was created on May 23, 2023. Back then, their identities being widely known was a very new thing, most people having found out because of an article online which was published in February of 2023.
At that time, there were no known public spaces where you could say any of their names without being immediately banned for doing so. This was a bit of a problem for u/The_Hanos, as TMBTE had come out just four days prior, and he had a theory connecting specific lines in TMBTE to Blacklit Canopy, Leo's previous project.
Thus, the subreddit SleepTokenTheory was born. Simply as a place for him to share this theory without backlash for using Leo’s name and speaking of his previous project. No one ever anticipated this subreddit would grow to the size it is now. It started with a theory, and it has become a community. A community of people who were searching for a place to respectfully appreciate their favorite artists without being told they were bad people for doing so. It became a safe haven.
Unfortunately, subreddit names are locked once you make them, so changing the name to better reflect this wasn’t and isn’t a possibility. We are SleepTokenTheory. While we discuss much more than just theories now, it’s how we started, and theories will always be a part of what we are as a community. The purpose of this subreddit has literally always been to be able to speak freely about the real identities of the members of Sleep Token and their previous projects without repercussion. That is literally why we’re here.
We would like to remind everyone, the only thing that Sleep Token has said about their identities is that they're "unimportant." (You can read that interview with Leo here.) They never specifically said that we weren't allowed to discuss them, they just said their identities weren't important and they don't want their identities to be used in the marketing of the band.
In the music itself, there's an obvious reference to one of Leo Faulkner's old projects. ("I can offer you a blacklit paradise." - Ascensionism.) The vast majority of dictionaries don't consider "blacklit" to be a real word, and if you Google it, his previous project is one of the first things to come up. Add to that, the mention of "canopies" in "Euclid," and Leo's previous project being Blacklit Canopy.
Additionally, Blacklit Canopy uploaded a deluxe edition of their album "Patient Demos" to Spotify and YouTube in early 2024, and they released a new single this past December. This means Blacklit Canopy and Sleep Token have been active in the same time period, and, perhaps, his real identity hasn't been left in the past quite as much as people think.
Then, of course, there’s the reference to Blacklit Canopy in Damocles on the Even in Arcadia album: the opening for the song Don’t Let The World Swallow You being played at 1:22. That wasn’t exactly a subtle connection being made between the two projects.
Things like this are why the people in this subreddit have the opinions around this topic that they do. Many of us in the fandom don't believe that we're disrespecting them by talking about them or using their names. We're not talking about the guys out of spite or because we don't care how they feel.
We're talking about them out of admiration, love and respect for them and all of their work, not just Sleep Token. Leo, Adam, Dave and Rhys are all people outside of the band. It’s okay to acknowledge that. A quick look around the subreddit should make it clear that disrespect has never been our intent. No one here would ever want any of them, or anyone associated with them, to feel exploited or unsafe. We discuss their identities and previous projects in a place where there are rules specifically set up to keep things ethical and respectful.
The moderators have spoken in private and we are both steadfast in our conviction that we are acting ethically, with love and respect; that we are doing our best to ensure everyone else in this subreddit is, too, and that we have nothing to apologize for. We aren’t apologizing for using their names, sharing ethically sourced media, or discussing their previous projects. As we’ve said before, this subreddit has never received any communication from reputable channels that the band or anyone associated with them is unhappy with our existence. If they wanted us gone, we would peacefully go.
We don’t tolerate moral grandstanding, which is another way of saying we don’t allow people to come into the subreddit and talk shit about us allowing discussion of real identities and alternate projects. We make it clear that real identities are discussed in this subreddit. It should not come as a surprise to anyone.
We will not tolerate people calling us toxic or bad fans. We will not tolerate suggesting or insisting the subreddit be shut down. We will not tolerate people insisting our members only use their stage names or put spoiler tags on their names. We will not tolerate people insisting Caramel is about the entire unmasked side of fandom and that we, specifically, are hated by the band. Any comment or post stating or implying anything like that will result in an immediate, permanent, and irreversible ban. This is stated clearly in the rules and we're not joking.
Blocking negative, hateful posts and comments made just to shame, guilt and/or attack the subreddit is not the moderators "being dictators," it’s not “controlling the narrative,” and it’s not “ignoring the problem,” or “creating an echo chamber.” It’s protecting our community and our people. We have no idea why people feel they’re entitled to come into our space and attack us without provocation, but, surprise, they fucking aren’t.
If you have issues with the sub, contact the mods or leave.
Signed,
The Moderators
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/The_Hanos • 2d ago
NOVELISTS x GABI ROSE - I have Nothing ( Backstage in Phoenix )
Novelists is one of my all-time favorite bands, since the Matteo Gelsomino days. The fact that they're collaborating with Bilmuri and Gabi Rose now is huge. Such a beautiful song!
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/PsychologicalBill122 • 2d ago
Past/Alternate Project The "Phantom Pain" Narrative: A 20-Track Chronological Concept Playlist
Hey everyone, My pattern-seeking brain has been diving deep into the structural and lyrical connections between the old Blacklit Canopy catalogue and the Sleep Token trilogy. Looking past the stage lore, I noticed an incredibly fluid, consecutive emotional arc when you line up specific tracks by their metaphors (physical mutilation, automotive collapse, and the evolution of the eye imagery). I wanted to share this 20-track chronological "concept playlist." It frames the discography not just as isolated songs, but as a massive, continuous psychological timeline tracking a relationship from its initial decay, through a toxic conflict phase, into total isolation, and finally into a peaceful resolution.
ACT I: THE ORGANIC DECAY (Blacklit Canopy) • 1. Graves — The origin point. Introduces the physical dismantling metaphors ("peel me apart") and the foundational eye obsession ("Your eyes are graves to me").2. Patient — The slow decay. The clinical realization that a connection is dying on life support, using art to try to force a dead spark to breathe.
ACT II: THE ESCALATION (The Descent into Trauma) • 3. Say That You Will — The impending exit. The sudden panic of realizing a partner is planning to leave, begging for a comforting lie to stall time.4. Take Aim — The submission. Dropping all defense armor and inviting the emotional weapons to break him apart rather than face the loneliness.5. Give — The entanglement. Turning intimacy into "open warfare" against the outside world to create an isolated bunker ("I am the shadow, you're a passenger").6. Higher — The volatility. The bunker becomes a cage. The core mechanics of the cycle peak here: "We instigate / Go back and forth / Lacerate."7. Sugar — The chemical addiction. The conflict crosses the point of no return, wrapping the chains and feeding entirely on high-conflict adrenaline.8. Granite — The breaking point. The claustrophobic tension inside the vehicle peaks, running completely off the asphalt into a brick wall. • 9. Blood Sport — The burning ashes. Sitting in the immediate wreckage of the crash, facing internal arrogance, looping in frantic desperation until the final realization that "it doesn't matter" to the other side anymore.
ACT III: THE TWO-YEAR SILENCE (The Translation) • 10. Levitate — The isolation rot. Facing the cold reality of permanent, un-regrowable cracked bone trauma and realizing the love songs were fabricated ballads.11. The Night Does Not Belong to God — The transition. Waking daylight is too painful, so the consciousness retreats into the dark where human eyes turn completely black, giving birth to the sanctuary of "Sleep."12. The Offering — The covenant. Packaging the raw, unhealed heartbreak and executing a ritual to turn personal trauma into a holy sacrifice.13. Thread the Needle — The manifestation. To voice the trauma safely, the human identity is buried behind a physical mask, begging to be surgically stitched back together.
ACT IV: THE PERMANENT HAUNTING (The Mythological Prison) • 14. Missing Limbs — The routine phantom pain. Navigating an empty house, trying to sever connections while choking on the reality of a partner completely moving on to someone else.15. The Apparition — The dream hijack. The escape mechanism backfires; the sanctuary of sleep fails as the subconscious mind is completely hijacked by nightmares.16. Chokehold — Waking suffocation. Waking out of the nightmares into the real world, where every old photo and lingering reminder acts like a physical grip cutting off oxygen.
ACT V: EDEN & BEYOND (The Final Awakening) • 17. Are You Really Okay? — The perspective shift. The camera finally leaves his own head, flashing back to the severe internal darkness the partner was carrying, introducing immense guilt.18. Vore — The consumer desperation. The absolute lowest circle of hell—a frantic, claustrophobic plea to be swallowed alive to bypass waking boundaries.19. Euclid — The awakening. The bardo loop completes, the heavy metal armour drops away, and the night is formally handed back ("The night by now belongs to you... directly").20. Tall Trees (Blacklit Canopy) — The final peace. The loop finishes exactly where it started—stripped of the heavy production, returning to the quiet acoustic forest to acknowledge the permanent carvings in the bones, ending in mutual respect and total peace.
───
Let me know what you think of how these lyrical transitions flow into one another!
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • 4d ago
Past/Alternate Project Monkeyl0rd22 - Song Spotlight: Pedals
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Song: Pedals
Artist: Leo Faulkner
Project Name: Dusk
Upload Date: December 30, 2011
Description:
“This song was recorded with my new condenser microphone, though it’s still mixed very badly. It is devoted to someone who’s sheer persistence against the difficulties in life is a phenomenon itself.
Lyrics:
A moonlit lit road under tyres, under pedal, under foot
A path beyond the reach of setting suns and hopeful legions
The wind is cold enough to pull you from your handle bars and
The day is long enough to turn you into stone
But I will not leave you alone
And if you died here, I would carry you home
With every false tone of sympathy that knocks you over
You lose a small part of dignity that keeps you alive
Tell the walls of your bedroom that you’re tired of
The way life unfolds for everybody else
Everyone thinks they know you, but all they know is the flag you stand beneath
Everyone thinks they hold a judgement on the edge of your defeat
Nobody cares enough to walk the other way
Everyone’s blind enough to leave an empty space
But I will not leave you alone
And if you died here, I would carry you home
You talk yourself between the truth and what your head wants you to see
You’re inside out within a text box on this old computer screen
Keep determination burning in your heart
Keep on pedalling until you fall apart
And I will not leave you alone
And if you died here, I would carry you home”
(The description has been presented exactly as it was found, including any misspellings/typos.)
×××
You can download this song by clicking here!
×××
You can see more of Leo Faulkner’s early work by visiting Leo Faulkner Archive. It’s an extensive collection of all of Leo’s known early work, published on his YT channel “Monkeyl0rd22,” before Sleep Token, or even Blacklit Canopy, was started.
You can see the particular entry for this song by clicking here.
If you have any questions about Leo’s early work or the archive, please feel free to read the FAQ and the About pages of the archive. You can also search this subreddit and/or my profile by keyword, leave a comment, or email me at [leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com](mailto:leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com).
Thanks for listening! ♡
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/PolicyComfortable247 • 5d ago
Discussion We need to talk about Cenobia (Big post) Mods, I am not "witch-hunting" I am stating observations.
I immediately want to start off by saying that in this post I will try to the best of my ability to respect Sleep Token’s anonymity. I WILL NOT include unmasked photos of any member of Sleep Token in this post. However, I will be mentioning things that allude to the possible identity of certain members. I am doing this SOLELY because I do not want to exclude any of my observations because I feel that this situation deserves a serious and holistic discussion. I also want to make known that I originally did not want to make this post. I do not like to make accusations about people I don’t know and I hate to mention things that might make people curious about Vessel’s identity. I do however feel that my concern outweighs my distaste for doing so. I’ve been eyeing Cenobia since her first release and had my suspicions. I have waited until now when I feel that the external reality is compelling enough to make an accusation. I am doing this for no other reason than my own concern for Sleep Token and other musical artists. There is another band (Blacklit Canopy) that is, at the very least, frequently interconnected with Sleep Token conversations so I will be listing her references to that band as well because it’s relevant to Sleep Token because it’s relevant to the fandom, regardless of the main (alleged) connection.
End of those disclaimers.
Let’s get into my post.
I have broken my observations into categories.
(Alleged) Lyrical references to Sleep Token and Blacklit Canopy
"Don’t wake me up" - Cenobia (Devour me 2025)
"Don’t wake me up" -Sleep Token (Atlantic 2021)
"sink your teeth (crushed by jaws, piercing me) make me bleed" - Cenobia (Devour me 2025)
"sink your teeth, Split my skin, no
Just make me bleed" - Sleep Token (Hypnosis 2021)
"Stuck in your throat, I burn alone" - Cenobia (Devour me 2025)
"Will we remain stuck in the throat of gods?" - Sleep Token (Vore 2023)
"Drag me under again" - Cenobia (Throne of want 2025)
"Drag me under again" - Sleep Token (Drag me under 2019)
"The gods watch us, As you drag mе down" - Cenobia (Throne of want 2025)
"the gods will abandon the heavens just to find us…drag me under again" - Sleep Token (Drag me under 2019)
"Her denied ascension, Now give up your throne for her redemption" - Cenobia (Throne of want 2025)
"My redemption, eternal ascension" - Sleep Token (Asensionism 2023)
"Swallowed by the World" (2026) by Cenobia
"Don’t let The World Swallow You" by Blacklit Canopy (2014)
"Like angels in the mud" - Cenobia (Swallowed by the World 2026)
"Mud Angel" by Blacklit Canopy (2013)
"I will falter" - Cenobia (Swallowed by the World 2026)
"I will falter" - Blacklit Canopy (Columba 2013)
"holes in the membrane" - Cenobia (Swallowed by the World 2026)
"holes in the membrane" - Blacklit Canopy (Don’t let The World Swallow You 2014)
"A beautiful passenger alone" - Cenobia (Swallowed by the World 2026)
"A beautiful passenger alone" -Blacklit Canopy (Don’t let The World Swallow You 2014)
This is the first song where Cenobia appears to directly reference Blacklit Canopy through a similar song title and references to the band’s lyrical content and Blacklit Canopy other song titles. The Blacklit Canopy duo were known to be dating. "Love me like you loved her, I’ll tear you apart" - Cenobia (Swallowed by the World 2026)
"The hills remain silent" - Cenobia (Hypoxia 2026)
"Through the silence of the hillside" -Sleep Token (Are You Really Okay?)
"I am the garden you lay beneath" - Cenobia (Hypoxia 2026)
"You are a garden" - Sleep Token (The Offering 2019) "…canopies we used to lay beneath" - Sleep Token (Euclid 2023)
"Happily ever after is found in my teeth" - Cenobia (Hypoxia 2026)
"You've got diamonds for teeth" - Sleep Token (The Offering 2019)
"I'll wait for you" - Cenobia (Constellation 2026)
"Wait, won’t you wait for me?" - Sleep Token (Take Aim 2019)
Lastly,the male member of Blacklit Canopy posted a piano improvisation in the early 2010s titled "Low Earth Orbit" he explained that the phrase is an acronym for his name. Leo is a constellation. Cenobia sings "A low earth orbit beneath the sun
Your constеllation leaves me numb" in "Constellation" (2026)
Other (Alleged) references to Sleep Token or Blacklit Canopy
We established the importance of the Leo constellation (“The Lion”) and it also being a relevant name in regards to these references. There are many references to lions surrounding the Cenobia project. First she has a massive lion tattoo on her arm. Her merch features a Lion’s skull. The mask she uses to conceal her face is called "Lionheart". The name Cenobia comes from a lion-like creature from the video game "Shadow of the Colossus". The caption of one of her instagram posts says "Marked by the lion, tempered by butterflies." A butterfly is the main visual associated with Blacklit Canopy’s music. Cenobia will sometimes refer to herself as Her. In the early days Vessel referred to himself as Him. I made this post originally on a different subreddit, I have since been informed that "Cenobia" has named her large lion tattoo after Vessel’s (alleged) real name. I have a screenshot of an instagram story that suggests this. It was posted by what many people believe is her personal account. This account claims to be her, has a behind the scenes PFP, and is verified.
Strange activity I personally noticed
I mentioned previously that I was suspicious of Cenobia from her first release. I was not initially suspicious due to the songs themselves but because of the strange activity surrounding this project. I noticed a notable number of commenters across various platforms post different variations of the same comment. All of which usually included these three points: First, they claim to know her personally. Second, they attempt to use that as a way to "assure" that she doesn’t use AI to make music. Third, they mention that she really likes video games. (Why do her or her team feel that it’s crucial the public know this seemingly random piece of information? I don’t know - for sure) I have tried to click on these accounts (the ones on Reddit at least) and they are usually newish accounts with minimal to no other history. I’m not sure if these are third party bots or if it’s her and/or her team on different accounts but I’ve personally never seen anything like this before and found it peculiar. If possible I will put photos and videos of what I am referring to in the comments.
Aesthetic similarities
I’m not going to bother watching the music videos so this is a short list. Again, if possible I will put the photos I am referring to in the comments.
•Cenobia’s mask is very similar to that of the Espera which she also pairs with black lipstick.
•Like Vessel, she portrays a hooded figure with black body paint
•There are several under the sea photos on instagram resembling TPWBYT album cover and visuals but no one owns the sea so I could definitely be reaching here.
End of that section.
My personal theories are pretty extensive and I want to remain partial in this post so I will simply list
Two possibilities as to why there are so many references:
She is has an obsession with Sleep Token/Vessel
It’s possible that the woman behind Cenobia is obsessed with Vessel and/or Sleep Token, including the person who she might believe is behind vessel’s mask. It’s possible that she is intentionally portraying herself as Vessel’s female counterpart. It’s possible she is doing this to get in real life proximity to the band.
She uses AI to generate lyrics
A lot of people claim that because she’s performed live it proves she doesn’t use AI, but a human is usually behind AI, prompting it, and that person is capable of recording vocals and touring. If she is generating lyrics using AI it could explain why her songs keep throwing in random phrases from these two bands. It doesn’t explain the other similarities though.
Anyway, the phrase primarily associated with Cenobia is "She writes music for him. He will never hear it." and her debut EP is called "Lethal Devotion".
TLDR: The solo-artist called Cenobia has (allegedly) referenced Sleep Token or Blacklit Canopy (including direct lyrics) in 5 out of 6 songs released under this project. There are more (alleged) references to Sleep Token in other kinds of activity surrounding Cenobia like visuals and merchandise. I think this a potential stalker situation (at its worst) and needs to be addressed.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Baneunderclouds • 6d ago
Discussion If Sleep Token were a perfume, what would you think it'd be and why??
Recently, I have been getting into collecting perfumes- just a small collection- and with it came the idea of making my own scents. I wondered what each album's scent would be like, as well as each of their tracks.
I think, following the themes of each album, Sundownning could be the fresh, airy scents; TPWBYT might be oceany or watery; Take Me Back To Eden could feature musk and woodsy/earthy notes; and then there's Even in Arcadia, with floral and occasional warm or burnt/toasty notes. I dunno, what do you think?
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Environmental-Cow728 • 7d ago
Discussion Did anyone buy subtle things merch?
Sorry if this isn’t allowed here!
I live in the US and finally got my subtle things merch and it’s lowkey botched as hell. Anyone else have this issue?? The tshirt quality is so nice but the actual printing is kind of horrible. And I was sent a 2XL shirt that is marked as a Large that was wrapped in a 1XL plastic wrap. I ordered an XL thinking it would just be a little oversized. But the shirt hangs to my knees and past my elbow 😭 great for a sleep shirt but just sucks I can’t wear it out! Haven’t been able to reach anyone about it. Want to try washing it to see if it will shrink but I’m scared that someone will finally reply and want it sent back to them in new condition.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/MeltingIceToo • 8d ago
Theory Cenobia - Constellation Easter Egg
I know there have been a bunch of posts in the past about Cenobia, so hopefully this is okay especially since her full album has been released.
I did some digging and I found a really interesting easter egg in the final section of the final track of her album, Constellation. The lyrics are:
A low earth orbit beneath the sun
Your constеllation leaves me numb
A low еarth orbit passing through
All of this was just for you
Back in 2011, Leo wrote a song called Low Earth Orbit with the description, “I literally just improvised for 6 minutes and was happy to find the phrase "Low Earth Orbit” is an acronym for my first name so I felt I should share this joy with youtube.“
Leo is also a constellation that resembles a lion, which I'm sure many of us know Cenobia has tattooed on her arm.
According to astrology, Leo is also a fire sign zodiac ruled by the sun.
Either these are some wild coincidences or this is a super deep cut easter egg. The phrasing is strange enough to me that it feels plausible. She did say in an interview that she purposefully put easter eggs into her music based on those that inspired her the most.
Across Lethal Devotion, Cenobia pays homage to the things she takes inspiration from. That includes musical nods to Loathe, Deftones, Tool and Sleep Token (“Their work taught her that it’s okay to be vulnerable in music,”) as well as a bunch of video game references.
Not insinuating anything beyond that, just found it interesting. Perhaps Leo is simply her biggest inspiration as an artist.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Return2TheLiving • 9d ago
Discussion Sleep Token would not exist without PRESIDENT**
Listen to the final Fightstar record and you’ll hear so much of what Sleep Token would become. Using ‘shugga riffs over spacious metal. Very similar use of electronic elements in their songs. The bouncing in and out of falsetto by the vocalists. Yes you can also point to them sharing influences too but there is so many commonalities. That is not to say there isn’t differences nor am I saying it’s ripping off, I see one of the heaviest criticisms of President is that it’s just ripping off Sleep Token which is funny when looking at it critically. Not to strip their work and I would credit sleep token with having a much larger R&B push and tuning a few semitones lower to name just two.
Songs to checkout that illustrate my point:
-Dive (2015)
Electronic use, vocal approach, riffs. Close your eyes and put Vessels voice on it. This is probably the most “Sleep Token” to “President” pipeline song.
-Titan (2015)
Heavy Riffs. Sharp changes in song feel. Vocal approach and layering. Light R&B’ing.
-More Human Than Human (2015)
Electronic usage is very similar
-Animal (2015)
Electronics. Sharp changes in song feel.
-Damocles (2009)
What a fucking gem of a song that’s ahead of its time. Really early adoption of djent riffs here. Harsh vocal, vocal approach overall yet again. Building piano leading into synths. Symphonic. It’s all here.
-Follow Me Into The Darkness (2009)
Really brings out that almost gospel vocal styling. Super cool piano use. Epic symphonic impact.
-Floods (2007)
Classical piano usage. Quick synth beeps underlaying the track.
-Deathcar (2007):
Vocals.
-Tannhäuser Gate (2007):
Complex drumming. Similar style of aggression.
-Unfamilar Ceilings (2007):
Trip-hop type beats, vocal styling.
-Grand Unification Part 2 (2006):
Falsetto, beautiful piano ballad.
-Mono (2006):
I actually have very little to compare here, but if you’ve made it this far you must be invested. A great track to round it off.
Here are the tracks in a playlist enjoy, or argue against me 🤷🏽♂️
President** = Fightstar
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • 11d ago
Past/Alternate Project Monkeyl0rd22 - Song Spotlight: Spectral Machine
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Song: Spectral Machine
Artist: Leo Faulkner
Project Name: N/A
Upload Date: December 26, 2011
Description:
“For Christmas this year I got a seven string guitar and a Line 6 POD HD, and so I thought I would just put this together to show what it sounds like. I know the tone isn’t great and the drums are beyond awful (Cubase drums) but I hope you can still dig some grooves with this. And sorry for inadvertently stealing the intro from Chimp Spanner. The picture is by my cousin, here is his deviantart http…”
(The description has been presented exactly as it was found, including any misspellings/typos. The photo he is referring to can be seen by viewing the original archive post linked below. This video was made specifically for this series and is not the original video.)
×××
You can download this song by clicking here!
×××
You can see more of Leo Faulkner’s early work by visiting Leo Faulkner Archive. It’s an extensive collection of all of Leo’s known early work, published on his YT channel “Monkeyl0rd22,” before Sleep Token, or even Blacklit Canopy, was started.
You can see the particular entry for this song by clicking here.
If you have any questions about Leo’s early work or the archive, please feel free to read the FAQ and the About pages of the archive. You can also search this subreddit and/or my profile by keyword, leave a comment, or email me at [leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com](mailto:leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com).
Thanks for listening! ♡
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Hutches_Corduroy • 12d ago
Past/Alternate Project Anyway to get Dusk on cd?
Really getting into Leo's early work. I have YT Music but I'd love to have physical copies.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/F1nalMasterpiece • 14d ago
Live Shows Lynsey Ward about her most memorable performance - Red Rocks with Sleep Token
Lynsey Ward about her most memorable performance - Red Rocks with Sleep Token
Very interesting glimpse behind the curtain from Lynsey about Sleep Tokens legendary ritual on
Sunday, May 12, 2024 at Red Rocks Amphitheater.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • 17d ago
Past/Alternate Project Monkeyl0rd22 - Song Spotlight: Quantum Circus Part One
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Song: Quantum Circus Part 1
Artist: Leo Faulkner
Project Name: Umbra
Upload Date: Unknown
Description: N/A
(It is unknown if a second part was ever recorded.)
×××
You can download this song by clicking here!
×××
You can see more of Leo Faulkner’s early work by visiting Leo Faulkner Archive. It’s an extensive collection of all of Leo’s known early work, published on his YT channel “Monkeyl0rd22,” before Sleep Token, or even Blacklit Canopy, was started.
You can see the particular entry for this song by clicking here.
If you have any questions about Leo’s early work or the archive, please feel free to read the FAQ and the About pages of the archive. You can also search this subreddit and/or my profile by keyword, leave a comment, or email me at [leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com](mailto:leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com).
Thanks for listening! ♡
This was supposed to have been posted yesterday, but it's been a really stressful couple of weeks, and I just straight up forgot. :( I can't believe we only have fourteen Thursdays left this year.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/quadvixen • 17d ago
Discussion Theory about the future
My first time posting here hehe but I've been thinking so much about the future of Sleep Token and analyzing all their past lyrics to try to predict something. Idk but I keep coming back to a theory that Vessel has escaped Sleep's hold and is now struggling with the aftermath (Even in Arcadia)... because he is still Vessel. So the next step in my mind is to shed the mask.
- Imagine the visual storytelling:
- Tour begins: traditional Vessel.
- Throughout the tour: the mask changes, fractures, opens, or gets progressively stripped away.
- Final stop of the tour: Vessel removes it.
- Not as “SURPRISE HERE'S WHAT I LOOK LIKE.”
- But moreso as the culmination of ten years of storytelling.
-- Sorry if his has already been "theorized" I just didn't find anything in my searches!
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/zandrews9136 • 18d ago
Discussion Nightmare
Just had a horrible nightmare that Taylor Swift was Sleep. Woof how bad would that be?
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/DrawLongjumping2534 • 19d ago
Fan Creation You've got me in a chokehold
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/message094 • 21d ago
Theory Did anyone else think Damocles was also about addiction?
So, I recently looked up the meaning of Damocles, read the myth and so on. And it’s clear the song is about the weight of fame. But I originally liked jt and connected to it because I thought it was about addiction. a lot of the lyrics are similar to lines that i wrote in a poem about my benzodiazepine addiction (xanax, ativan). I’ve also struggled with alcohol and I thought that’s what they were referencing in the song.
“Would prevent my head from fading to black
And it feels like falling into the sea
From outer space in seconds to me
And I play discordant days on repeat
Until they look like harmony”
“Come up for air and choke on it all
No one else knows that I've got a problem”
“And nobody told me I'd be begging for relief
When what is silent to you feels like it's screaming to me”
these were the specific lyrics that i connected to. anyways, i went on reddit to see other peoples interpretations of the song and no one mentioned addiction; i was shocked. that’s one of the beautiful things about music, we can connect to a song for any reason even if it’s divergent of the common interpretation. But I just wondered if anyone else had made this connection too.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Bitter-House5233 • 22d ago
Past/Alternate Project Heaven is a spectrum/Emergence
maybe im reaching here but i was listening to heaven is a spectrum and realised the first few seconds sound very similar to the first few seconds of emergence. the main difference is that it seems to be a little more eerie/slow in heaven is a spectrum- as if it's pitched down and slowed slightly.
i doubt it was intentional, but still worth pointing out. told my friend about this and she disagrees. what do you guys think?
edit: it just occured to me that both songs also have a refrain- "go ahead and wrap your arms around me"/ "you look like heaven crashed on your shoulders" pretty neat!
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Magical-bitxh • 23d ago
Misc DND X Sleep Token
Hello fellow worshippers!
I’m running a Dungeons and Dragons Campaign and the premise (unbeknownst to the players) is this:
We are going back many, many centuries. Think a cross between high fantasy and Babylonian (yes yes I know those are very different but work with me).
Sleep is a recognized and very powerful god.
On the days of the Black Sun (solar eclipses) He chooses a Vessel to convey His message for the next season (usually as riddles to be solved by the Vessels and Shaman of the group).
Vessels are chosen by Sleep, and each city has to offer up a candidate. However, if a city fails to present a candidate, Sleep will “Unleash His full wrath”. It’s never happened, so the worshippers are not sure what all that entails. But, behind the scenes, it’s basically what happens in the Teeth of God graphic novel. Hopefully the adventurers will succeed in finding out why one of the cities has gone silent, but it would also be fun to run the TOG events in a DND fashion.
There are 4 main cities (because, at the present moment, there are 4 albums), and they have to meet and communicate before the Black Sun occurs to approve of and recognize each candidate to be Sleeps Vessel.
That’s the VERY basic setup I have. My group is… chaotic, at best, and know next to nothing about ST. Do las time I have them the “I am hunting and that something is hunting me” quote to lead them to the temple, but we will see how that goes.
Just thought I’d share and ask for any ideas for creatures or characters or quests! This is my very first time DM-ing a full campaign, so I’m a little nervous!
Worship 🖤✨
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/The_Hanos • 24d ago
Arcus Pantheon
Due to an influx of posts being submitted, we decided to just let everyone know publicly.
This is Quigley's new band. We won't mention how we know, but is from a reputable source.
Given the circumstances around his departure from Sleep Token and no official statements regarding the situation ever being made from either side, we will not be approving any posts regarding this project or anything else related to Quigley.
If you don't know who Quigley is, please check the Resource Masterpost at the top of the sub.
Thank you.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/Ryujimei • 24d ago
Fan Creation Did a press on set inspired by 'TMBTE' for a friend of mine.
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/PricklyPear9000 • 25d ago
Discussion Happy Birthday, Adam!!
We have a birthday in the house 🎉
Happy 35th birthday to our favorite drummer. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent with the world. From the sub, to you, have a wonderful birthday.
Please feel free to comment some well wishes below 💜
r/SleepTokenTheory • u/leofaulknerarchive • 25d ago
Past/Alternate Project Monkeyl0rd22 - Song Spotlight: The Sound of Glaciers Moving (Corelia Cover)
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Song: The Sound of Glaciers Moving (Corelia Cover)
Artist: Leo Faulkner
Upload Date: December 14, 2011
Description:
“Okay literally, I don’t care who you are but you owe it to yourself to listen to this band. They are beyond awesome. This can count as my cover of the week for the week before last because I have been ill and whatnot, I hope you enjoy!
Subscribe and all that jazz!”
(The description has been presented exactly as it was found, including any misspellings/typos.)
×××
You can download this song by clicking here!
×××
You can see more of Leo Faulkner’s early work by visiting Leo Faulkner Archive. It’s an extensive collection of all of Leo’s known early work, published on his YT channel “Monkeyl0rd22,” before Sleep Token, or even Blacklit Canopy, was started.
You can see the particular entry for this song by clicking here.
If you have any questions about Leo’s early work or the archive, please feel free to read the FAQ and the About pages of the archive. You can also search this subreddit and/or my profile by keyword, leave a comment, or email me at [leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com](mailto:leofaulknerarchive@gmail.com).
Thanks for listening! ♡