Sleep Token has copped a hiding from The Guardian’s ‘Today in Focus’ podcast, with music editor Ben Beaumont-Thomas labelling their album ‘Even in Arcadia’ the worst of the year.

Tough chat. 

Speaking on the podcast, he didn’t completely unload straight away. 

He did acknowledge the band’s success, calling them the “biggest British metal band” of this generation and pointing out that they hit No. 1 in the US this year. A big deal, considering the last British band to pull that off was Def Leppard back in 1992.

“They kind of have an amazing image; they sort of look like they stepped out of this kind of folk horror movie with all these amazing masks,” said Beaumont-Thomas.  

And then he reached for the flamethrower. 

“It’s some of the most profoundly turgid music ever made with some of the worst lyrics ever,” Beaumont-Thomas said. 

He reached deep in his vocabulary bag for that one. 

He then got creative with his insults: "The band kind of sounds like Maroon 5 if they had an iron deficiency."

Finally, he concluded by noting, "It's fascinatingly terrible music."

The comments were a mixed bag, with some defending Sleep Token and others agreeing with Beaumont-Thomas. 

“I'm not taking advice from someone who looks like he's seen Mumford and sons live,” said one commenter.  

“Will Smith had a new album this year, and Sleep Token is worse than that is it?” asked another.

Some weren’t holding back: “Sleep token is like if AI tried to make Prog metal but without any good prog elements.” 

“Are you the guardian angel hacking into my brain cells,” someone else hopped on the hate train. 

“Ah hard disagree, I think what they’re doing musically is super interesting and I love the ambience & genre diversity they create,” countered another fan.

Love or hate Sleep Token, it’s always a joy to hear a British bloke say the word “turgid”.