#and the take me back to eden (album) by sleep token

[earphone-jacks]

Take Me Back To Miku

[medicbrainrot]

you make me wish i could disappear

A/N: Soooo, it’s been a while, hey? Instead of studying for my immunology exam, or even going to bed at a reasonable time, I wrote 1460 words of angst/hurt/comfort instead. Apologies in advance for any poor writing, I’m running on not enough sleep and not enough dopamine, hence this new piece after months of nothing. Spoilers for MW3 kind of. Let me know what you guys think!

It’s the middle of the night; she suddenly bolts upright in bed panting heavily, her hair wild from sleep as she gasps, trying to hold back tears. She clutches at her chest as she tries to catch her breath, disoriented to her surroundings. Simon is currently asleep beside her, but begins to stir when he feels her moving and hears her gasping. He cracks open his eyes, alerted to his love’s distress. 

“Sweetheart? Are you alright?” He reaches up slowly as he sits up, trying not to startle her in her disoriented state. “What’s wrong?”

Still half asleep and half panicking, she turns to Simon and immediately starts conducting a trauma sweep, the muscle memory of her training kicking in as she checks him for injuries. 

Simon doesn’t fight the inspection, letting her check him with the understanding that it might take a bit for her to snap out of her frantic nightmare-induced state. He gently brushes his fingers across her cheek, hoping that the gentle touch will pull her back to wakefulness and help her feel safe again. 

“You’re okay, you’re safe here love. It’s just a nightmare.” He murmurs gently, cupping her face. 

Although still frantically checking Simon for injuries as she presses on his collarbone followed by his facial bones, she slowly starts coming back to a more coherent state, her frantic search slowing down as she calms down. 

With his other hand he gently reaches to rub up and down her back, looking at her with worried eyes. He takes one of her hands and places it on his chest, letting her feel his heartbeat. 

“Slow down babe, you’re okay. You’re fine, I’m fine. You can calm down.” He says softly, sliding his fingers from her face into her hair. 

He lets her get herself oriented, softly brushing her hair back as she rests her hand over his heart. “You’re okay, nothing’s wrong, I promise.”

“You’re alive.” She pants softly, the tears in her eyes threatening to spill.

“I’m safe, I promise.” He reassures her, rubbing her back in soothing motions. “It was just a nightmare, I’m right here.” He knows he needs to be gentle with her right now, she can be on edge for a while after a nightmare like this. 

She relaxes onto her knees a little bit, leaning into Simon’s shoulder as he pulls her close. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her into his lap, holding her tightly to give her the comfort she needs. He can tell she’s still tense, so he encourages her to lean into him as he soothes her. 

They sit there in charged silence, curled into each other as he gives her a few moments to gather her thoughts together. 

“Makarov came after the 141 again.” She sobs softly, pressing her face into Simon’s neck.

Simon knows exactly why she’s been having recurring nightmares about Makarov, he’s been having similar ones alongside her. They almost seem to take turns having fitful nights of sleep, interrupted by each other’s nightmares. 

He sighs, knowing there’s not much he can do at the moment except comfort her. “It’s okay, it’s over now. It was just a dream.” He turns his head to press a kiss to her forehead, hoping his touch soothes her frayed nerves. 

He lets her melt into him, his arms around her tightly enough to keep her pressed to him, his heartbeat thudding in his chest as he recalls the events of a few months ago. They simultaneously feel as if they happened yesterday, just like they feel as if they happened a lifetime ago. 

He shifts their bodies across the bed so that he can adjust them from sitting into laying down, encouraging her to rest her weary body on his. He keeps her curled onto him, running his hand up and down her back to try and comfort her. 

After several moments of sniffling, she finally bursts into tears, breaking the silence in the room. “I’m scared….”

As soon as she starts crying, he knows she’s one step closer to getting it out of her system for the night. This is a recurring event, and he knows how to comfort her so that they can eventually both fall back asleep. He gently rubs the back of her head, encouraging her to let it out. 

“I’m here, everything is okay sweetheart, I’m here. You’re safe here.”

He holds her tight to his chest, knowing that all he can do right now is comfort her. It’s easy for him to do so, he knows her like no one else. He allows her to press herself into him and cry, letting out intense sobs as she processes the nightmare and the events that caused it. 

After several minutes of intense crying, it seems she’s gotten through the worst of the breakdown. She continues crying, but a little less intense, eventually shifting to sniffles instead of sobs. 

He kisses her forehead again as the tears start slowing down, his comforting touch doing its job of calming her down as she cries it out. “It’s okay love, it’s okay. You’re safe here with me.” He whispers soothingly.

“I miss Johnny.” She sniffles into Simon’s neck. “He’d laugh if he saw us like this.”

“He called it from the beginning, didn’t he?” Simon agrees softly, holding her a little tighter. He knows Johnny’s death had hit her extremely hard, the two of them having become fast friends upon the formation of the Task Force.  “I miss him too. I just know he’d be teasing us about being right.”

“It was cruel of the universe to not let him see he was right.” She sniffles softly.

“I’m sure he knows love, I’m sure he knows.” Simon chuckles softly. 

A few more moments pass before Simon nudges her with his shoulder. “Are you feeling a little better?” He asks gently as he swipes his thumbs across her cheekbones. 

She nods, sniffling away a few remaining tears. “I was just thinking.”

“About?” He inquires hesitantly.

“The first time you kissed me.” She mumbles.

Simon recalls the incident in question. It had been her birthday, just before midnight to the next day. They had gone out for a quiet dinner to celebrate, neither of them being in a particular mood to do so, but using it as a reason to get off base. 

On the walk up to her door, Simon had finally gathered up the courage to kiss her, but she had started crying after he did so. 

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t remember the moment. It was certainly… unique. Had I’d known you’d cry, I might have held off.” He says softly still inwardly cringing at the idea that he’d made her cry. “You never did explain why you cried…”

After the tears started, she had bid a hasty goodnight and shut the door in Simon’s face rather abruptly. Things had been a little awkward afterwards, but upon her insistence, Simon eventually accepted that it wasn’t necessarily his fault she’d shed tears. 

“It’s kind of silly now, in retrospect.” She mumbles into Simon’s shoulder. “Before… Makarov… There was one night Johnny and I had gotten a little drunk, and he’d bet me that you’d wait until something like my birthday to kiss me.” She sniffles, trying to clear her nose. “When you kissed me, I remembered that bet and the memory kind of startled me, because it felt like Johnny was shouting ‘I told you so!’ from the afterlife or something. So I guess I owe him a drink the next time I see him.”

Simon chuckles slightly at the explanation, relieved that her tears hadn’t been exactly his fault. “He was right on target with that one. I didn’t think I’d have the guts to do it, but I’m glad I did.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, the warmth of the bed helping them both feel a little more relaxed after tonight’s ordeal. 

She yawns, the adrenaline from the nightmare finally starting to wear off. “Sorry for manhandling you earlier.” 

“It’s alright, it was just a nightmare, it can be incredibly disorienting sometimes. I’m just glad you’re feeling a little better.” He smooths his hand across her hair before pulling the blankets back around them. 

She takes a deep breath, letting the warmth of Simon’s embrace comfort her. He tucks the blankets around them, settling into the bed as they get sleepy again. He continues rubbing his hand up and down her back a little longer as she drifts off to sleep, feeling at ease that he’s there to comfort her. 

He presses one last kiss to her head before drifting off to sleep himself, comforted by the fact that his lover is safe in his arms. 

A/N: Thanks for reading! Likes, reblogs, and feedback are always appreciated! (Requests are also still open)

Masterlist

[theforbiddeneden]

TAKE ME BACK TO EDEN -

ALBUM COVER & LYRICS

Art design by Alex Tillbrook

Chokehold - 5:04

The Summoning - 6:35

Granite - 3:45

Aqua Regia - 3:56

Vore - 5:39

Ascensionism - 7:08

Are You Really Okay? - 5:06

The Apparition - 4:28

DYWTYLM - 4:00

Rain - 4:12

Take Me Back To Eden - 8:20

Euclid - 5:13

Vessel TMBTE Art

Album Cover

[thesleeptokenarchive]

On This Day: July 30 2023

The collective made an appearance in Prague, Czechia at the Archa Theater, also known as Divadlo Archa.

The setlist is reported to have been as follows:

Chokehold The Summoning Hypnosis Vore Like That Nazareth Granite Aqua Regia Atlantic Alkaline The Love You Want Rain Higher The Night Does Not Belong to God The Offering

Photographic Imagery by Adamrosssi [FB]

We were also blessed with The Summoning solo drum cam from II's Instagram featuring his beverage of choice. [IG]

[wiltingsky]

Yet in reverse you are all my symmetry, A parallel I would lay my life on. So if your wings won't find you heaven, I will bring it down like an ancient bygone.

— Euclid, Sleep Token

[tombofmemories]

I’m coiled up like a venomous serpent, tangled in your trance and i’m certain you have got your hooks in me.

[phier]

The Night comes down like Heaven

[resetmypatientviolence]

All day every day since May 19th

[jalo-parker]

I don't know what's got its teeth in me but I'm about to bite back in anger

Inspired by a part in the song Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token (the part of the song is the caption btw)

[shigarakisdangerbeans]

what if…. The cataclysmic event was the ritual done in Thread the Needle? Like the mere event of Vessel summoning Sleep into his life caused this catastrophic event that shaped the world

[escxelle]

bg3 astarion's sleep token song

(astarion spoilers and kinda nsfw)

hello sleep token and astarion community, i know yall are very horny but why did you assign the summoning as the astarion song when sugar literally exists? when these are the lyrics? i may only be on act 1 of my astarion romance playthrough but i Know some things about his story sooo. let me convince you with the lyrics of the song (under the cut)

sugar

[Verse 1] And you play a twisted little game But I know in a way You need to complicate Believe that though we never eat We still know how to feed We still know how to bleed (Oh) <- he's literally a vampire, come on, this is clearly his song

[Chorus] Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now <- thinking back to his first spicy scene in the camp in act 1? yeah, he mentions being tasted right?? you see the link!!?? Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now

[Verse 2] My arms keep you in the room Barely let you move Show me what you do (Oh) Tonight, we're second-guessed again Let me wrap the chains Addicted to the pain <- pain of being bit?!!

[Chorus] Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now

[Bridge] Do you wanna see how far it goes? <- i've seen plenty analysis of astarion that he wanted to seduce you at first to grant himself safety in the party so you wouldn't turn on him and that he wasn't meant to fall in love!!! Do you wanna test me now, my love? <- yeah because astarion doesn't totally call you my love, darling, beautiful, my dear at every given moment.... /s You must be crazy if you think that I will give in so easily Things we buried low Comin' to the surface now, my love You must be crazy if you think that I will give up the game

[Chorus] (Oh, whoa) Sugar, I've got a taste for you now Sugar, I've got a taste for you now Sugar, I've got a taste for you now Sugar, I've got a taste for you now Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now (Do you wanna see how far it goes?) Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now (Do you wanna test me now, my love?) Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now (You must be crazy if you think that I will give in so easily) Sugar, I've developed a taste for you now (Things we buried low, comin' to the surface now, my love) (You must be crazy if you think that I will give up the game)

i haven't analysed every verse and line but it should be obvious that sugar is astarion's song.

---

the summoning is a great song too, don't get me wrong and it does fit well but sugar fits like a glove. and i know people only really edit him to the last bridge and refrain but here are the lyrics to the summoning to convince yall.

the summoning

[Refrain] I've got a river running right into you I've got a blood trail, red in the blue Something you say or something you do The taste of the divine

[Pre-Chorus] You've got my body, flesh, and bone, yeah The sky above, the Earth below

[Chorus] Raise me up again Take me past the edge I want to see the other side See the other side

[Pre-Chorus] You've got my body, flesh, and bone The sky above, the Earth below

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus] Raise me up again Takе me past the edgе I want to see the other side Won't you show me what it's like? Won't you show me what it's like?

[Bridge] - astarion edits start here Oh, and my love Did I mistake you for a sign from God Or are you really here to cast me off? Or maybe just to turn me on 'Cause these days I would be lying if I told you that I didn't wish that I could be your man Or maybe make a good girl bad

[Refrain] I've got a river running right into you I've got a blood trail, red in the blue Something you say or something you do The taste of the divine You've got my body, flesh, and bone The sky above, the Earth below Nothing to say and nowhere to go The taste of the divine

---

i would even say that give is a worthy song choice too

give

[Verse 1] You take the dark and carve me out a home I picture you when you are all alone I know how we got here I know how we got here I am the shadow, you're a passenger I am the intake of breath so sharp and I know you better Just wanna know you better

[Chorus] If you wanna give Then give me all that you can give All your darkest impulses And if you wanna give me anything, then give Give in again

[Verse 2] I'll tear the fibre from the filament I'll be the limit of your light again I wanna taste you better I wanna taste you better I will be watching for your enemies To let them know that they contend with me I wanna know you're out there I wanna know you're out there

[Chorus] If you wanna give Then give me all that you can give All your darkest impulses and If you wanna give me anything Then give, give in again I just wanna give Wanna give you all that I can give All my darkest impulses And if you wanna give me anything, then give Give in again

[Bridge] In this open warfare I won't fight fair No, I won't fight fair And in your waking moments I will be there I will be there

[Chorus] If you wanna give Then give me all that you can give All your darkest impulses And if you wanna give me anything, then give Give in again I just wanna give Wanna give you all that I can give All my darkest impulses And if you wanna give me anything, then give Give in again

---

i'm sure there are other sleep token songs that go very well too so feel free to add them!! sugar and give were just the first two that came to mind

[morgonorgo]

Just want to document the insanity that happen on my Instagram story tonight after listening to Take Me Back To Eden

[sleepanonymous]

Hi, do you have the illustrations for the albums, any of them saved somewhere? Can I please get a link if you do? For the life of me I can't find the piece of art I'm looking for.

Hello Anon! Yes, I do have (most) of the official Sleep Token Album Art. It's in my Google Drive here.

In case you or anyone else is curious as to what I have in the Official Art folder, here's a list:

Old Sleep Token Logo (transparent w/ band name)

Thread The Needle Single cover artwork (with transparent version)

One EP cover artwork (Original and Nemesis Redesign, with transparent versions)

Two Album cover artwork

Calcutta and Nazareth artwork (Jericho is unfortunately missing)

Newest Sleep Token Logo (transparent including Sundowning sigils)

Sundowning promotional photos by Andy Ford including sigils

Various Nemesis Designs promotional artworks for Sundowning and This Place Will Become Your Tomb, as well as vinyl mockup photos

This Place Will Become Your Tomb album cover gif

This Place Will Become Your Tomb creatures (in blue and high contrast black and white + some extras)

This Place Will Become Your Tomb artbook scans (courtesy of @murderofcrow)

Take Me Back To Eden runes

Take Me Back To Eden Creatures (including transparent versions of each creature representing a single and the song TMBTE)

There's a bit more in there too, but by no means is the collection complete lol. I hope I have what you need, though!

[thesleeptokenarchive]

On This Day: August 18 2023

On this day in 2023, Sleep Token performed a ritual at the Reload Festival at 45 minutes past midnight on the Heist Plaza stage in Sulingen, Germany.

The setlist was reported to be:

Chokehold The Offering Like That Granite Vore Rain Hypnosis Alkaline The Summoning Higher

Photographic evidence by jansebastian_konzert [IG]

Additional photographic evidence provided by one of this curator's favorites, Paetrisha [IG]

A clip of Vore, courtesy of Cevin93 on YT.

[wiltingsky]

And I don't know what's got its teeth in me, But I'm about to bite back in anger.

-Take Me Back to Eden, Sleep Token

[tombofmemories]

And I don’t know what’s got it’s teeth in me, but i’m about to bite back in anger.