Sleep Theory- Afterglow (Album Review) 

Sleep Theory- Afterglow 
Released: May 16th, 2025 ‍

Lineup

Cullen Moore // Lead Vocals 
Paolo Vergara // Bass & Vocals 
Daniel Pruitt // Guitars & Vocals 
Benjamin Pruitt // Drums & Vocals 

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Few bands have endured the daunting shift in trajectory so profoundly and swiftly as Tennessee tune masters, Sleep Theory. After one fateful TikTok in 2023, the band suddenly found themselves on tour with the likes of Beartooth and Shinedown, the world’s eyes were now upon them. Flourishing under the pressure, Sleep Theory has become one of the fastest growing bands within the past few years, already reaching a top five position for most played artist on Active Rock radio. With milestone after milestone under the belt, the band only has one more hurdle to jump- that being the release of their debut album, Afterglow. Brimming with moments of virality, lurking within the familiar and foreseen hype, are moments of intense vulnerability, deviant creative exploration, and storytelling with a whole lot of heart. Afterglow is a dazzling representation of pressure creating a diamond; authentic and scratched from work and history, but valuable for its stunning and luminous display. 

The album begins with ‘Static’, a song surging within its release as a single, and is one of the many tracks responsible for the irresistible lure this album holds. In its position within the album, the track proclaims a bold introduction to the identity Sleep Theory have put forward in their first full-length body of work. Murmurs and distorted chaos ignite an already loud soundscape, before exploding into harsh screams. True to what we have come to love, ‘Static’ boasts a beat that is just so funky, adding just a little groove into the metalcore-esque foundation. The track has such a strong chorus, that for me, has come to grow as one of the most memorable of the year. It is within these moments that the band really soars- and is perhaps a testament to their virality, creating moments that capture through powerful and forceful insertion into the mind, with beats and lyrics you cannot seem to shake. But, it has become the duty of Afterglow to prove whether these moments sustain themselves within a collective piece of work… and so far, the outcome is looking promising.

Hourglass’ takes the industrial, technological element of the band to the next level, opening with this in a shattering tone. It is also moments, like within this song, that the fragility of Cullen Moore’s vocals are explored, from their most simplistic, to their most raw, shrouded in escalating emotion and excruciating vulnerability. ‘Hourglass’, much like the namesakes two flailing sides, indulges in many separate parts, drawn together by the falling sand and intertwining themes. The screams within this track are something to behold, and add a necessary depth right before the chorus that sees the listener tripping and stumbling into a whirlwind of crazy riffs and thumping drums. Relatively short and sharp, the track exudes a spunk and flair laced with confidence- there is an assertion that the band has already unlocked their own personal recipe. 

The next portion of the album sees perhaps the two pinnacle songs from Sleep Theory as we know them- a showcase of their vitality and their virality. ‘III’ is immediately intrusive, in the most delectable of ways, ramming through your eardrums in a tirade of anger, sound, and abrasiveness. Before the screams even start, there is something that lingers within this track that flags it as different to what we have heard before. It is not before long that the chaos comes, with howling screams swirling at the foreground. Technical, the different voices juxtapose themselves, offering up a conversation of sorts, or rather, an outfit of aggression. Fast paced and high stakes, there is peril within the song that exudes itself, like a feeling of dread or anxiety that is only squashed by the angelic but dire vocals within the chorus by Moore. The amplified screams showcased in this track present a refreshing dynamic to this band, deterring them from any theories that they may be formulaic, but tossing in tonal shifts that refresh them unexpectedly.  An awe-inspiring breakdown sees ‘III’ smack you in the face with an outburst of anger reverberating all the way from the neck of the guitar. Sealed with a haunting chuckle, there is a sense of absolute evil that is palpable. It is not just storytelling, but is an interactive mental playground presented within the track- all tied together by a very alluring chorus.

We now reach ‘Fallout’ which is where myself, and I presume many others, first found themselves intertwined with the notions and sounds of Sleep Theory. With a very Linkin Park, nu-metal energy, decks scratch and spin before a distorted feat of vocals enter. As the layers continue to descend upon the track, ‘Fallout’ becomes a circling exhibition of early 2000s nostalgia mixed with a refreshing energy from a band who have worked tirelessly to unlock their own creative signature. This is a primary reason why this song took off so, and still rings true today. Regardless of how long it's been around or how many times I have heard this track, something always draws me in like it's the first time, and that is something special. Even within the months I forgot to return to Sleep Theory, I never forgot about this song- and that's a very special thing to do. They made their mark with this track, and being inserted towards the middle, I am positive it is set to be a lure for returning and new fans listening to this album alike. It’s not hard to imagine that these fan favourites will soon be replaced. As ‘Stuck In My Head’ looms around the corner, it takes mere moments for it to become infectious, with a chorus surely the reasoning for the track’s title.

Truly, Sleep Theory are no one trick ponies, time and time again curating tracks that just keep seeping in deeper than the last. 

Smack bang in the middle of Afterglow is ‘Gravity’, which upon first listen, became my favourite track on the whole album. Prominent piano chords linger before turning into a seductive and sultry track that sees Moore, or at the very least the protagonist persona, unravel the dream-like facade of someone who is truly damaging, whilst also boasting their own integrity and ambitions. This track is a stunning display of the band's clean vocals, with a honey-like smoothness that sees them add the confidence and loveable cockiness needed to be convincing in this track, effortlessly. Stripped back, ‘Gravity’ would stand true within this era’s current pop songs- tails of love, heartbreak, and relationship tribulations- but what does Sleep Theory add? An electric flair from their powerful instrumentals, and a hard-hitting truth to their lyricism. 

The tone of ‘Afterglow’ is fitting for its name, as it almost emulates the hues and feelings of the album cover, an explosion of feeling that trickles out- throughout the lyrics, the deep, ominous background sounds, and the prominence of instrumentals at the front. It's something I keep mentioning, but Cullen’s vocals are an element I am completely and repeatedly overwhelmed by. There is such a sentiment to his delivery, and an intoxicating weight that comes with them. His emotions are palpable, seeping into your skin and shapeshifting you into a very piece of his soul as you listen. The most ballad-like track on this album, it really does take you back. Heavy, dimensional, the track is a beautiful homage to the stories, experiences, and feelings within the entire album, and is a fitting title track to such a masterfully crafted project.

'Numb’ shifts the scene immediately, once again adding technological flair .This is another standout- from the omissions of sound, to the actual structure of the song, we return to this early 2000s feeling once again, with starck influences weaving themselves within the band's revitalized presentation. Whilst the duality in the band makes Sleep Theory’s actual sound hard to pin, there is something that channels through all these songs that makes them inextricably theirs. And regardless of the deviance from track one to track twelve, all of these offerings comfortably belong within this same body of work. In another shift, ‘Parasite’ will have the heavy metalcore lovers falling to their knees. With an intoxicating mix of cleans and screams, the dual vocals fight in a grimy and grotesque battle, with the screams in particular reaching their deepest and most primal. Closing with an intense breakdown that channels everything from bleghs to multi-instrumental screeches, this song is pure filth with a bow on top- disgusting but sophisticated in its production and presentation.

‘Just A Mistake’ has the markings of a hit running throughout its veins. Starting with a bashful, drum-heavy intro, I found myself a little lost within the first verse. But these reservations immediately left as the first scream was let out, and the song picked up ten fold. It wasn't’ a matter of the sound of the song, but it was a marking of the intensity, stakes and passion rising from that moment on, which saw ‘Just A Mistake’ become so much more than the words on the page that were written all those months ago, but was like a band-aid pull from the arm, re-hatching the feelings you once patched up. Incredibly catchy too, the song becomes an expressive take on words that are often too hard to say, taking their burden and lighting them up in a colourful show of identity and creativity. This too flows on to the next track ‘Paralyzed’. Intertwining an almost haunting undertone within the burdensome weight of self-realisation, and one’s own personal demons. Dichotomously tackling the issues with a fast-tempo background, versus strongly layered and immensely engulfing screams, the very weight of the track’s notions effortlessly transpire through the track. There is no division between story and truth, these feats become one, which is why Afterglow holds such power.

Closing Afterglow is ‘Words Are Worthless’. Almost like a call to arms, Sleep Theory asks if we can hear them- these lyrics sink deep, and call for a reflective look to be taken upon the album. Laced with so much passion, determination, and integrity, it serves as a reminder; did we get swept up in the moment? Become indulged in the sounds? The next clip? This album is peppered with sentiments that are palpable, engaging, relatable, and at times, stark. We are positioned to think about these lyrics, and re-evaluate their disposition, their impact, their worth. 

Orchestral strings ring throughout the back, enhancing this song to that of epic proportions. Mixed with Cullen at perhaps his most heart wrenching, the song is a dutiful closer to an album so intertwined with the band’s identity and sense of self. Emotionally jarring and introspective, ‘Words Are Worthless’ lingers for quite some time upon its listen, and begs to be remembered for many moments beyond. 

Assured, significant, powerful. Afterglow is a shimmering collection of tracks that has seen a band release on their own regard, ensuring their songs become a representation of their own story, and not the timeline dictated by the changes and tribulations that arise from moments beyond our control. With this, Sleep Theory have put forward 12 tracks dripping in authenticity, whilst also fostering a sound style that is so inextricably connected to the current culture of pop, metalcore, and everything in between- making it a universal delight of colourful musicianship. Track after track, the band pushes the envelope, not just to the parameters of the genre they were once defined by, but of the music we thought possible; they have truly become pioneers of creative expansion and expression, all backed by their own liberty and choices. In a time where metalcore can be so much more, Sleep Theory have taken the wheel, driving through the stoney walls to new and wondrous plains. 

Rating: 8.5/10
‍Afterglow is out May 16th via Epitaph Records. Pre-order/save here.
Review by Georgia Haskins @ghaskins2002