sace6 – brutalist
Release Date: 8th May 2026
Label: Sumerian Records
Order/Stream
Genre: R&B, Pop, Metal.
FFO: Sleep Token, Wind Walkers, Dayseeker.
Review By: Jeff Finch
Ever heard of the band Sleep Token? If you’re one of the 18 people on the planet who hasn’t, come back in five minutes. Better? Okay, now you know who Sleep Token is. Not to say this band, sace6, is a Sleep Token knockoff or anything of the sort, but they are similar enough that one could be forgiven for not quite knowing who’s who in a blind listen. But outside of the R&B beats, pop vocals, and pretty gnarly breakdowns and screams, is there anything to separate the two? Yes and no.
After a couple of listens to this new album, it’s safe to say one thing: the band is a little more focused on the R&B and pop side of things. What that does, though, is make the metal moments hit that much harder. Whether it’s the production or just too much distortion, whenever the chugging riffs kick in and the wall of sound crashes over you, it feels like the band is about to blow your speakers. And yes, to be completely honest, if this wasn’t a band I already knew had metal elements, I probably wouldn’t enjoy the non-metal sections nearly as much. But knowing something heavy is coming makes everything sound that much better.
Vocally, at least from a clean-singing standpoint, it’s probably a coin flip between these guys and Sleep Token. Even though the intonations and approaches are different, they’re both truly excellent vocalists, so we’ll call that a push. Honestly, the same goes for the harsh vocals. The screams are intense, especially after spending a few minutes in the R&B and pop atmosphere.
What really separates the band from Sleep Token — and gives Sleep Token a bit of a lead here — is the instrumentation. I said this band hits hard, and they absolutely do, but the problem is clarity. When Sleep Token gets heavy, there’s still definition and precision to everything. Plus, their drummer is an absolute monster behind the kit, so it’s an entirely different level of heavy.
At this point, anyone reading is probably wondering: do I even need to listen to this if I already listen to Sleep Token? And honestly, no — but it might still be interesting to compare the two and see if there are things this band does differently that you actually prefer. The great thing is that this style still feels fresh because it’s not a sound we hear terribly often, hence the immediate comparison to Sleep Token. There just isn’t much else to compare it to.
Their approach to song structure isn’t necessarily the same either. Admittedly, there is still that focus on lighter pop elements at the start and metal toward the end, whereas Sleep Token sometimes goes heavy right out of the gate. But I’ll say this: if you’re in the mood for Sleep Token but don’t actually want to listen to Sleep Token, give these guys a shot. You’ll probably regret skipping them.
And if you’ve been hesitant to try Sleep Token because, like me, you tend to avoid insanely popular bands when everyone is raving about them, maybe start with these guys instead. If you just want a different take on the pop-metal-R&B formula, they’re absolutely worth your time. Just because Sleep Token was first doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best. You be the judge.
(4 / 5)
