Vessel Puts Down the Roses and Picks Up the Sword: Sleep Token Severs Ties with RICO Following Fan Backlash
The Sleep Token camp is experiencing a seismic shift, and it’s one that has the fan community buzzing with relief and cautious optimism. Following weeks of intense backlash over aggressive account strikes that targeted fan artists and creators, major changes are reportedly being implemented behind the scenes.
DarkSigns Designs, a well-known source for Sleep Token community news and artwork, shared on Instagram that the band’s management has allegedly ended its relationship with RICO—the enforcement entity believed to be responsible for issuing the contentious strikes. According to the report, existing strikes against fan creators are now in the process of being reversed, and future action against content will involve a more hands-on review process rather than broad, automated moderation.
The Road to the Backlash
What originally began as a noble effort to combat counterfeit merch sellers and scammers quickly spiraled into a source of immense frustration within the Sleep Token community. Many fan artists, long-running page administrators, and content creators claimed they were being unfairly swept up in automated takedowns. Works that were clearly transformative, non-commercial, or created purely out of love for the band were being flagged, leaving creators feeling alienated and betrayed.
The situation became so heated that it threatened to overshadow the band’s otherwise triumphant year. For a group whose rise has been fueled in no small part by grassroots fan engagement and stunning visual art, the strikes felt like a blow to the very community that had helped propel Sleep Token to global prominence.
A Telling Anniversary
This latest development arrives just days after the one-year anniversary of Even In Arcadia, a landmark release that saw the band celebrating by explicitly reminding fans they were “free to create.” The timing makes this update feel even more significant to the community. It’s as if the band is striving to align their actions with those earlier words of encouragement, taking concrete steps to repair the relationship with the creative ecosystem that supports them.
Fan Reactions and Rebuilding Trust
The response from fans has been overwhelmingly positive. Social media is alight with messages of relief, with many seeing this as an important step toward rebuilding trust with the creative community. The move signals that Sleep Token management is listening and willing to adapt when their actions don’t match their intentions.
“This is huge,” one fan commented. “It shows they care about us as more than just consumers. Letting the artists create is part of what makes this fandom so special.”
Credit must be given to @darksignsdesigns for continuing to keep the community informed throughout the entire situation, providing transparency when official channels were silent.
What This Means for the Future
While it’s too early to say whether these changes will be permanent or if all previously affected accounts will be fully restored, the shift in approach is promising. A more hands-on review process should theoretically allow for nuance, distinguishing between malicious counterfeit operations and genuine fan-made tributes.
For now, Sleep Token fans can breathe a little easier. The swords have been sheathed, and the roses are back in bloom. The creative community that has supported Vessel and the band’s meteoric rise can hopefully look forward to a future where their contributions are celebrated, not silenced.
We’ll be watching this space closely for any official statements from Sleep Token management or DarkSigns Designs with further updates.
Source: Original Facebook post
