Chris Michaels, a North Carolina meteorologist known for quietly slipping metal references into his forecasts, appears to have upped the ante.

In a new video posted to Instagram, Michaels stands in front of a weather screen displaying the Sleep Token logo. The clip ends with one word: “PREPARE,” alongside the date March 29.

Sleep Token fans are used to cryptic rollouts—but a weather report probably wasn’t on the bingo card.

Chris Michaels, a North Carolina meteorologist known for quietly slipping metal references into his forecasts, appears to have upped the ante.

In a new video posted to Instagram, Michaels stands in front of a weather screen displaying the Sleep Token logo. The clip ends with one word: “PREPARE,” alongside the date March 29.

A post shared by Chris Michaels (@wral_michaels)

It’s not the most conventional marketing move, but this is the Sleep Token we’re talking about. And while Saturday seems like an odd choice for a single release, fans have already connected the dots to the upcoming Emergence 7-inch vinyl. It ships March 31 and includes a mystery track alongside the title song—likely whatever this “PREPARE” teaser is pointing to.

While there has been no official confirmation from the band yet, the writing is very much on the wall. Sleep Token have always favoured slow-burning teases and layered rollouts, blurring the line between theatre and marketing.

Michaels, for his part, has a history of dropping metal lyric during broadcasts. Usually it’s just song lyrics or quick nods, but aligning a full-blown teaser with a band’s release schedule is next level—even if it’s unofficial. So whether this was sanctioned or just a superfan getting creative, it’s certainly working for my boggled mind and I.

Sleep Token’s next record, Even In Arcadia, drops May 9. The tour behind it is already completely sold out, with no extra dates announced yet. Between the sold-out shows, tight pre-order windows, and now rogue meteorologists, the band’s mystique-first approach continues to hold.

There’s every chance this is just an elaborate fan stunt—or it’s part of something much bigger. Either way, if March 29 brings a new single, don’t say your local weather man didn’t warn you.