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Sleep (band)

From Alfawiki
Sleep
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1990 in San Jose, California, United States
FounderAl Cisneros, Chris Hakius, Tom Choi
Headquarters
San Jose
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, EPs

Sleep is a stoner and doom metal group hailing from San Jose, California, United States. The band’s lineup has consistently featured guitarist Matt Pike alongside bassist and vocalist Al Cisneros. Music critic Eduardo Rivadavia has described them as "arguably the definitive stoner rock ensemble," highlighting their significant impact on metal throughout the 1990s.

Their first full-length, Volume One, came out in 1991, shortly before original member Justin Marler departed. Sleep achieved wider acclaim with their 1992 release, Sleep's Holy Mountain. Disputes with their record company played a role in their dissolution by the late 1990s. Their third album, Dopesmoker, was issued after the band had split; both Holy Mountain and Dopesmoker have since been hailed as seminal works within doom and stoner metal circles.

Reuniting in 2009, Sleep resumed performing occasional live shows internationally, featuring Jason Roeder of Neurosis as drummer in place of original member Chris Hakius. In 2018, they unexpectedly released their comeback album, The Sciences, through Third Man Records, garnering widespread critical praise.

Formation and early phase

Sleep emerged in the early 1990s from the dissolution of the band Asbestosdeath, which was formed by vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros, drummer Chris Hakius, and guitarist Tom Choi. The lineup expanded with the addition of guitarist Matt Pike, releasing two singles: "Dejection" under Profane Existence and a self-issued track titled "Unclean". After Choi’s exit and replacement by Justin Marler, the group adopted the name Sleep.

Recording period

Their initial album, Volume One (1991), marked their entry into the growing doom metal scene. Shortly after its release, Marler left to pursue life as an Eastern Orthodox monk, leaving Sleep as a trio for the Volume Two EP, which came out in 1991 via Off the Disk Records.

The band's subsequent album was recorded at Razors Edge studios with engineer Billy Anderson, drawing heavily from 1970s rock pioneers such as Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer. This material was picked up by independent label Earache and released as Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992), now widely recognized as a foundational stoner metal record. Following this achievement, Sleep signed with London Records. They also contributed a rendition of "Snowblind" to Earache’s Black Sabbath tribute compilation.

In 1995, Sleep began producing Dopesmoker under London Records—a continuous track exceeding an hour in length. The label deemed it commercially impractical and requested a remix along with segmentation by David Sardy. The band refused to alter their work, resulting in a deadlock that ultimately led to their breakup.

After disbandment

In 1998, Sleep issued Jerusalem as an "official bootleg," with formal releases following in 1999 through The Music Cartel in the US and Rise Above Records in Europe.

The original version of Dopesmoker was officially released in 2003 by Tee Pee Records, regarded by many as the definitive edition. Selections from this album were featured on Jim Jarmusch’s soundtrack for Broken Flowers.

Following Sleep’s split, Cisneros and Hakius formed the doom metal project Om, while Pike went on to establish sludge metal band High on Fire.

In 2007, Southern Lord Records compiled Asbestosdeath’s two pre-Sleep singles into a CD release.

Reunion and The Sciences

In May 2009, Sleep reunited for two performances at the All Tomorrow's Parties event in the UK, where they premiered "Antarcticans Thawed," an unreleased track originating from the Dopesmoker era.

Soon after, original drummer Chris Hakius stepped away from the band to prioritize family commitments and was succeeded by Jason Roeder of the experimental metal group Neurosis. This lineup appeared at ATP New York 2010, delivering a full rendition of Holy Mountain, followed by a US tour through September that included headline shows and festival appearances.

Beginning in 2010, Sleep made occasional appearances at festivals and tours as their availability permitted. By late 2012, just before Maryland Deathfest, the band announced a complete reunion. In 2014, Al Cisneros confirmed that new material was underway, culminating in the release of the single "The Clarity" through Adult Swim Singles.

In November 2017, Sleep hinted via Morse code that recording for a new album was nearing completion. On April 19, 2018, they revealed The Sciences, their first studio album in nearly twenty years, which was released the following day on Third Man Records. This unexpected launch coincided with Record Store Day, featuring a limited-edition split-colored vinyl with alternative cover art available exclusively at select US retailers. The album garnered widespread acclaim; critics from Pitchfork commended it for expanding Sleep's distinctive sound, while Spin recognized it as a landmark achievement within stoner metal.

On May 23, 2018, Sleep issued "Leagues Beneath" through Adult Swim Singles in partnership with Third Man Records.

The band declared an indefinite hiatus on November 11, 2019. Nevertheless, on October 26, 2021, Sleep announced intentions to resume live shows in April 2022.

In January 2025, drummer Jason Roeder revealed via Instagram that he had been dismissed by the band's manager in November 2024 without prior communication with other members.

Style and influences

Sleep's musical identity is rooted in stoner rock, characterized by slow tempos and heavily down-tuned bass and guitar riffs employing repetitive patterns that induce a "hypnotic state," complemented by Al Cisneros' vocal delivery.

Since their sophomore album, the band has embraced cannabis-themed imagery often conveyed through a "quasi-religious" lens. During the creation of Dopesmoker, Matt Pike highlighted the substantial investment—approximately $75,000—in cannabis and custom amplifiers to craft multi-layered tonal textures. The songwriting process extended over nearly four years. Cisneros underscored cannabis as vital to their creative efforts, describing it as an essential component in the song’s genesis.

The album The Sciences pays homage to Black Sabbath, a fundamental influence on Sleep’s sound. Tony Iommi is referenced in the track "Marijuanaut's Theme," while "Giza Butler" alludes both to the Egyptian city of Giza and Black Sabbath’s bassist Geezer Butler. Additionally, this song incorporates elements inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune, including references such as "bong jabbar" and "Muad'Doob."

Members

Current lineup

  • Al Cisneros – bass guitar, vocals, waterpipe (1990–1998, 2009–2019, 2021–present)
  • Matt Pike – guitar, occasional vocals (1990–1998, 2009–2019, 2021–present)

Former members

Timeline

Albums

Note: The album Dopesmoker (2003) was originally issued under the title Jerusalem in 1999 by The Music Cartel without the band's consent; the group has since disavowed both the release and its quality.

EPs

  • Volume Two (1992) Off the Disk Records
  • Iommic Life (2021) Third Man Records

Non-album tracks

  • "Snowblind" (a cover of Black Sabbath) featured on Masters of Misery (1992) Earache Records
  • A shortened rendition of "Dopesmoker" included in Music from Broken Flowers (2005) Decca Records
  • "The Clarity" released via Adult Swim Singles Program 2014 (2014) Williams Street Records
  • "Leagues Beneath" featured on Adult Swim Singles Program 2017 (2018) Williams Street Records/Third Man Records

Music videos

  • Dragonaut (1993) Earache Records

Bibliography

External links

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