Towards the weed fields tonight we show the world
July 28, 2014 7:16 PM Subscribe
Last week, American doom/stoner metal band Sleep released a single entitled 'The Clarity', their first new recording in over sixteen years, via the 2014 Adult Swim Singles series.
Tensions following the delayed release of Jerusalem/Dopesmoker (a 63 minute song that's seen no fewer than three different versions released) ultimately splintered the band into two entities, guitarist Matt Pike's more thrash-oriented High on Fire and the hypnotic mystical drone of bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros' and drummer Chris Hakius' (who was replaced in 2008 by Emil Amos) OM.
Since 2009, Sleep have been playing live again, first with original drummer Hakius and since 2010 with Jason Roeder from fellow Bay Area noisemakers Neurosis. Here's their set from Hellfest 2013 in France (prev), where they played at approximately the same time as Whitesnake, albeit on a different stage.
Rumors began to surface early this year that Sleep were recording new material, which brings us to Sleep spending nearly ten minutes strangling a heavy as hell sound from their cleanest production to date with 'The Clarity', available as a free download (song #7 on the page).
Bonus: 2008 documentary on the evolution of psychedelic metal: Such Hawks Such Hounds (here's the segment devoted to Sleep and Dopesmoker)
Tensions following the delayed release of Jerusalem/Dopesmoker (a 63 minute song that's seen no fewer than three different versions released) ultimately splintered the band into two entities, guitarist Matt Pike's more thrash-oriented High on Fire and the hypnotic mystical drone of bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros' and drummer Chris Hakius' (who was replaced in 2008 by Emil Amos) OM.
Since 2009, Sleep have been playing live again, first with original drummer Hakius and since 2010 with Jason Roeder from fellow Bay Area noisemakers Neurosis. Here's their set from Hellfest 2013 in France (prev), where they played at approximately the same time as Whitesnake, albeit on a different stage.
Rumors began to surface early this year that Sleep were recording new material, which brings us to Sleep spending nearly ten minutes strangling a heavy as hell sound from their cleanest production to date with 'The Clarity', available as a free download (song #7 on the page).
Bonus: 2008 documentary on the evolution of psychedelic metal: Such Hawks Such Hounds (here's the segment devoted to Sleep and Dopesmoker)
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble
Thank you for this. I always assumed more posing and posturing out of this band and never really gave them a listen. This is kind of right up my alley.
"The Clarity" is a lyrical follow-up to a lifetime of marijuana enjoyment.
Heh.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:25 PM on July 28, 2014
"The Clarity" is a lyrical follow-up to a lifetime of marijuana enjoyment.
Heh.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:25 PM on July 28, 2014
I never got into these guys back in the 90s; was always more of a Kyuss kid. However! This track rules mightily (having Roeder in there is damn awesome), and I'm really digging Holy Mountain now.
posted by Existential Dread at 7:30 PM on July 28, 2014
posted by Existential Dread at 7:30 PM on July 28, 2014
And a new Electric Wizard album this year too!
posted by Bookhouse at 7:50 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Bookhouse at 7:50 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]
Thank you! I only discovered Sleep last year thanks to ask mefi.
posted by fings at 9:01 PM on July 28, 2014
posted by fings at 9:01 PM on July 28, 2014
Thank you! Excellent post.
posted by basicchannel at 9:15 PM on July 28, 2014
posted by basicchannel at 9:15 PM on July 28, 2014
The remaster of Dopesmoker is killer, btw.
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 4:40 AM on July 29, 2014
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 4:40 AM on July 29, 2014
This is eerie timing. I listened to Dopesmoker for the first time in years as I was unpacking, moving back into my now-fixed house.
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:24 AM on July 29, 2014
posted by Dark Messiah at 10:24 AM on July 29, 2014
That documentary is pretty great, too, thanks for adding including it in the FPP. Covers a great cross-section of bands in the doom/stoner/sludge/desert/psych-metal/heavy rock domain.
posted by Doleful Creature at 12:21 PM on July 31, 2014
posted by Doleful Creature at 12:21 PM on July 31, 2014
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posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:20 PM on July 28, 2014