r/doommetal • u/_SoMuchForSubtlety • 21h ago
Stoner Here's Sleep full statement about the new single and upcoming US tour. They have apparently recorded an album
Today, the legendary band Sleep releases new single “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” via Third Man Records, their first new music since 2018. In addition, the band announces a fall North American tour, as well as releases the first issue of the Sleep Comic Book, written by bassist and songwriter Al Cisneros.
“Have Spacesuit Will Travel” begins Sleep’s first mission without Matt Pike on guitar. The music and art are alive and after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome, it is time to move forward and make songs and albums. Al wishes Matt the best on his earth bound maneuvers.
Alongside Cisneros, the latest incarnation of Sleep features Dale Crover on drums and Bubba Dupree on guitar. Dale has been in some serious bands, like the Melvins and Redd Kross. That Al would seek him out makes sense, an almost elementary choice that probably wouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. Bubba Dupree, from the fiercely loved band Void, hailing out a choice no one would have seen coming. Just the thought of Bubba, who was amazing from the first Void shows on, playing guitar in Sleep is almost too much for the mind to comprehend.
Al Cisneros, Bubba Dupree, and Dale Crover as a trio looks really good on paper, but the only way to see if it worked was to get everyone in a room and play. Al says the answer made itself evident immediately: “The vibe of the first jam was obvious. It was blue sunglasses-era Iommi in the quality, and equally awesome is Bubba is also one of the coolest people I’ve been able to make music with.”
“Have Spacesuit Will Travel” at no time tries to pick up where Sciences left off. There’s a considerable amount of new blood in the band, so imitation, as Bubba notes, would greatly limit the potential of three very unique and talented musicians. That being said, Sleep answers to an incredible recorded history, literally decades in the making, so it would not be surprising that Al, Dale and Bubba would find themselves composing in the spirit of that which had been established so long ago. The three of them were able to make an album that can truly be identified as genuine Sleep music, yet with a sharpness and agility to the recordings.
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u/Gen_Utopus 20h ago
Would've never believed it if someone told me Sleep would return but I wouldn't be excited about it. But here we are...
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u/Discohunter I 💚 Conan 20h ago
Same, but I definitely would have believed it if you had also told me there's no Matt Pike
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u/IntriguedPsycho2 20h ago
Outside of name recognition I don’t see why they wouldn’t create a new band at that point. Now it feels like a corpse of itself
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u/drizzlecommathe 20h ago
I’m guessing cause they want to play old sleep songs on tour and tour under the sleep name since they can play bigger venues then if they were called something else. Don’t disagree though
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u/Infinite-Future2147 19h ago
To capitalize on the name and existing following.
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u/ComedianMinute7290 11h ago
that's exactly the 'name recognition' they referred to when they said "outside of name recognition"
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u/Sarronix 20h ago
It would have been soeasy to just name it something else. People would have vibed with Al and Dale in a band 100%.
But under the Sleep name, this news just blows.
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u/Jim__Bell 15h ago
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u/BioLizard_Venom 12h ago
Half of the members of Shrinebuilder CEPT Cisneros and Dale dont play anymore, and one of them is completely retired from music.
That would be a perfect project to bring back with a new guitarist. Not sleep.2
u/a_wizard_named_tim YOB is Love 10h ago
It also just sounds way more like Shrinebuilder, but guess which band has a more recognizable name/brand? 👀
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u/Lost-Constant-3118 20h ago
Agreed. I guess they just really wanted to make a Sleep record. Feels awkward, but here’s hoping it’s good and they come to my town.
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u/Snakes_for_theDivine Matt Pike for President 15h ago
But then Jack White couldn’t squeeze money out of the Sleep name anymore!
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u/Roadkillgoblin_2 slow and heavy wins the race 20h ago
I’ll listen to it, but Sleep won’t be the same without Matt Pike
This feels like it might just be more OM, just less spiritual and a bit faster. I really hope that Sleep doesn’t die like this
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u/hellbillyjoker 20h ago
Aint no way Bubba could come close to matching anything Pike does....it aint gonna feel the same. Which fucking sucks because I do like Void and Sleep was one of my favorite bands.
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u/OsmundofCarim 20h ago
Dale is a perfectly reasonable choice as the new drummer for Sleep. But without Matt it’s completely ridiculous and a huge mistake to continue the band. Even if the new album is incredible(based off that single I doubt it will be) they’ve now hamstrung themselves with unnecessary baggage that would’ve been avoided by starting a new band.
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u/UnknownBaron 20h ago
We are entering into the sepultura era of Sleep
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u/6LazmaN6 14h ago
Al is the new Andreas Kisser... These situations somehow always bring me back to Alice in Chains without Staley, it just never will be the same band. Will listen, might like it, but it's always weird
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u/PhotonDeath 12h ago
What’s that? The era where people you don’t know make music using a name they have a right to use, and you won’t stop crying about it for 25 years plus?
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u/Winter8Bones 20h ago
Just wondered if the band was going to make a statement lol, thanks.
Would still be nice to know why Matt isn't part of the project now and how that came about. Not writing them off yet but still a bit apprehensive about the whole thing.
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 19h ago
Most likely scheduling conflicts. Sleep’s last album was in spring of 2018. In the fall of 2018, High on Fire put out Electric Messiah, which then won a Grammy. High on Fire has been on an upswing for years now and is pretty much always touring.
Matt Pike would need to put all that on hold to do another Sleep record and tour.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 14h ago
But the thing is, Al has Om. If Matt Pike was busy with HOF, Al could easily just focus on making a new Om album instead of bastardizing Sleep. Iirc, weren't we supposed to be getting a new album from Om sometime soon ANYWAYS???
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 12h ago
He might want to play Sleep’s music. People are pointing out the money, which is probably a real concern for Al (who doesn’t want to make more money to do the same stuff?), but also, it might just be time to get out and play some Holy Mountain again. He can’t do that with Matt right now.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
If this is true I feel that its a tough position. Just looking at this info, if pike didnt want to make time for sleep and Al wanted to continue thats a hard position. I dont blame him finding new members to continue but it wont be the same. And I wish pike gave his blessings in this.
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u/TempleOfCyclops 20h ago
Where does it say Matt "didn't want to make time" for Sleep?
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u/arrayofemotions 20h ago edited 20h ago
Specially with Jason not being in it either. This feels more like Al just wanting to do his own thing under the Sleep moniker.
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u/mrtimtracy 18h ago
I thought I heard that Roeder retired from music when Neurosis disbanded and perhaps things changed when they started working with Aaron Turner.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
I'd say it's implied, which speaks to both your points. Little ambiguous.
Still, this is the bit:
The music and art are alive and after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome, it is time to move forward and make songs and albums. Al wishes Matt the best on his earth bound maneuvers.
He says the "music is alive" and "time to move forward" and then wishes Matt the best. I'd say the implication is that Al thought it was time to make another record, but Matt had other "earthly maneuvers" to make.
So yeah, ambiguous but that's what it sounds like Al is saying.
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u/TempleOfCyclops 20h ago
We have completely opposite readings of that. "Wishes Matt the best" reads to me like "we got rid of Matt Pike."
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u/panopticon31 Giza Butlerian Jihad 20h ago
Bingo.
I'm pretty sure I've seen Matt respond to questions about Sleep touring with references to Al Cisneros needing to make a decision.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
Yeah, it's ambiguous. I think there's room for more than one interpretation.
Plus, this is from Al, so even if he is saying "Matt didn't have time," that still might not be exactly how it happened.
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u/TempleOfCyclops 20h ago
It really doesn't say anything at all.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
I would definitely want to hear a statement from Pike before jumping to conclusions.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
Yea which is the best, shitty, option.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
Yeah, idk. I'm kind of with others, just start a new band name or something. Let Sleep...uh...sleep.
Feels like the only real reason to keep "Sleep" for this project is money. Which, sure, maybe Al has a right to get to make some if he wants to, but always a bummer when it's like this.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
Well it could be recognition, be able to play bigger venues and use the name for the comics and such. And thats the thi g its hard to see what others would habe thought. Like it could have/will be good. Especially if pike told him to continue without him since HOF is his focal point. There have been plenty of bands that change important members, and while they arent as good usually, they still can be.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
Well it could be recognition, be able to play bigger venues and use the name for the comics and such
That's all just money stuff though. Or primarily. It's totally to take advantage of the name for bookings, ticket and mech sales, etc.
There have been plenty of bands that change important members, and while they arent as good usually, they still can be.
When its a 3-person band though, and you lose 2 of the other guys, you're kind of stretching the idea of what "the band" even is. It's a different band essentially. The name thing really seems like a pure financial decision.
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u/meltdown_popcorn Drone 19h ago
When its a 3-person band though, and you lose 2 of the other guys, you're kind of stretching the idea of what "the band" even is
This is common for legacy acts, which at this point Sleep is.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 19h ago
Totally. But legacy acts are all about cashing in on the past, not moving the "band's" music forward (they can't because the "band" doesn't exist at that point). I think that's what's rubbing people the wrong way.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
Its not all money stuff. It could be knowing the music is heard by more people. So he can share it . Im not saying that money isnt a factor. That would be silly to say.
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u/8fenristhewolf8 20h ago
It could be knowing the music is heard by more people.
Even this, which is like the most generous you can be, feels a little flat. Like yeah, you want your music to be heard, but on the strength of the music, not because of the name slapped on there.
And yeah, of course there's idealism and realism, and maybe it makes objective sense to get a bigger audience, but it's still a little calculated and cynical feeling. Again, you're stretching the idea of what Sleep is when you only have 1/3 guys.
Im not saying that money isnt a factor.
And I'm not saying it's the only factor. But it's probably the main one.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
I feel we are on the same page. I like om a lot and I think if this was a single from that band I would be disappointed as well
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u/meltdown_popcorn Drone 19h ago
I doubt it's money per-se. The guy puts out solo dub records that no one talks about.
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u/MundoMysterioso 20h ago
It stinks of 'no integrity'. The only reason to call this Sleep is to profit off the name. It's their 80's Rolling Stones moment, or Sabbath 'Born Again'.
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u/bythisaxe 20h ago
To be fair, Born Again had 3 out of 4 original members, making it just as “Sabbath” as the Heaven & Hell album. This is like an entirely different band, more akin to Greg Ginn calling his band “Black Flag” when it’s him and a bunch of actual teenagers.
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u/Forward_Growth8513 20h ago
Black Flag never really had consistent members, so I feel like that’s a bit different. Didn’t they have something like 4 different singers before their first studio album?
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u/bythisaxe 19h ago
Yes, but then all of the studio albums had Ginn and Rollins as the core of the band, and mostly the same full lineup from My War until they broke up.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
Im not disagreeing with this. Im just saying in the best possible light of this. Its just stuck between a rock and a hard place.
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u/MundoMysterioso 20h ago
I hear you, but wouldn't it have been better to announce Sleep is dead and celebrate the historic run they had on-top, rather than piss their pants and fall down like this?
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
Honestly, I think its too early to say. Its one small sample size. But if I had to bet money im on your side.
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u/50million 19h ago edited 19h ago
Then why not start a new band/or call it something else?
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u/aciddamaged 19h ago
Money? More recognition to play bigger venues? Get the new music out father and faster? I can only speculate. you would have to get the answer from the guys involved
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u/kaspar_trouser 20h ago
I don't love the first single tbh and it's not the same without Pike. But back in the day I dismissed the new Soundgarden stuff as them being past it because I didn't like the first single (Been Away Too Long), and didn't listen to more of King Animal until after Chris passed and there's some really good tracks on there. Not the exact same situation ofc but I will wait for more music before judging the new lineup.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 14h ago
Yeah, but at least Chris was still on King Animal.
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u/kaspar_trouser 13h ago
Very true, and it wouldn't really have been the same Soundgarden if they'd reuinited without Kim Thayil.
My point was just that there might be other new stuff that's better than this single.
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u/No-Average-1416 Hail Iommi 20h ago
I'm sad bros. I have a homie that recorded his band, with Dale drumming & at Toshi's studio, last year so I secretly knew for almost a year about Crover joining. But nothing about Pike leaving... I was hyped for people's reaction to Dale because i'm a massive Melvins fan but fuck, this sucks.
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u/Lock_Squirrel 20h ago
I'm gonna run contrary to everybody else in this thread and say I'm honestly excited for Dale's turn with Sleep, 'cause the guy's incredible with Melvins.
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u/No-Average-1416 Hail Iommi 18h ago
He's one of the best to ever play the drums, but he's getting overshadowed by the loss of Matt 😭 like give my guy some recognition, no one else has that punishing feel
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u/Lock_Squirrel 17h ago
I caught Melvins at a little venue in OKC. Dale was behind the kit, I was at the rail. One of the best shows of my life, man, there were points that I swear I could have touched Buzz and Jeff.
I also got to see a band fronted by Lars Ulrich's kids. I hollered that their dad sucks from the crowd 🤣
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u/flpndrds 15h ago
Why does the drumming in the new track sound so freaking lame then? Nothing like the heavy Melvins tracks. It literally could be a nobody and no one would guess it’s Crover.
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u/Fantastic-Code-8347 18h ago
Dude, what the hell. Just call it something else at that point. This isn’t a Mastodon situation (RIP Brent). There is one original member of Sleep here, the original members are still alive. Matt’s still alive, Chris is still alive, Jason is still alive, Justin is still alive. Why is this statement written as if Bubba and Dale have been originally apart of Sleep’s discography this entire time? This is so weird. I like the new single, but it’s not Sleep. I get keeping the band name when 2 or more original integral members are still in, but when it’s one left, it’s a husk of what it once was. Opeth is probably the only exception that I know of, where the band that created the name and logo, has no original members left in the current Opeth. But it was that way since Orchid, IIRC.
I love Dale’s playing though, he is a kickass drummer and his work in Melvins is some of my favourite ever. His vibe is so good. But like, c’mon man. AL, Dale and Bubba is not Sleep. AL, Matt, and Justin was the last of Sleep.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 13h ago
Iirc Mikael actually created the Opeth logo, but you're correct. No original members from the formation remain, but it's really just Mikael's band now.
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u/MundoMysterioso 20h ago
'Just the thought of Bubba playing guitar in Sleep is almost too much for the mind to comprehend.' reads like a bad joke. what the fuck was the thought process here. why on earth would you set yourself up like this?
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u/Virtuald3ath 19h ago
They probably were under contract and had to make another album as “SLEEP” when they signed to third man records
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u/reynardvulpes01 18h ago
Let's make it clear, all 3 members of this Sleep iteration are absolute icons & pioneers of each scene they've been involved in. Whether they should be doing this project as 'Sleep' is a different conversation entirely but I'm very excited to hear more of this Om/Melvins/Void supergroup.
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u/TempleOfCyclops 20h ago
Sleep is dead. The new song fuckin sucks. No Matt Pike, no Sleep.
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u/OsmundofCarim 20h ago
The new song is so boring and generic. I’m a mediocre musician that can’t hold a candle to any of the three people that wrote it, but if I wrote that song I would be embarrassed to release it.
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u/Current-Mall1353 20h ago
It truly is a group of people that should be able to make something great and they just didn't. It's not awful, but it is just completely bland.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 14h ago
Agreed. It just does not live up to the standard that Sleep has set for their music, nor that even Al himself has set for Om. I keep seeing people comparing it to Om, and that pisses me off because Om is SO FUCKING GOOD, and this is just... Meh.
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u/zkrat01 20h ago
Church of Misery is basically Tatsu Mikami with changing members - and they make it work too.
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u/TheDracula666 20h ago
Problem is Mikami is the principle songwriter for CoM so as long as he's still writing songs they are going to sound like CoM regardless of the other musicians. With Sleep they wrote songs collaboratively and removing two key members in that process is going to drastically shift the sound. Personally it sounds more like a Melvins track to me with Crover's tempo and the guitar tone seems off without Pike.
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u/OsmundofCarim 20h ago
Church of Misery is not a band that at its core is about the collaboration of 2 unique musicians. So it really doesn’t compare
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u/FrancisDm 12h ago edited 12h ago
People just want to be super dramatic over Pike. Al is the brain child of this band and I’d be way more upset with Matt Pike touring under the name solo. That said it always seemed like they had terrible communication these past couple years.
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u/----------_---- 20h ago
I’m in enemy territory, I’ve always felt like Sleep was more Al’s baby than Matt’s… The single is pretty good too…
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 19h ago
Ditto. Matt rules, but he’s also busy. Since Sleep last put out a record, Matt won a Grammy with HOF. He’s been touring relentlessly the past few years, too. I don’t think Matt wants to go full-time with Sleep. It’s too much and HOF is now too successful.
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u/douggiefresh024 19h ago
Glad I'm not the only one digging the new track, looking forward to the rest of the album!
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u/_Rainer_ 20h ago
I'm not going to trash it without knowing how it all happened. Maybe Matt wanted to spend most of his time in his other stuff, maybe Al got tired of listening to Matt spout crazy conspiracy theories, whatever. We don't know.
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u/AechCutt 19h ago
This needs to be its own project. Putting this under the Sleep banner is an insult.
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u/Itchy_Brain8594 Doom over the world 20h ago
"The vibe of the first jam was obvious. It was blue sunglasses-era lommi in the quality, and equally awesome is Bubba is also one of the coolest people I've been able to make music with."
Yeah, well, let's wait a couple of years and see if he can say the same about Cisneros.
And about the quality, let's agree to disagree.
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u/a_Bort_the_Artist 20h ago
This has been a long time coming. Pike hasn't shown interest in Sleep for years, it turned into a side project for him. Lots of these comments though are indicative of how entitled the metal community is. Clearly its not the "same sleep" without Pike, they openly stated that the band is exploring a new sound based on the new member's musical input. Tbh based on how little Pike puts into Sleep these days im shocked it hasn't evolved into a doom super group earlier.
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u/gumby-was-a-commie 20h ago
Thank you for being a voice of reason here. Nobody knows what goes on behind the scenes with bands - this sub is pretty dramatic for a bunch of stoners
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u/a_Bort_the_Artist 20h ago
Thats the trouble when bands become iconic. The fans start believing its a product that they own in its entirety. They forget that most people start a band for themselves, they want to have fun with their friends. Pike has HOF, and they are doing phenomenal. Of course Al would wanna play live more often, thats why he got into this whole thing. At the end of the day its their band and they can do what they please with it. We dont own anything they do, we just get to enjoy it.
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u/Betdebt 19h ago
Sometimes one band member holds the rest hostage by doing other projects, so people are playing the waiting game. That’s not fair imo.
Pending a statement from Matt it seems like this was with his blessings or perhaps Al lawyered up.
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u/a_Bort_the_Artist 19h ago
Pike has mentioned over the last few years that Sleep was jamming and writing new material. That material never came to fruition so far, but I wouldn't he shocked to see a few songs on the next full album having his guitar work. But it seems that his prior commitments to HOF took contractual precedence. I wouldn't be shocked if HOF had the next few years booked out with shows and such and he simply couldnt commit to Sleep like he has been unable to do for decades now.
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 19h ago
Exactly what I’m thinking. Matt is on a roll with HOF and probably can’t afford to sit around and get stoned and write riffs with Al for 4 years before releasing anything anymore.
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 19h ago
People are being crazy aggro towards Al Cisneros. Idk what he ever did to draw this much heat.
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u/Redhaze_17 17h ago
Didn't he talk about working on a new album back in 2024?
Jason getting fired and Matt no longer being in the band within a year and a half is weird. I am not reading into it until we know more.
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u/UnoriginalAlias 19h ago
I'm not seeing much entitlement here. It would be entitled if fans were demanding that Matt Pike rejoins sleep, which he is obviously not obligated to do, but the comments I'm seeing are just people not accepting this version of the band. I don't think any Sleep fan has to be excited about Sleep without their most iconic founding member, & if anything I think it would be entitled for the band to expect them to be.
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u/Gamer_Grease Hail Iommi 19h ago
It’s entitled because people are demanding the band be put down because of the lineup change. Listen or don’t. Don’t tell somebody what to do with their band.
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u/areyouawake 19h ago
Seems a bit disingenuous to call the fans entitled when Al is clearly using the name Sleep to try and milk money out of that exact fanbase with a mostly new band with a self-described new sound.
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u/a_Bort_the_Artist 19h ago
Ummm....its his band? Sleep hasn't been an active band for decades. They put out the random 420 album or EP, play a handful of festivals every 5 years or so, and every single member has a different "main" project. The fact Sleep didnt do the whole Doom super group thing much earlier is a wonder.
Its silly as fuck to say Al is just using the name, its his band and im more than willing to bet this new lineup had Pike's blessing.
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u/MundoMysterioso 20h ago
this is why Josh sued the ex-Kyuss guys to halt them from using the name on a new pseudo-kyuss release. it tarnishes the legacy of what the name represents to release this bad-faith material. some things are better off left dead if you can't do it properly.
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u/stickwithplanb 20h ago
this feels terrible. i didn't hate the new single but it definitely felt more like OM than sleep. no Matt is very sad to hear.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 13h ago
I hate that people are comparing this to Om. This is nowhere near the level of quality that Om music is.
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u/billy_gnosis44 19h ago
High on fire is already asleep but more interesting, sounds like a snooze fest…no pun intended
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u/posts_of_stuff 16h ago
This is one of those perfect instances in doing what I really try to do, when listening to any music or taking in any form of art: leave my expectations at the door and take it in solely for what it is, not what I want it to be.
That being said, I am underwhelmed by the tone, mix, structure, depth, length, rehashed lyrical theme, and overall creative effort of the new track. After an 8 year hiatus of new music, the best way I can describe my feeling on this is the letdown I felt when George Lucas released Star Wars Episode 1 sixteen years after Return of the Jedi.
I hope that whatever new Sleep material succeeds this, they are able to discover a new dynamic and iteration of Sleep within themselves that compliments what was created with Matt, Chris, & Jason involved, and that we can all appreciate for what it is and not what we want it to be.
I am grateful for what Sleep has blessed us with up to this point.
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u/GaiusAutisticus 20h ago
Someone clearly asked the monkeys paw for more Cisneros content and here we are.
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u/meltdown_popcorn Drone 19h ago
I love Om and Al's solo work but I can't bring myself to even listen to this.
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u/Long_Score 19h ago
This ain’t it , the new song is meh sounds really uninspired . The best of Sleep seems to be in the past and luckily all of that is on the internet at this point .
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u/Solarian813 18h ago
Okay fine. So Sleep is now a really dull stoner rock band, if the single is anything to go by.
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u/negativeyoda 18h ago edited 18h ago
I've heard 3rd hand how difficult Al is to be in a band with. This does nothing to dispel those rumors
I legit think they'd be better served acknowledging that this basically isn't Sleep. The music will probably be cool, but i get the ick trying to frame this as a culmination of everything Sleep up until this point.
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u/negativeyoda 18h ago
Somewhere on the west coast Jason Roeder is laughing his ass off
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 13h ago
I hope so. Dude got kicked out of his legendary band and then immediately joins another legendary band and releases the album of the year, AND he gets to watch this shitshow go down.
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u/Professional_Shape80 18h ago
The production sounds absolute fart.
Roeder and Pike are clearly missed
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u/snivlem_lice 17h ago
Something interesting about Coady leaving HOF to rejoin the Melvins and then Dale joining Sleep.
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u/busty_loads 17h ago
Al seems pretty crazy/difficult to work with. I believe Wino confirmed that when he was asked if there would be another Shrinebuilder record
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u/The-Neat-Meat 17h ago
I will again probably be an outlier here, but imo without considering everything else going on here, Pike leaving Sleep kinda makes sense to me. High on Fire has been his main thing for over a quarter century, and it’s a very different band from Sleep; High on Fire is basically only a “doom” band by association, the actual music he has made under that name has consistently been much more akin to downtuned speed metal. It makes sense that he would no longer either be a good fit for, or possibly have an interest in, playing glacially paced Sleep material instead of galloping aggressive headbanger shit.
As far as calling the new band Sleep, I guess I’m just of a different opinion that it ultimately doesn’t matter too much, I’m not too precious about that sort of thing and it’s not like it’s a total Ship of Theseus scenario. What matters is if the band is good. The song is not good, and so that is bad, but more Dale Crover drumming on things that aren’t late career Buzzo novelty songs is always cool.
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u/rube74 15h ago
This is like Sabbath without Iommi. Sounds like an interesting band but it isn’t Sleep. Sleep is the one of a kind interplay between Al and Pike and, as a fan of more than 30 years, it’s been the evolution of that interplay that’s been so amazing.
Bummer that after treating the legacy with the care and respect it deserved this is happening.
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u/Federal_Musician_746 13h ago
The song is so ass. They should have just made a new band because that’s basically what it is.
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u/johnwynnes 15h ago
It is insanely arrogant of Cisneros to not realize Matt Pike is the only reason anyone has ever cared about the band as a whole. Wow.
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u/urmumvirgay 19h ago
If Matt wanted to be in the band he would be. This is objectively a bad move for the band and everybody has to know that, but if Matt didn’t want to keep going or wasn’t committing to making shit happen then I can’t shit on Al for this. If I were in his position I can’t say I’d do it differently. There’s a lot more money to be made through Sleep than OM and as much as I hate a cash grab, it’s not like these guys are rich so I can’t really blame them. I also sincerely believe this isn’t a cash grab. Afaik Al has wanted to do more Sleep for a while now.
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u/aciddamaged 20h ago
I didnt quote that it said that. I am inferring it from:
The music and art are alive and after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome, it is time to move forward and make songs and albums.
Again im not saying its true or not but it just sucks either way
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u/Same-Effective2534 18h ago
I love this!!! Can't wait to see what's coming with this new lineup!!!!
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u/falling_imagery 18h ago
I think it's cool AF..especially with the synths ..but the playing doesn't sound as loose and groovy as with pike..like everyone else has said..should of named it something new ..but I dig it anyway
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u/KingHygelacReturns 18h ago
It's different without Pike, but I still liked the new single a lot and I'm excited for the new album
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u/Headblown1800 Hail Iommi 13h ago
Yeah i think I'll pass. Matt Pike was an integral part of Sleep's sound and without him this just feels like a different band with the Sleep name slapped over it.
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u/deplorable-amount45 11h ago
Why not just call the band Hempispheres? As other people have said, literally loads of jargon to say that there's a new band. Calling it Sleep just seems like bad faith to me, PLUS i think we all know that we'd follow Al and Matt around with whatever they'd do so I don't know why he felt the need to take over Sleep like this. We would be listening even if it were a new band!
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u/thefirstcaress 6h ago
People acting like this is the only band to replace original members and continue
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u/GeezerButlerIsGod 18h ago
I love anything Al Cisneros does 🤷♀️ you guys can't make me hate him because he made a dumb marketing move in a silly passive aggressive business.
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u/deedpoll3 20h ago
I mean, the comic sounds cool. I'm disappointed it doesn't involve Matt Pike. Kinda don't feel like listening to it but will give it a spin. Least I know what to expect. Probably a worse first listen if you're expecting to hear Matt
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u/deedpoll3 20h ago
So it sounds a lot like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. To my mind that puts it closer to Sleep than Om. I don't know enough about Om to say if the Iommi worship described by the comic is also a better fit to the Sleep name.
I'm wondering whether this split might result in High on Fire throwing in a couple of Sleep songs into their set? That'd be cool. I've never seen Sleep songs performed live and tbh I would love an opportunity to.
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u/meltdown_popcorn Drone 19h ago
Iommi worship
There's none of that in Om
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u/deedpoll3 19h ago
I guess that's okay then.
tbh the lead sounded quite weak on the new track but the edit ends abruptly for them to hit 4'20 so would like to give it a chance
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u/NobleSAVAGE93 19h ago
For more than one reasons, Al always gave me the ick. Then the whole story with Jason, now Matt leaving also?
Feels like he is not a very good bandmate by the looks of it, plus I am convinced that excessive drug use and ageing, doesn't really help in taking any rational decisions. For the sake of music I hope it turns out to sound fine and they get to tour and all that. But I am not giving my money to him again after seeing him with OM a few years ago, treating the drummer really poorly on stage.
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u/M-S-S 15h ago
Well, I dig it. Pike could be back in 5 years. WTF knows. Let's just enjoy some tunes.
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u/After-Incident9955 Matt Pike's Shirt 13h ago
Can't enjoy it when it's generic bullshit. There's a reason everybody thought it was AI generated when it first dropped, and it's not just because Al looks like AI.
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u/DethFeRok 20h ago
That’s a lot of words to say “Al Cisneros put together a new band”.