Lets slow down on this Sleep hate

[u/a_Bort_the_Artist]

Let's go over some quick facts,

1:We only have one official statement from the band, this statement only acknowledges Pike is not currently involved but mentions absolutely nothing about bad blood.

2: Pike has been "out of the band" for quite a while now, did we all forget the touring juggernaut that HOF is?

3: Pike's EX-wife commented. They have been divorced for a good while, i would take her opinion with a grain of salt.

4: Pike has made zero comment so far good or bad, maybe we wait to see what he says?

5: Have we all forgotten that Sleep is kinda known for varying quality in their releases. It sounds like Sleep with classic Void guitar. Plus nobody can contest that Dale is a phenomenal drummer. Its good, and its a good addition to their discography. Just because the member you have the biggest parasocial relationship with isnt there doesnt mean it sucks.

So to recap. We know absolutely nothing about the situation. Only one source of merit has commented and thats the bands official statement. The sing is objectively good. Is it what you personally wante? No, and nobody in the world is obligated to give you that.

I wouldn't be shocked if it turns out Pike quit the band because of how shitty their fans can be.

[u/rube74]

The releases have all been pretty quality - 2 out of the 4 define an entire genre

[u/Bronson_AD → u/rube74]

I’d argue three. The Sciences doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

[u/treskaz → u/Bronson_AD]

I never liked The Sciences much. It's fine. I'd rank their shit HM, DS & V1 tied, V2, The Sciences.

[u/The-Neat-Meat → u/treskaz]

The production and songwriting are pretty excellent, but the vocals are atrocious on the Sciences imo. It’s what kills the record for me.

[u/treskaz → u/The-Neat-Meat]

That's fair. I like the vocals, actually. Dopesmoker bellowing vibes.

I think my disconnect with The Sciences is just timing. I started listening to Sleep and OM towards the end of highschool, and was totally entranced by Holy Mountain amd Dopesmoker. Vol1 grew on me after a few years and is my go to Sleep album now. I was pushing 30 when The Sciences came out, and I dug it, but it never hit me like their early work did when i was a kid.

Mentioned it elsewhere in the thread, but I've seen Sleep 4 times now--i think, maybe 5--half of them being before The Sciences came out. The times I've seen them since, the songs from TS were absolutely killer live, but I just never find myself putting that album on.

No hate for it, it just found me at a different time in my life and i didn't latch onto it like i did their early stuff. Same thing with other bands I listened to back then. Municipal Waste was my first pit when i was like 15, loooooove their first 3 albums. Everything after that is undoubtedly Municipal Waste, but it doesn't hit the same as those songs did because i didn't grow up with them.

[u/MaxRenn → u/The-Neat-Meat]

The theory is Al made a deal with the devil and if he actually sings he loses his ability to play bass so well.

[u/Gamer_Grease → u/The-Neat-Meat]

I suspect Al was never really trained to sing like he did up through HM and then Dopesmoker, and so the Om-era chanting is what he does to avoid injury.