SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SLEEP – HEMPISPHERES

SLEEP
HEMPISPHERES
THIRD MAN RECORDS

Sleep is often referred to as the “ultimate” stoner metal band. With doomy and psychedelic vibes, the giant of a band was formed in 1990 and began putting out records in 1991. In June of this year, the band teased a new release with a single, and the first-ever Sleep Comic Book. Now, in September, Sleep has officially returned to release Hempispheres, a five-track record starring an all-new guitarist, Bubba Dupree, and drummer, Dale Crover.

Hempispheres is a great album for those that enjoy doomier and heavier riffs in a more classic sense. “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” is a song that uses unique elements to create a psychedelic melody. It does get a bit repetitive throughout the duration of the nearly seven-and-a-half-minute song, however, it doesn’t take too much away from the experience. Al Cisneros’ vocals aren’t overpowering and are few and far between, making it come across a lot more effectively when he does sing. The title track of this album, “Hempispheres”, showcases Crover’s drum skills, which is the highlight of the song. The drums carry the song, however, as this song feels very generic and uninteresting for the majority of the runtime.

Overall, it seems that while Sleep may be a legendary name in the stoner metal scene, this album lacks general creativity and uniqueness. Many of the songs drone on with the same riff over and over, which would be fine if they just had a bit more to them. The riffs often lack the depth or nuance in order to carry the songs, especially with how long the songs are. That being said, there is something to be said about the classic metal sound. The use of the moog synthesizer along with the typical instruments is reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album, and there was definitely an effort made to bring back that type of sound. However, it wasn’t wholly successful. In the end, hardcore Sleep and stoner metal fans may enjoy this, but for most, this may not be a memorable or go-to metal album.

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