For Bandcamp Friday just passed (December 3rd, 2021) Sleep released their unedited version of their classic album Dopesmoker, originally released on 4/20 in 2013 via Southern Lord. The album is available now streaming from Bandcamp and CD.  It also includes live versions of “Holy Mountain and “Sonic Titan!” Purchase and stream the album as the band re-envisioned it, and read the fascinating backstory below. 

 

In 2011, Southern Lord was contacted by Sleeps’ Al Cisneros about the possibility of releasing a deluxe version of the classic Sleep recording: Dopesmoker. Cisneros wanted to breathe some new life into the old beast and finally have the original vision of the album fully realized. Southern Lord was overwhelmingly ecstatic about the challenge of taking the reigns of one of the most important recordings in the history of Heavy Metal! The Lord version features brand new artwork by long time Sleep artist, Arik Roper, who created something specifically special for the albums’ rebirth. The biggest difference between this new version and the old releases is the phenomenal remastering job by Brad Boatright . His vision was to enhance the original recording without changing it drastically. What he has done makes this epic opus sound invigorated, more powerful with renewed clarity and all-around unbelievably mammoth. His work was enthusiastically approved by the band and considering how focused, vigilant and protective of their masterpiece the band is, that is nothing short of a miracle! Also exclusive to the reborn version of Dopesmoker, is a unreleased live track of one of the best songs the band ever did, Holy Mountain.

 

 

Check out our recent interview with Matt Pike:

 

Track listing:

A Dopesmoker (Part I & II)

B1 Dopesmoker (Part III)

B2 Holy Mountain (Live May 1994, I-Beam, San Francisco, CA)

B3 Sonic Titan (Live April 1992, Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA)

 

 1.

Dopesmoker 01:03:34

 

**THIS IS THE UNEDITED VERSION OF DOPESMOKER

(as appears on the compact disc and digital version)

 

 

 

Bass, Vocals – Al Cisneros

Drums – Chris Hakius

Engineer, Producer – Billy Anderson

Guitar – Matt Pike

Remastered By – Brad Boatright

Written-By, Producer – Sleep