siLLy puPPy ASBESTOSDEATH was the precursor to the 90s most revered stoner metal bands called Sleep. Formed in 1990 in San Jose, CA by the three members Al Cisneros (bass), Chris Hakius (drums) and Tom Choi (guitars) and then added Matt Pike as the second guitarist. Choi soon departed to started the bands Operator Generator, It Is I and Noothgrush and was replaced by Justin Marler who join just in time for the band to change their name to the much better known Sleep.

As ASBESTOSDEATH, only two EPs were released in 1990 with DEJECTION coming out first followed by “Unclean.” Each only had two tracks released as vinyl 7” recordings and why the band didn’t just release a single EP with all four tracks is beyond me. Maybe that was the beginning of the stoner moments that led them to create the world’s favorite stoner metal band!

DEJECTION featured the tracks “Anguish” and “The Suffering” which both would be reworked and re-recorded for Sleep’s debut album “Volume One” which appeared the next year in 1991. The two tracks are noticeably more in the sludge metal camp on this EP as opposed to the doom metal on “Volume One” although the crossover approach is apparent on both versions. Both these EPs can be found together as the combo CD “Dejection / Unclean” released in 2007.

The style on this release showcases a heavy sludge metal style with choppy rhythms and angry vocal rage. The compositions are much more complex than the fuzz droning effects of later Sleep albums and heavier than the somewhat toned down versions on “Volume One.” These two tracks are great if not downright classics that were well worth sprucing up for Sleep’s excellent debut release.