SLEEP — Dopesmoker (review)

SLEEP — Dopesmoker album cover Album · 2003 · Stoner Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
2/5 ·
The Angry Scotsman
Sleep must have been smoking the wildest stuff on Earth when they made this one!

This album consists of one, 63 minute song which is entirely droning riffs and barely changes at all throughout. It should be no surprise that the record execs were horrified. So much so that Sleep was refused to release it back 1995. They trimmed it down 11 minutes and broke it up into 6 sections, but the label still refused. Sleep decided to break up instead of compromising their vision. That version would later be released as "Jerusalem". However, almost a decade after it was recorded, it was finally released in all its uncut glory. The stoner metal epic: Dopesmoker.

With this release there was also a live version of their song "Sonic Titan" which drudges along in a sludgy, bluesy manner complete with strained vocals and epic guitar solo. But this album is all about the title track.

As I mentioned before, this is a 63 minute song. Anyone looking for a prog metal epic, please go away. The droning riff kicks in from the start, and does not let up. Some drums come in and eventually the vocals, delivered in a droning strained style. The song dirges on like this for over an hour, with vocals sporadically layered on and the only variation being the occasional guitar solo. Challenging is an understatement.

I have no problem with long songs, even in metal. I'm talking in upwards of 40 minutes here! However, the song needs to do something. I am not sure how it is humanly possible to keep attention for the duration of this album. One hour of constant drone bludgeoning. No variation. I simply can't listen to this album, and when I tried to do so as a challenge...it was just that. Not a particularly interesting or enjoyable one either.

Maybe this album is not really intended to be "listened" to, but left playing through a speaker, filling the room. Perhaps Dopesmoker is best left as background music for doing just that.

Regardless, this is an album only fans will want.

Two Stars
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