Metal Anarchy

Sleep have parted ways with guitarist Matt Pike. Bubba Dupree (Void) will now be taking his place. Dale Crover (Melvins) has also been recruited as a replacement for former drummer Jason Roeder.

The following was said about Pike’s departure:

“The music and art are alive and after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome, it is time to move forward and make songs and albums. Al [Cisneros] wishes Matt the best on his earth bound maneuvers.”

Cisneros also commented on the new lineup:

“The vibe of the first jam was obvious. It was blue sunglasses-era Iommi in the quality, and equally awesome is Bubba is also one of the coolest people I’ve been able to make music with.”

With this news, the group have also released a new song titled “Have Spacesuit Will Travel.” You can find that below. The following was said about the single:

”’Have Spacesuit Will Travel‘ at no time tries to pick up where ‘The Sciences‘ left off. There’s a considerable amount of new blood in the band, so imitation, as Bubba notes, would greatly limit the potential of three very unique and talented musicians. That being said, Sleep answers to an incredible recorded history, literally decades in the making, so it would not be surprising that Al, Dale and Bubba would find themselves composing in the spirit of that which had been established so long ago. The three of them were able to make an album that can truly be identified as genuine Sleep music, yet with a sharpness and agility to the recordings.”

Furthermore, pre-orders have also been launched for the first issue of Sleep’s new comic book series. The following was said about that:

“Third Man Books is excited to present the authorial debut of Al Cisneros, founder, bass player, and lyricist for the landmark band Sleep. Cisneros has taken up his pen, mightier that even a +1 magic sword. Here begins the saga of The Marijuanaut. An adventure which takes the reader to Planet Iommia, encounters with The Weedian, and introduces the traveller to Iommia’s deeper reverential practices, and more that resonates within the universe that Cisneros’s lyrics created from the riff filled lands of Sleep’s discography. Illustrated by artists Dave Kloc and Arik Roper, the comic is 24 pages of original black and white interior art plus a full color cover jacket, all in the spirit of the mighty Conan, Star Wars, and KISS comics of the ‘70s.

The new comic will be available for pre-order as a stand-alone standard edition, and also a signed, special edition bundle. Third Man Records is psyched to announce the first single, “Have Spacesuit Will Travel,” featuring new members Dale Crover (d) and Bubba Dupree (g), will be an exclusive flexidisc included in the special edition bundle. The bundle features comic, along with full cover poster, designed rolling papers, and signed bookplate. Pre-Order now this one-of-a-kind comic, that not only debut’s Cisneros’s writing, but also the next (r)evolution of Sleep. In the year 2420 a routine supply mission departs Earth. The Rosinante’s hull at capacity with highest grade heavy dry weight . . .”

As if that wasn’t enough, a new North American tour has also been announced. Here’s the dates:

09/08 San Diego, CA – The Observatory North Park
09/09 Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren
09/10 Albuquerque, NM – Revel
09/12 Dallas, TX – Granada Theater
09/13 Austin, TX – Levitation
09/14 Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
09/16 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
09/17 Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand At The Complex
09/18 Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
09/20 Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
09/21 Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
09/22 Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
09/23 Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
09/25 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
09/26 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
09/27 Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
09/28 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
09/29 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
11/04 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
11/05 Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater
11/06 Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
11/07 Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
11/09 Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/10 Montreal, QC – Club Soda
11/11 South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom
11/12 Boston, MA – Roadrunner
11/13 Hudson, NY – Basilica Hudson
11/15 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
11/16 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
11/17 Washington, DC – Lincoln Theatre