Summer is winding down and with one last surprise before the Fall kicks in, stoner metal legends Sleep have returned with a sort of surprise release. Hempispheres out now via Third Man Records is the 5th album from the band and is a bit of a departure from their usual output. This is the first release to not feature guitarist Matt Pike since the band’s inception. Leaving many fans wondering about the future of the Sleeps sound without such a longtime member.
In terms of composition Hempispheres picks up where Sleep’s previous album The Sciences left off. Tracks feel less individual and more an amalgamation of a larger sonic theme. While this does make the album feel like a much more cohesive listen, it does also at times make it feel harder to discern standout tracks. “Have Spacesuit will travel” opens the album with a slow chugging feeling that builds up with Al Cisneros bass and Dale Crover drumming until they take a short break just to kick back in with Bubba Dupree tearing in with guitar. And this honestly feels like the tone for the whole album, mid tempo songs with solid bass and guitar work followed up by
Tonally, this album does feel a bit lesser than previous releases. While Dupree has no shortage of powerful riffs, the overall tone feels less impactful when the guitar kicks in on this album. Another notable aspect in terms of performance comes from Cineros’s vocal delivery. I honestly ride the fence a bit in terms of my judgement with this. At times his monotone delivery can be unusual and somewhat unique in a way that draws me in with intrigue. However on this album I found that his vocals were arguably so heavy over the mix it somewhat could detract from the background instrumentation. Dale Crover’s drumming honestly helps to be the glue that can keep parts of this album together. While Crover is obviously no stranger to playing slower and sludgier music (as evident by his work in The Melvins), his work is phenomenal on this album. While there are moments I can feel both Cineros and Dupree falling slightly short, the same cannot be said for Crover. His work is precise, heavy, and masterful in a way that keeps me engaged and even energized at times.
Honestly the main critique I have with this release is that I feel this release is just alright. Which is not what I want to be saying about a band with the caliber of Sleep. While there are plenty of times where I can find myself enjoying parts of this album. I also feel like part of this album feels predictable, and while in stoner metal that’s par for the course at times. This time around I just feel that songs start and end without much to discern themselves from other bands around.
But for all those who may have had fear don’t worry. Despite the lineup changes Hempispheres still has a decent assortment of stoner metal, fuzz ridden, Iommi-esque riffs. It’s just a bit different from what you may have expected from a typical Sleep release.
