Sleep

Sleep was a stoner doom metal band from San Jose, California. Active during the 1990s, Sleep earned much critical and record label attention from early in their career. Critic Ed Rivadavia describes them as "perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band" and notes they exerted a strong influence on heavy metal in the '90s. However, squabbles with their record company had contributed to Sleep's breakup by the end of the decade. Sleep evolved in the early ... more

Sleep was a stoner doom metal band from San Jose, California. Active during the 1990s, Sleep earned much critical and record label attention from early in their career. Critic Ed Rivadavia describes them as "perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band" and notes they exerted a strong influence on heavy metal in the '90s. However, squabbles with their record company had contributed to Sleep's breakup by the end of the decade. Sleep evolved in the early 1990's from the band Asbestosdeath, which had been established by Al Cisneros, Chris Hakius and guitarist Tom Choi. Asbestosdeath expanded to a quartet with the introduction of Matt Pike on guitar, and recorded 2 singles - "Dejection" for Profane Existence and the self released "Unclean". Choi departed, and would later found Operator Generator, It Is I, Noothgrush, and Las Vegas' Black Jets. Asbestosdeath recruited Justin Marler as replacement and the band adopted the new name, Sleep. Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus both had a major influence on... less