Sleep's Holy Mountain Review

Release Date: Nov 16, 1993
Label: Earache
Genres: Heavy Metal, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal
Number Of Tracks: 9
In an age of machine-gun double-bass drums, Sleep's most startling quality had to be their seemingly endless patience.

Sound:	9
Lyrics:	7
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.1
Reviewer rating:	8.7
Users rating:	9.6
Votes:	25

overall: 8.7

Reviewed by: smb, on june 20, 2008

Sound: Sleep's Holy Mountain is the second album by the classic stoner band who's main influence is the early works of Black Sabbath. It has a very do-it-yourself garage type feel to the recording which is a great antidote to the very polished sound of contemporary bands at the time which harks back to the first Black Sabbath record, and also Monster Magnet's Spine of God and Kyuss' Blues for the Red Sun. The drums and bass lead the huge riffs, between which are liberally scattered Matt Pike's trademark guitar solos. There's not too much variety, though Dragonaut features a great bass solo with envelope filter and Some Grass is a guitar break reminiscent of Tony Iommi's Orchid and Embryo from Sabbath's Masters of Reality. Overall the record sounds like a claustrophobic underground metal gig permeated with pot smoke. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are pretty abstract to say the least, with Dio-inspired dragons and mentions of a druid (referencing Sabbath's drug dealer in The Wizard) and with the bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros's voice being treated with effects it's clear the vocals are intended more as an additional instrument than to give any clear direction as to the meaning of the songs. The record is compelling listening nonetheless, and there's certainly variety in the vocal style through the album. // 7

Impression: Sleep's Holy Mountain is one of the big three stoner records, and compares favourably with the work of Kyuss and Monster Magnet, as well as being a great record for fans of the Sleep members later bands High on Fire and Om. I think it works best as a party album or a driving record. The three musicians are highly skilled individually, and together they've crafted what I consider to be a metal masterpiece. // 10

Comments

[riffermadness25]

sleep is a really underrated band

[Dopesmoker]

I don't think Sleep is underrated. Anyone who matters knows they were the best.

[keithmoon15]

Dopesmoker wrote:

I don't think Sleep is underrated. Anyone who matters knows they were the best.

agreed 100%

one of the best albums of all time

[scorpio2billion]

You know, it's sad that I'm only the 4th person to comment on how monumental this album is, and the Panic at the Disco albums probably have pages and pages of comments. This album lets you know that heavy music is cock of the walk, and that bands with eyeliner and girl pants had better hope that people continue to be stupid and listen to what they're told to listen to. Hell, I don't even smoke dope. Maybe I should. So I could appreciate shit, I mean emo...

[we_built_a_tree]

Yeah, I don't take drugs either and I simply love this band.

[fumb duck]

drug-free, i loved this album and dopesmoker, but im leaning more towards this album

[FatherTime1200]

everything by sleep is trust completely amazing as hell.

[Crafty13]

Very awesome album. Like all you guys, I am drug free too (most of the time). I'll admit I have been influenced by stoner bands which has lead me to smoke weed a few times, but I have never really been an occasional smoker. But I reckon there are a lot of people like us out there that have no real interest in weed, yet we love the genre created by stoners! You don't have to be stoner to enjoy it, you feel it, and that's what other people don't get, they're too stuck in the world of shitty mainstream acts.

It really is a beautiful, mystical and bone crushing genre that always makes me come back for more. Sleep nail this, just as other bands do e.g Electric Wizard, Kyuss. When I first heard my first real doom/stoner song I didn't pay any real attention, I was more into Progressive Metal at the time. (Still into it like the bands such as Dream Theater, Opeth.) But I was intrigued, so I came back for more, and every time I listened to it the next time over and over I starting loving it even more. Anyway sorry to tell my life story but this is honestly how I feel, anyone can love stoner if they just let it be heard. Because stoner metal is one of the best genres in this world, at the top with Progressive and Psychedelic.