New Lineup, New Album: Al Cisneros and Sleep Return with “Hempispheres”
In June, stoner metal fans were equal parts shocked and delighted that Sleep was launching a new album. The delight was the surprise of new music after eight years; the shock came from a revamped lineup that did not include longtime guitarist Matt Pike.
Bassist Al Cisneros instead recruited Melvins drummer Dale Crover and Void guitarist Bubba Dupree for the band’s new era, saying the trio’s chemistry was immediately evident.
“The vibe of the first jam was obvious,” he stated. “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.”
The five-song album features extended jams on the 11-minute “Arrival of the Industry Ships” and the nearly 8-minute title track. As can be expected from Cisneros, the bass tone is thick, burly, and unrelenting for the album’s whole 38 minutes. His grooves on “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” and “Hempispheres” kill, but one of our favorite moments comes midway through the final track, “Whole Wheat Mountain/Well Baked.” Cisneros and Dupree meditate on a riff that’s part chromatic, part bluesy. Played in unison, the line swells as Crover builds from just the ride to the full kit before slowly fading back down into a dream state.
Sleep’s Hempispheres is out now on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and other digital platforms. A vinyl edition is available through Third Man Records.
Sleep has kicked off a fall tour that will take them across the U.S. and Canada into November. See below for full dates.
Hempispheres Track List:
- Have Spacesuit Will Travel
- The Morrisist
- Hemphispheres
- Arrival of the Industry Ships
- Whole Wheat Mountain/Well Baked
Sleep 2026 Tour Dates:
| Date | Location | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 8 | San Diego, CA | The Observatory |
| Sept 9 | Phoenix, AZ | The Van Buren |
| Sept 10 | Albuquerque, NM | The Revel Entertainment Center |
| Sept 12 | Dallas, TX | Granada Theater |
| Sept 13 | Austin, TX | Levitation |
| Sept 14 | Oklahoma City, OK | Tower Theatre |
| Sept 16 | Denver, CO | Ogden Theatre |
| Sept 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | The Grand At The Complex |
| Sept 18 | Boise, ID | Treefort Music Hall |
| Sept 20 | Vancouver, BC | Commodore Ballroom |
| Sept 21 | Seattle, WA | Neptune Theatre |
| Sept 22 | Seattle, WA | Neptune Theatre |
| Sept 23 | Portland, OR | Roseland Theater |
| Sept 25 | San Francisco, CA | The Fillmore |
| Sept 26 | San Francisco, CA | The Fillmore |
| Sept 27 | Santa Cruz, CA | Catalyst |
| Sept 28 | Los Angeles, CA | The Wiltern |
| Sept 29 | Santa Ana, CA | The Observatory |
| Nov 4 | Minneapolis, MN | First Avenue |
| Nov 5 | Milwaukee, WI | Pabst Theater |
| Nov 6 | Chicago, IL | Riviera Theatre |
| Nov 7 | Detroit, MI | St Andrews Hall |
| Nov 9 | Toronto, ON | Phoenix Concert Hall |
| Nov 10 | Montreal, QC | Club Soda |
| Nov 11 | Burlington, VT | Higher Ground Ballroom |
| Nov 12 | Boston, MA | Roadrunner |
| Nov 13 | Hudson, NY | Basilica Hudson |
| Nov 15 | Philadelphia, PA | Theatre of Living Arts |
| Nov 16 | Brooklyn, NY | Brooklyn Paramount |
| Nov 17 | Washington, DC | Lincoln Theatre |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
