Sleep - "Jersulam"/"Dopesmoker"

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I like it a lot, but I'm not well-versed in stoner metal. So opinions?

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 17 October 2005 15:33 (7 years ago) Permalink

It's relaxing.

― n/a (Nick A.), Monday, 17 October 2005 15:41 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Jerusalem" is the polished version of "Dopesmoker." Actually, they're both about the same. A long long dirge with a repetitive riff, a couple repetitive guitar solos and a stentorian shout calling the faithful in praise of dope. There's an extra cut live ladeled onto "Dopesmoker." "Jerusalem" was released first, when the major label hit reject button on the band.

― George the Animal Steele, Monday, 17 October 2005 15:45 (7 years ago) Permalink

The popular opinion is that Dopesmoker is better, but I'm used to Jerusalem so I still prefer it.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Monday, 17 October 2005 15:46 (7 years ago) Permalink

I prefer Dopesmoker. It's the version the band intended on releasing.

― Last Of The Famous International Pfunkboys (Kerr), Monday, 17 October 2005 15:54 (7 years ago) Permalink

jerusalem is a little bit shorter than dopesmoker. both slay, although i think jerusalem is a little bit harder to find these days. either one of them is classic.

― michael crumsho (clikatowi), Monday, 17 October 2005 15:59 (7 years ago) Permalink

Both excellent, though I think I like Dopesmoker a little better and Holy Mountain better'n either.

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 17 October 2005 16:04 (7 years ago) Permalink

holy mountains owns

om is better than both though

n/a - don't look at it as 'stoner metal,' because that will lead you down a path of lots of crappy music. Just buy two or three Electric Wizard albums and be done with it. THOSE records ALL fucking SLAY

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Monday, 17 October 2005 16:17 (7 years ago) Permalink

I had "Jerusalem" a few years back and thought it was rather lumbering and dull-- which, come to think of it, shouldn't be that surprising since it is a canonical stoner rock album. I liked "Holy Mountain" somewhat, and used to listen to it regularly, but somehow Sleep never seemed to live up to their potential to be a unique band with its own personality. They clearly had some talent, but were essentially a cardboard Black Sabbath ripoff band. Even the main riff to their best song, "Dragonaut", sounds to these ears dangerously similar to Sabbath's "Lord of this World" off Masters of Reality. "Jerusalem" sounded cool in theory, but listening to it-- even high as hell-- seemed unbearably tedious.

Maybe I just don't like stoner rock.

― richard wood johnson, Monday, 17 October 2005 16:18 (7 years ago) Permalink

My roommate played this for me recently and I fell in love with it. I really like the One Really Long Riff esthetic -- is there anyone else who's taken it to such an extreme?

Also, does it seem like this is everywhere all the sudden, or am I just sinking deeper into stoner culture? I've heard several different people talking about it, plus its appearing on BROKEN FLOWERS OST (oh no!)

― Sonny, Monday, 17 October 2005 16:41 (7 years ago) Permalink

plus its appearing on BROKEN FLOWERS OST (oh no!)

How could it appear on the OST without being the OST?

― richard wood johnson, Monday, 17 October 2005 16:57 (7 years ago) Permalink

richard wood totally OTM about "Dragonaut" - it IS their best song and it IS a total Sabbath rip. Fine by me!

― God Body (Roger Fidelity), Monday, 17 October 2005 16:58 (7 years ago) Permalink

My roommate played this for me recently and I fell in love with it. I really like the One Really Long Riff esthetic -- is there anyone else who's taken it to such an extreme?

Yeah, a bunch of stoner and doom bands. The phenom that the practice and style has been everywhere all of a sudden has been everywhere all of a sudden for a few years, minimum.

― George the Animal Steele, Monday, 17 October 2005 17:01 (7 years ago) Permalink

If you like this, get the Jesu record.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:01 (7 years ago) Permalink

If by everywhere all of a sudden you mean everywhere all of a sudden in stoner metal circles, then yes, but stoner folkies and stoner posi-punks have been telling me how great Dopesmoker is lately, and I sorta wonder what's up.

The version on Broken Flowers OST is between four and five minutes long, so I assume it's an edit.

― Sonny, Monday, 17 October 2005 17:25 (7 years ago) Permalink

I agree with richard wood johnson. Sleep were never everything they're said to be. I've owned Holy Mountain, Dopesmoker and Jerusalem at various points, and ended up selling all three.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:29 (7 years ago) Permalink

Sleep, who are more accurately Doom Metal than Stoner, woke up and became High On Fire, and now everyone is happy.

― nancyboy (nancyboy), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:33 (7 years ago) Permalink

TS: SLEEP vs HIGH ON FIRE

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:38 (7 years ago) Permalink

For the love of doom metal: C/D?

Psych doom - does it exist? or, "Why isn't there a WITCHCRAFT thread yet?"

DOOM

― nancyboy (nancyboy), Monday, 17 October 2005 17:47 (7 years ago) Permalink

posi-punks have been telling me how great Dopesmoker is lately, and I sorta wonder what's up.

Fact of the matter is, it's not particularly great. Its mythology exceeds its listenability. The story of "Jerusalem" and "Dopesmoker" is much better in the telling than in the listening and that will always be a substantial part of its appeal. The genre's "Tales of the Topographic Ocean," maybe. Hampton-Grease Band's "Music to Eat?" In any case, if you have the patience to pick and choose in stoner and doom records, there are quite a few that are preferable to anything Sleep's catalog.

― George the Animal Steele, Monday, 17 October 2005 18:07 (7 years ago) Permalink

Pickers and Choosers, start here: What's the big deal about Pentagram, anyway?

― nancyboy (nancyboy), Monday, 17 October 2005 18:11 (7 years ago) Permalink

>The genre's "Tales of the Topographic Ocean," maybe.

In the sense of insurmountable-object, maybe. But TFTO has the advantage of actually being good.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Monday, 17 October 2005 18:11 (7 years ago) Permalink

there is NO FUCKING WAY the OM record is better than HOLY MOUNTAIN.

NO WAY.

― ddb (ddb), Monday, 17 October 2005 18:48 (7 years ago) Permalink

Oh, I disagree. That OM record is magnificent.

For my money, though, I still say Electric Wizard.

― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Monday, 17 October 2005 18:59 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Supernaut" - Black Sabbath (1972)
"Dragonaut" - Sleep (1993)
"Druganaut" - Black Mountain (2005)

― nancyboy (nancyboy), Monday, 17 October 2005 19:15 (7 years ago) Permalink

i can't tell why i love dopesmoker. hearing it makes me want to hear more doom, but on the other hand i wouldnt like the style of singing on dope smoker if the novelty of having a 60 minute journey about weed wasn't present. i can't tell whether i just like them because after smoking a blunt the album is perfect for my state of mind.

jumping more to the point: ***what is the best thing to listen to besides sleep to determine whether or not its worth it to hear more??****

― buyabiznatch (buyabiznatch), Monday, 17 October 2005 19:34 (7 years ago) Permalink

yeah i love OM

― amon (eman), Monday, 17 October 2005 22:03 (7 years ago) Permalink

"Its mythology exceeds its listenability."

i always enjoyed listening to it. I have no problem with the length. I'm kinda lazy, so I'm not big on getting up anyway. i was never fanatical enough to buy the later dopesmoker version though. i never cared for the first sleep album. that one bored me, not as good as st. vitus, etc. but, yeah, jerusalem is funny and cool and it is nice and heavy. great riffs. what's not to like? the latest high on fire, i think, is the best thing the dude has ever done. i didn't really like either of the other high on fire albums i had. just sold the first one on ebay with the 45 in it where they cover celtic frost. got all of 5 bucks for it. of course, the new HOF "sounds" great and the first two sounded horrible, so that might have something to do with it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 17 October 2005 22:28 (7 years ago) Permalink

i still have never heard st. vitus!

― amon (eman), Monday, 17 October 2005 22:44 (7 years ago) Permalink

Their later albums are sort of coming back into print on Southern Lord, which has published "V" -- their fifth, and a live album. The live one gives you the measure of Wino Weinrich's version of the band which is the one most people seem to prefer. However, I'm partial to Scott Reaghers, the first vocalist. The first Vitus album has "Burial At Sea" which is their best song. It's the one that's been covered the most by other stoner and metal bands. Goatsnake and Grave have both covered it. I have a copy of Grief doing "Angry Man" and Tummler doing "War Is Our Destiny" which is one of immediately recognizable Weinrich-edition tunes.

Speaking of Grief, buyabiznatch would probably like that band. Go for any of the albums on Pessimiser or Theologian, Torso probably first followed by And Man Shall Become the Hunted. That's slowed down drawn out riffing, recorded heavy with a vocalist who sounds like he has a torn throat. It's pretty monolithic and would have a high probability of appealing to fans of Dopesmoker. I listen to Grief way more often than Sleep.

― George the Animal Steele, Monday, 17 October 2005 22:51 (7 years ago) Permalink

st vitus - totally overrated. Some of it is actually laughably cheesy. and I fucking like Candlemass, to give you an idea of my 'cheese' barometer

― God Body (Roger Fidelity), Monday, 17 October 2005 22:52 (7 years ago) Permalink

i love born too late. but it's the only album i really listen to. i'll tell ya who i could never get into: Trouble. But i only have the first two albums.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 17 October 2005 23:07 (7 years ago) Permalink

ahaha i remember candlemass. sheesh. i used to see wino around alot. i caught one of his bands live once, and it was pretty fucking good. better than the headliner (some SHITTY sub pop band called nebula)

― amon (eman), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 00:36 (7 years ago) Permalink

oh yeah, winos band was called spirit caravan.

― amon (eman), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 00:38 (7 years ago) Permalink

Some of it is actually laughably cheesy.

Cheesy's no obstacle to liking lots of forms of metal, or just about any other genre. I find very little entertainment that's actually
cheese free. It's one of the fundamentals, like hydrogen on the periodic table.

I'm a fan of Trouble but my favorite albums are their last two -- Manic Frustration and Plastic Green Head. Right now, PGH is probably my fave. Their version of "The Porpoise Song" kills for incinerating wah'd guitar solo. Heavy psyche influence and Beatles/Monkees/Donovan love in late period Trouble.

Nebula was a highly regarded stoner rock band for awhile. Never was able to capitalize. Spirit Caravan catalog is good early (Jug Fulla Sun), falls apart toward the end. The Obsessed, another earlier Wino band was virtually identical. Hidden Hand is up and down. Did an album with Victor Griffin in Place of Skulls. Man, he does a lot of stuff.

― George the Animal Steele, Tuesday, 18 October 2005 02:53 (7 years ago) Permalink

nebula might have been okay if they didn't let the one guy dick around with a "crazy" wahwah pedal solo on every single song.

― amon (eman), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 03:03 (7 years ago) Permalink

i'm late, but:

i already bought jerusalem so i ain't picking up dopesmoker unless'n i see it for cheap. but jerusalem's ok, i guess. holy mountain is way better - though i think the genius doesn't really kick in until the second half of the album - as is OM.

and as much as saying things are overrated is overrated, i tend to agree with roger about saint vitus these days. reagers period is best, though the wino era has some killer tunes here and there it's really in essence a compromise between the best of vitus and the best of the obsessed which makes a kind of boring muddle at times.

― el sabor de gene (yournullfame), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 03:10 (7 years ago) Permalink

i was digging the new Confessor album today.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 18 October 2005 03:15 (7 years ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

you guys saying holy mountain is better than dopesmoker are either on crack or i have badly ripped mp3s. holy mountains production sounds shitty, the guitar is kinda thin or weakly mixed on some of the tracks.

― |l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l| (eman), Friday, 3 February 2006 06:00 (7 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

I listened to Dopesmoker last night for the third time...but I had never been stoned before while listening to it, and had never really paid attention. But last night, I was blunted up and positioned in front of an astounding sound system-- I could feel the bass in every fibre of my body. Totally sick and awesome.

― trees (treesessplode), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:45 (6 years ago) Permalink

It's the jam!

― CDDB (Dan Deluca), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:00 (6 years ago) Permalink

I could feel the bass in every fibre of my body. Totally sick and awesome.

I would rather heat my liver with drinking.

― Urnst Kouch (Urnst Kouch), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

holy mountain is fucking awesome

― HOOS HOOS HOOS on the autosteen (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 10 November 2008 07:27 (4 years ago) Permalink

fyfuckingi

― HOOS HOOS HOOS on the autosteen (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 10 November 2008 07:27 (4 years ago) Permalink

So, anyone going to ATP: The Fans Strike Back, May 8-10 2009, where the reformed Sleep are playing Holy Mountain and selections from Dopesmoker & more...?

― krakow, Monday, 10 November 2008 08:17 (4 years ago) Permalink

oh shi

― HOOS HOOS HOOS on the autosteen (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 10 November 2008 14:32 (4 years ago) Permalink

I agree with whomever said Om is better above.

― Alex in SF, Monday, 10 November 2008 14:40 (4 years ago) Permalink

Wrong

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Monday, 10 November 2008 14:41 (4 years ago) Permalink

selections from dopesmoker?

― Alan N, Monday, 10 November 2008 14:42 (4 years ago) Permalink

I almost bought St. Vitus last night but was scared away by worries it would sound thin with no bottom end. Do they?

― national oracle BIG HOOS (BIG HOOS aka the steendriver), Monday, 10 November 2008 14:52 (4 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 153 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

hoos you got that in the right order? are you just now going back to jerusalem after hearing the dopesmoker reissue?

― the late great, Saturday, 12 May 2012 05:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

idk if i have it in the right order or not--i first heard and got to know 'dopesmoker' via a download of the original mix a few years back, and that's the one that i guess is still on my hard drive. i guess i'd never really listened to jeruselam, i thought i had. damn, now i'm gonna have to go get this reissued jeruselam too.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, 12 May 2012 06:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

reissued dopesmoker you mean

― the late great, Saturday, 12 May 2012 06:08 (1 year ago) Permalink

i think they do this just to fuck with stoned people

― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Saturday, 12 May 2012 06:30 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Saturday, 12 May 2012 07:33 (1 year ago) Permalink

yes indeed they're doing our london atp (with Slayer and Melvins and Yob and Wolves In the Throne Room and A Storm Of Light - FUCK) and primavera barcelona. Cannot wait.

― Jamie_ATP, Saturday, 12 May 2012 09:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah they do from time-to-time. they played a few shows in 2010

played at a festival w/them in 2010 iirc & they were directly after us and opened right with a crushing Jerusalem/Dopesmoker riff section for about five min damn right I'm bragging, I got to geek out w/Pike & his son backstage afterwards

― cosi fan whitford (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Saturday, 12 May 2012 09:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

Saw them last week and it was uniformly excellent. No trouble hearing Cisneros either. Dopesmoker and Sonic Titan were the highlights.

Don't miss them if you get the chance.

― Lil' Kim Philby (Call the Cops), Saturday, 12 May 2012 11:57 (1 year ago) Permalink

yo am0n i know about the sabians but they haven't put anything out since 2003 afaict? are they still going?
― the late great, Saturday, May 12, 2012 1:35 AM

my mistake, i thought that was after he left om

― am0n, Saturday, 12 May 2012 17:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

your mistake INDEED

― the late great, Saturday, 12 May 2012 18:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

leave hakius alone!

― am0n, Saturday, 12 May 2012 21:41 (1 year ago) Permalink

― the late great, Saturday, 12 May 2012 22:40 (1 year ago) Permalink

not really into this new version

― am0n, Monday, 14 May 2012 01:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

i dl'ed jerusalem and i think this is now the one i prefer, the drums are a little more up front

― am0n, Monday, 14 May 2012 01:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

wait you like the dopesmoker reissue more than jerusalem or the other way around

― the late great, Monday, 14 May 2012 01:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

other way around

― am0n, Monday, 14 May 2012 02:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

yeah me too

― the late great, Monday, 14 May 2012 02:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

no way

― it looks like something rupert the bear would wear (Algerian Goalkeeper), Monday, 14 May 2012 02:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

HERETICS

BREAK THEIR BONGS
DEBUD THEM
CAST THEM OUT

― wan brujo (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Monday, 14 May 2012 03:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

nah dude jerusalem is "the o.g." if you know what i mean ;-)

― the late great, Monday, 14 May 2012 03:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

i heard it first too back when it came out as my mates brother bought it and he loaned me it to tape. i also have a tape recording of an interview with the band on some cable radio metal show (solar radio it was called) with the whole thing playing in the background as the band explained what happened with London Records. And i still think Dopesmoker is better ;-)

― it looks like something rupert the bear would wear (Algerian Goalkeeper), Monday, 14 May 2012 03:36 (1 year ago) Permalink

no dude it's THE OG do you see???

― the late great, Monday, 14 May 2012 03:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

what were we talking about

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 14 May 2012 03:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

― am0n, Monday, 14 May 2012 04:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

I don't need to buy the same album over and over again. I'll stick with the CD I bought 10 years ago, thx

― Stormy Davis, Monday, 14 May 2012 04:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

I kinda want to buy the vinyl reissue because I do like the cover. But this is totally a CD album for me.

i also have a tape recording of an interview with the band on some cable radio metal show (solar radio it was called) with the whole thing playing in the background as the band explained what happened with London Records.

I think I know what's going to be on disc 2 of the inevitable deluxe edition...

― wan brujo (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Monday, 14 May 2012 05:19 (1 year ago) Permalink

o yeah, they replaced the unnecessary extra live track with a horrible sounding live 'holy mountain'. wonder what the thought process behind that was

― am0n, Monday, 14 May 2012 17:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

probably some bong rips were involved

― Moodles, Monday, 14 May 2012 17:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

listening to this for the first ime

this is one of the longest albums i've ever heard *tips hat*

― Bandersnatch Cumberbund (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 16 May 2012 20:07 (1 year ago) Permalink

lol

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 20:22 (1 year ago) Permalink

important q: *which* album are you listening to, cause there are at least two

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 20:23 (1 year ago) Permalink

the new one on spotify with some jawas and camels and shit, it's a 60+ minute track and a 11+ minute track?

i don't know the lore of this.

it's ok but i dunno doesn't really do a ton for me

― Bandersnatch Cumberbund (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 16 May 2012 23:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

fair enough

i am p fond of it

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 23:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

though i listen to the alt mix 'jerusalem' on spotify so everyone doesn't see me listening to DOPESMOKER

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 23:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Breathe deep the gathering dank:

SLEEP 2012 U.S. Tour Dates:
6/02/2012 The Ritz – Tampa, FL
6/03/2012 Neumos – Seattle, WA
6/04/2012 Neumos – Seattle, WA
6/05/2012 Fox Theater – Oakland, CA

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 May 2012 17:37 (11 months ago) Permalink

I do love the tour logic there. "Okay, from one corner of the country to the other in a single day..."

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 May 2012 17:38 (11 months ago) Permalink

you don't go straight that way, guh, you cut through the riff-filled land

― j., Thursday, 24 May 2012 17:40 (11 months ago) Permalink

I nod my head in acknowledgement (and then can't lift it again).

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 24 May 2012 17:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

ok guess who missed out on a sleep gig in glasgow

― it looks like something rupert the bear would wear (Algerian Goalkeeper), Thursday, 24 May 2012 17:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

The Dopesmoker reissue is currently on UK eMusic for .84p
I don't know if this screws them over, or if it's even a mistake, but - yeah. Good deal...

― Walter Galt, Friday, 25 May 2012 09:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

Seeing them tonight! Psyched.

― The Eyeball Of Hull (Colonel Poo), Friday, 25 May 2012 09:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

\m/ I haven't been as excited about a day at a festival in ages.

― Ima Skim Read That Bitch (Doran), Friday, 25 May 2012 10:02 (11 months ago) Permalink

So, that was special. I can't be the only person who thinks that. Equally so for Melvins and Yob as well. Just on fucking fire. Slayer put in a really good gig as well. Not 100% convinced by your man from Exodus but his guitar work on World Painted Blood was fucking ridiculously good and they played Die By The Sword.

Sleep though, sweet baby Jesus it was amazing.

― Ima Skim Read That Bitch (Doran), Saturday, 26 May 2012 09:07 (11 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, it was. Everything was buzzing. I didn't even bring any weed with me.

The room where Yob & WITTR played didn't seem to have very good sound and it was way too small for Yob, I could hardly get in. The main stage bands were all great though.

― The Eyeball Of Hull (Colonel Poo), Saturday, 26 May 2012 10:03 (11 months ago) Permalink

I managed to get down to the front for the second half of Yob and it was better but I think Mike's genuinely uplifting stage persona and having the crowd really behind them made it for me. It's a real breath of fresh air having a very positive doom metal band just as light relief I think. I don't feel the same way about Black Metal though.

― Ima Skim Read That Bitch (Doran), Saturday, 26 May 2012 10:31 (11 months ago) Permalink

they seemed to be ironing out some sound issues while A Storm of Light were on cos they kind of sounded like ass but I thought it was fine by the time WITTR were on certainly

― cissémanwhore (DJ Mencap), Sunday, 27 May 2012 12:38 (11 months ago) Permalink

I still don't know if the new one is a different master from the version on Tee Pee from 11 yrs ago.

― Fastnbulbous, Sunday, 27 May 2012 15:10 (11 months ago) Permalink

It is. It sounds very slightly better. But it's still a 63-minute song about weed.

― 誤訳侮辱, Sunday, 27 May 2012 16:21 (11 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

lol

http://weedian.com/sleep_print_and_clip_1.pdf

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 16 August 2012 11:24 (9 months ago) Permalink

PROCEEDS THE WEEDIAN
DOT COM

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 17 August 2012 01:07 (9 months ago) Permalink

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Sleep - "Jersulam"/"Dopesmoker" - C/D?