Sleep “Live at Third Man Records” 2019. Recorded live at Third Man on December 12, 2018, this box set is Third Man’s latest Vault subscription release (no. 39) and it’s a monster. A 10-song, 4 colored LP package, complete with poster and Sleep patch from the doom metal/stoner rock underground legends, a band whose patron saints are “marijuana and Black Sabbath” (Allmusic). I’ve honestly never listened to Sleep before, not being into doom metal or pot (though I occasionally dabble in some Black Sabbath) but they were all the rage last year when they toured for their 2018 album (on Third Man) The Sciences, which was their first release since the problematic LP Dopesmoker (from Allmusic, in ‘95: “After almost two years of writing and rewriting material for their next album (to be named Dopesmoker, not surprisingly) amidst abundant weed consumption, the trio finally delivered its long-awaited epic, now named Jerusalem, to London Records. But to the label’s surprise, Jerusalem comprised a single 60-minute magnum opus to marijuana that the band refused to edit or split up into sections under any circumstances. A complete deadlock ensued, tying up both parties in red tape for another two years. Finally, having smoked their entire cash advance through their bongs, Sleep decided to break up rather than surrender the album. Guitarist Matt Pike went on to form a new, more energetic heavy metal band called High on Fire, while drummer Chris Haikus eventually reunited with founding guitarist (and now ordained monk) Justin Marler in the Sabians. In the meantime, an unauthorized version of Jerusalem was quietly released by Rise Above Records [in 1999], but it wasn’t until 2003 that a supposedly authentic and fully endorsed version of Dopesmoker finally reached record store shelves, seemingly bringing the convoluted Sleep saga to a close at last.”)

With a name like Sleep and songs like the epic “Dopesmoker” (which is so long it had to be split between two records) and “Marijuanaut’s Theme,” the band and its music completely earns the label stoner rock. It’s the middle of the afternoon on a weekday and I’m already feeling a little fuzzy-headed and thinking about taking a nap after listening to the first few sides. It’s a good thing I didn’t go see them when they were in town last year, I definitely would have literally slept through the entire concert (a talent I’m not exactly proud of but have employed often, most recently at King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard, the Black Angels and Ministry). I’m finding it mostly monotonous – not bad, really, but I think you need to be actually high to get into the hazed-out groove. I can’t even pick a top track because I’ve just totally zoned out during each. But the packaging, as always for Third Man, is excellent and the vinyl top quality.

Side A: “Leagues Beneath”  Side B: “Dopesmoker” (Part One)

Side C: “Dopesmoker (Part Two) and “Holy Mountain”  Side D: “The Clarity” and “Aquarian”

Side E: “Sonic Titan”  Side F: “Marijuanaut’s Theme” and “Giza Butler”

Side G: “The Botanist” and “Dragonaut”

Side H is blank (pictured in the top photo of this post)

The poster included in the package is a blown-up reprint of the flyer for the performance at Third Man.