Sleep's Holy Mountain

Sleep's Holy Mountain
Album cover with art by SF tattoo artist Robert Klem.
Studio album by Sleep
Released	November 1 1992
Recorded	1991 - 1992 at Razor's Edge in San Francisco, California, USA
Genre	Stoner Metal
Length	52:12
Label	Earache Records
Producer	Billy Anderson, Sleep
Sleep chronology
Volume Two (1991)	Sleep's Holy Mountain (1992)	Dopesmoker (1999 / 2003 / 2012)

Sleep's Holy Mountain is the second studio album by stoner metal band Sleep. Released in 1992 to positive reviews, it is considered a seminal record in the evolution of Stoner Rock and Stoner Metal. It was released in November 1992 in Europe, and March 1993 in the USA through Earache Records.

This album is dedicated to the memory of Robbie Buck Sr. (R.I.P.).

Background

The recordings that would become Sleep's Holy Mountain were originally sent to Earache Records as a demo. The label immediately signed the band and released the recordings exactly as they were received. It was the last album that was released by the band as a fully functioning group in their original run.

The album, which includes the word "stoner" in the lyrics of two songs and prominently features cannabis leaves in its album art, is widely considered one of the seminal albums in the evolution of stoner rock. It became a favorite of the heavy metal press and the band was heralded, along with Kyuss, as leaders of the emerging stoner metal scene. A music video was also shot for "Dragonaut" to promote the album. "Dragonaut" was used in the 1997 Harmony Korine film Gummo while "Some Grass" appears in the soundtrack for the movie alongside "Dragonaut.

In the same sessions, Sleep recorded a cover of the Black Sabbath song Snowblind. This was initially released on the compilation Masters Of Misery - Black Sabbath: The Earache Tribute.

In May 2009, Sleep reunited and performed the album live in its entirety as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties-curated Don't Look Back series. Earache reissued the album around the same time with the Black Sabbath cover and Dragonaut music video as a bonus. In 2010, Sleep would perform the album in full throughout the United States (With new drummer Jason Roeder) in the Marijuanaut's Return tour. Sleep's Holy Mountain would be played in full again on sporadic occasions, including the 2019 edition of Roadburn Festival.

Sleep's Holy Mountain was reissued on vinyl by Kreation records in 2007. Holy Mountain was also reissued on cassette by Easy Rider Records in 2013. Since 2014 Earache has re-issued Holy Mountain on vinyl and other formats. Sleep does not receive any royalties for any recent pressings of Sleep's Holy Mountain.

Tracklist

All songs written and composed by Sleep. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dragonaut"	5:43
2.	"The Druid"	4:52
3.	"Evil Gypsy / Solomon's Theme"	7:07
4.	"Some Grass"	0:48
5.	"Aquarian"	5:38
6.	"Holy Mountain"	8:45
7.	"Inside the Sun"	5:45
8.	"From Beyond"	10:34
9.	"Nain's Baptism"	3:02
10.	"Snowblind" (Black Sabbath cover; bonus track)	5:56
Total length:		52:12

NOTE: Track 10 only appears on the 2009 CD reissue along with the "Dragonaut" music video.

Personnel

• Al Cisneros - Bass, Vocals
• Matt Pike - Guitar
• Chris Hakius - Drums
• Billy Anderson - Engineering, Producer
• Mark Leialoha - Photography
• Martyn Lambert - Layout
• Robert Klem - Artwork

External Links

• Sleep's Holy Mountain on Encyclopaedia Metallum
• Sleep's Holy Mountain on Discogs
• Sleep's Holy Mountain on Earache Records' Bandcamp