Sleep debuted with 1991's Volume One album, recorded for San Francisco indie label Tupelo. The record showcased the bands penchant for fuzzed out lysergic-influenced dirges, with little in the way of the Sabbath worship which would soon follow. Marler subsequently quit the band to take up the Monastic life, leaving the band as a power trio.
Earache received the bands next recordings in the mail as a demo. The label - impressed by their singlemindedness and unique vision - immediately signed the band and released the tape exactly as it was received- record store shelves worldwide stocked the "Sleeps Holy Mountain" Album from November 1992 onwards to this day. Around this time Earache released the very first Black Sabbath Tribute album also, and naturally Sleep contributed, with their own rendition of "Snowblind" being one of the highlights. Ozzy himself was impressed, saying Sleep were the closest band he'd heard to Sabbaths original 70's style and feeling. Praise indeed.
The band signed with London Records , with Earache's blessing, after a substantial payoff. Initially scheduled for a 1995 release date, the debut album for the major took the form of one mammoth 52 minute long leviathan of a track, comprising feedback and one distorted fuzzed-out doomy riff. Entilted Jerusalem, London baulked at the prospect of promoting what probably still is the most extreme music ever recorded for a major label, so shelved the recording and dropped the band.
Pike set about formulating a fresh act, emerging with HIGH ON FIRE in 1999 and issuing a three track eponymous EP followed by the Art Of Self Defense album in 2000 with George Rice and Desmond Kensel. They toured with their second bassist Joe Preston of the Melvins and Thrones. Now they are pleased to tour the uS and Europe with thrid bassist Jeffrey and have a new full length coming out. Pike also used to do vocals only with a band called KALAS.
Marler, no longer residing in the monastery, would surface with Hakius with a non-doom project entitled The Sabians. This band, including guitarist Patrick Huerta and bass player Rachel Fisher, put out the Empty Your Heart demo before releasing the Beauty For Ashes album produced by Fudge Tunnel man Alex Newport.
Cisneros returned to public music in 2003 with former band mate Chris Hakius as OM, a bass and drum duo. The band's first three albums feature Cisneros on vocals and bass and Hakius on drums. They have released three full length LPs and recorded various splits.
On January 31, 2008 Hakius left OM and was replaced by drummer Emil Amos. OM has since recorded a single for Sub Pop "Gebel Barkal", a live vinyl-only LP "Conference Live", and a full length studio album "God is Good" on Drag City Records.
Cisneros is also a member of Shrinebuilder (Wino - Guitar/Vocals, Scott Kelly - Guitar/Vocals, Al Cisneros - Bass/Vocals, Dale Crover - Drums). Shrinebuilder's debut album was released in autumn 2009 on Neurot Recordings.
In May 2009, Sleep reformed to perform two exclusive reunion sets in England as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties music festival.
Sleep will be touring the US in the fall of 2010. The tour begins at the ATP music festival in Monticello New York 2010, where the band will perform Holy Mountain in its entirety, parts of Dopesmoker as well as new material.
