Dopesmoker [Original recording remastered]

Sleep | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 10, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Tee Pee Records
• ASIN: B00008V5VN
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,029 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

While pundits often seem eager to throw the adjective "uncompromising" at any rock musician with more than three nipple-rings, what we have here is the real deal. After haphazardly embarking on their intensely single-minded career in the late-'80s, Northern California's pioneering prophets of doom-metal took the opportunity of a '90s major-label advance to record a 63-plus-minute magnum opus to ganja and other Valhalla-friendly political conceits that effectively cost them same promising record deal and embroiled them in enough turmoil to permanently splinter the band. Cut by nearly a dozen minutes, the track eventually surfaced in ‘99 to some critical acclaim as "Jerusalem." But now, sounding like a hung-over Thor awakening from a three-century bender, the original hour-plus "Dopesmoker" returns to stake its claim as the heaviest, if minimally expansive metal dirge of them all, with founder/vocalist Al Cisneros's massive bass drone and tortured growl making for a hypnotic, if harrowing, listening experience. This new edition also includes the previously unreleased, live-in-the-studio "Sonic Titan," a comparatively upbeat drone that breezes in at just under 10 minutes. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How "Jerusalem" SHOULD have sounded, June 17, 2003

By 

W. Perry Aggers (Avon Lake, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dopesmoker (Audio CD)

Holy mother of GOD is this heavy. A more proper length and mix of "Jerusalem", this newly released juggernaut realizes the band's vision of their much-publicized and infamous uber-dirge, complete with more emphasis on the rhythym section's power when necessary and 13 minutes of added music. No longer broken into six separate tracks that run into each other, "Dopesmoker" is one 65-minute track and a bonus live recording of "Sonic Titan", where one can hear a smidgen of what sounds like a High on Fire riff here and there.

This version promises to blow out speakers of all kinds, as Al's bass is far heavier and prominent, but only when it's necessary. Pike's guitar is slightly edgier and compliments the newly restored bass sound nicely, leads screaming and clearer. Chris's drumming turns out to be an underrated part of "Dopesmoker", as you hear new and unearthed parts of his thundering backbeat that were otherwise overshadowed on "Jerusalem"

Best heard on a customized mix (preferrably with the bass turned slightly down for balance), "Dopesmoker" can take it's place as a fully established classic among the doom/stoner/drone genre, a far overdue release that will satisfy fanatics of crushingly heavy riffing and long improv. You'll feel it in your chest.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The HEAVIEST thing ever made EVER!!!, October 26, 2006

By 

BEERBONG BERZERKER (The Rocky Mountains) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dopesmoker (Audio CD)

Smoke; Thundering drums; More smoke; Hulking buffalo-fuzz bass lines; Towering resin-caked riffs played on the crustiest guitar ever fretted; Shaggy green sasquatch-like vocals that do more chanting than singing; Lyrics chronicling bong-fogged Old Testament events.
Sleep opened a portal to something ancient, epic, vast, slow as molasses and as vivid as a Vietnam flashback, and raised the bar unattainably HIGH for stoner rock/doom bands that followed.
Not exactly 'Stoner Rock' though, Sleep were more like shamans. Having little to do with Reggae musically, but from the same realm as Rastafari Holymen. This album is its own genre. There's nothing angry or hostile about any of it, but its the HEAVIEST music I've ever heard.
This is an earlier, extended version of 'Jerusalem'. Theres more space in the recording, not so dense. It sounds a lot rawer, which, for this type of music of course, is ideal. The added live track "Sonic Titan", is buoyant in contrast, sounds kinda like a "Holy Mountain" song.
The Arik Roper artwork is pretty bitchin too.
If you like it transcendental, loud, and numbingly heavy, this is the ticket. Turn on, tune in, drop out...Maaaaaannnn!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dopesmoker and Jerusalem, October 13, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dopesmoker (Audio CD)

I bought Dopesmoker on CD while already owning Jerusalem, and I thought I'd share my views.

I was actually a little disappointed when I first heard Jerusalem some years ago. I thought: Yikes! This is long and boring and not very heavy. Not as good as Volume 1, I thought.

It's a bit tricky to compare the two on CD - Dopesmoker is one long track while Jerusalem is split into six. This means that, to compare the two records by listening to the same portion, one has to hold the FF or REW down on the CD player on Dopesmoker for a good few seconds.

Dopesmoker is longer. It takes longer to get going, but it also repeats a section that is my favourite part of Jerusalem: in track 4 (Jerusalem) or roughly 45 min (Dopesmoker), there is a section after the quiet part where the bass really sings out BONGGG BONGGG - this is repeated in Dopesmoker to great effect, whereas Jerusalem goes straight into the "spliff aflame" lyric.

Artwork: Dopesmoker CD comes in an attractive card sleeve, with excellent psychedelic artwork, fore and aft, inside and out. Jerusalem is cheaper looking, but comes with lyrics, a cute bright green CD, and a great picture of a coconut bong. It's up to you.

Dopesmoker is louder: I found this useful on headphones: Jerusalem had to be turned all the way up on my portable player, while Dopesmoker wasn't maxxed out.

The second long (twangy) guitar solo seems to sound better on Dopesmoker, I think, probably because the sound is bigger generally. Also, I spotted a tiny bit of echo on the vocals somewhere in the mix, not there in Jerusalem.

Dopesmoker begins with a cute little flourish, while Jerusalem does not.

Still, comparing Dopesmoker with Jerusalem directly, on the same stereo, I was surprised to find that I actually prefer Jerusalem. Dopesmoker is definately bigger and bassier, but Jerusalem is trancier and more together. This is purely a subjective response, and I think others will definately disagree with me.

Also, Jerusalem is split into 6 tracks. I know the band hated it, but it's pretty sensible. I usually listen from track 2 (the way the tracks are split is intelligent and it goes into a great riff), or listen from track 4 (my favourite portion). Purists among you, don't be angry. Actually, Dopesmoker comes with extra track Sonic Titan, but I think it's a waste of time, except it allows you to jump to the end of track 1 (Dopesmoker) and rewind it if your favourite chunk is somewhere near the end.

52 minutes is more tolerable than 64.

I traded my copy of Dopesmoker, but it certainly reawakened my interest in Jerusalem. These are two very similar records anyway: I'd buy whichever one takes your fancy on a whim. You're better off with the groovy Holy Mountain or the lovely Volume 1, though!