Sleepers Awake are a Progressive Metal Band from Columbus, Ohio, USA
The members are:
Chris Thompson - Guitar, Vocals
Rob Bradley - Guitar
Kedar Hiremath - Bass
Chris "Ambrose" Burnsides - Drums
Sleepers Awake are a strange hybrid of Progressive Metal indeed. Sleepers Awake blend Progressive Metal with other genres such as Sludge, Stoner, Doom and Post-Metal. They released an album back in 2009 which blew me away when I first heard of it. The way the band blended their music was a breath of fresh air.
This is a band that don’t stick to normal genre conventions. They put in whatever they want, when they want. If you’re a fan of TOOL, ISIS, Neurosis, Mastodon and COG. Then you going to love this band.
Sleepers Awake have just released their new album – Transcension - A 12 song and 70 minute epic that will have you head-banging from the start and scratching your head saying what am I listening to but all in brilliant equal measure.
The last time I felt like this about an album was for Adrift For Day’s latest masterpiece – Come Midnight. Well this has the same type vibe but still refreshingly different as well.
First track – The Augur - will show you only a little glimpse of what to expect on this brilliant album. The 5.30 minutes combines riffs that shouldn't really go together but they do. Progressive Metal, Sludge, Stoner and Post-Metal.
Combine with heartfelt vocals from vocalist Chris which will send chills down your spine. This is a guy who knows how to sing from the heart.
Up next is the first of many epic tracks – Burdened – which runs for a mind expanding 9:30 mins. This is my fave track on the album. As the track take its time in building up it’s atmosphere before all carnage breaks loose. Just a truly wonderful epic which shows off the bands creativity down to a fine art.
Sludge, Stoner, Doom, Prog Rock and Post-Metal metal fans will be in musical paradise when listing to this brilliant album.
When the 3rd track – Apparitions – kicks in the band decide to throw in brutal hardcore/death metal based vocals just for good measure. This came as a surprise to me as I was not expecting it. It’s just another excellent surprise waiting in store for the listener.
I am not going to do a song by song review as it’s too epic of an album for something like that. But the 9 tracks that follow just showcase what a truly great band Sleepers Awake actually are.
I first listened to this about a month ago when the guys give me an online feed to listen to. But I waited until it was officially out to buy it. As I knew then from the first listen this is something special indeed.
The album is expertly played and produced from everyone involved. The epic 70 minute running time might put some people off. But you really are missing a truly wonderful album that needs to be discovered from any serious metal fan.
With TOOL on an extended hiatus (OK – they are working on an album, but they are taking their time) – Sleepers Awake have released an incredible album that TOOL would be proud to call their own. But in this release we have huge layers of Sludge, Doom, Stoner and Post-Metal to accompany the superb Progressive Rock/Metal genre the guys primarily reside in.
The album cover is a work of art. It actually fits the mood Sleepers Awake are trying to convey on the album.
Sleepers Awake are modern day craftsmen. The way they create a song is nothing short of inspirational. They are a band that are very hard to categorize. I feel these guys are perfect kindred spirits to Aussie Noise Makers – Adrift For Days.
They both have the same ethic of heavy music. Though there is no Drone Rock here like with Adrift For Days. But you can find many similarities between these two great bands.
So what I am saying is if you loved Adrift For Days – Come Midnight – then you going to love this. It will take you on a wild roller-coaster ride of emotions that I haven’t experienced much in 2012.
A truly exhiilarting experience that I can’t recommend highly enough. It might take you a few listens to get through this mammoth album. But what an experience. Awesome. End Of.
Highly Recommended.
You can buy Transcension from Sleepers Awake BandCamp Page now. Both digital and physical.
Check This Superb Band Below.
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