Stoner-doom legends SLEEP have returned with "Have Spacesuit Will Travel", their first new music since 2018, released via Third Man Records. The single also marks the debut of a reshaped lineup — and the band's first mission without founding guitarist Matt Pike.
Bassist, vocalist and chief songwriter Al Cisneros now leads a new trio featuring drummer Dale Crover (MELVINS, REDD KROSS) and guitarist Bubba Dupree of the cult Maryland hardcore band VOID. "The vibe of the first jam was obvious," Cisneros said of the new chemistry. "It was blue sunglasses-era Iommi in the quality, and equally awesome is [that] Bubba is also one of the coolest people I've been able to make music with." Of Pike's departure, the band offered only that "Al wishes Matt the best on his earthbound maneuvers."
Alongside the single, SLEEP unveiled the first issue of a SLEEP comic book, written by Cisneros and illustrated by Dave Kloc and Arik Roper. It begins the saga of The Marijuanaut, transporting readers to the "riff-filled land" of Planet Iommia, where the hero meets The Weedian. A limited-edition bundle pairs the comic with a signed bookplate and a flexidisc of the new song.
SLEEP will also hit the road on a summer/fall 2026 North American tour, kicking off September 8 in San Diego, California. Artist presales begin June 23 at 10 a.m. local time, with the general on-sale following June 25 at 10 a.m. local time. The band most recently played a handful of shows in 2022.
The new chapter follows a turbulent stretch behind the scenes. In January 2025, drummer Jason Roeder revealed he had been "unceremoniously fired by SLEEP's manager over the phone" in November 2024. With Cisneros now flanked by Crover and Dupree, SLEEP appear ready to chart a fresh course through the cosmos of riff worship they helped define with landmark records like "Holy Mountain" and the hour-long "Dopesmoker".