Sleep Hempispheres
Released Sep 3, 2026 Third Man Records
Consensus forming 3 professional reviews Updated Oct 3, 2026
Mixed-to-negative consensus
Consensus is still forming across 3 professional reviews. Sleep's Hempispheres lands as a mixed, often frustrating return from a band whose legacy towers over these new songs.
How ChoruScore worksCritics' Top Tracks
The songs critics returned to most
The Morrisist
2 critic mentions
“Fluid grooves evolve and connect to the second track, “The Morrisist”, as the listener gets more and more accustomed to the band being less intimidating than before.” — Sputnik Music
Have Spacesuit Will Travel
2 critic mentions
“The opening “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” must be inspired by Robert Heinlein’s sci-fi novel” — Sputnik Music
Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked
2 critic mentions
“Dupree’s solo here is maybe his most emotive on the album, but so far removed it can barely connect” — Beats Per Minute
Full critic consensus
Sleep's Hempispheres lands as a mixed, often frustrating return from a band whose legacy towers over these new songs. Across professional reviews, critics concede there are moments of real heft - particularly “Arrival of the Industry Ships”, “The Morrisist”, “Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” and “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” - yet many of those highs are undercut by production choices and a lack of propulsion.
The critical consensus, reflected in a 49.33/100 score across 3 professional reviews, repeatedly cites homage to Black Sabbath, psychedelia and space-rock textures as intentional directions that sometimes pay off. Reviewers consistently praise isolated passages: “Arrival of the Industry Ships” for its attempts at groove, “The Morrisist” for ominous mood, “Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” for closing tension, and “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” for its cosmic color. At the same time critics note dry mixes, thin bass, timid instrumentation and listless vocals, which make several tracks feel like lost opportunities rather than triumphant returns.
Opinions split between those who welcome the looser, bass-forward psychedelia and those who judge the record against Sleep's heavier, more monumental past. Some reviewers value the revamped lineup and moments of improvisational grit, while others find the album monotony outweighs its legacy. For readers asking "is Hempispheres good" the short verdict from professional reviews is ambivalent: fetch the standout tracks above if you want the album's rewards, but expect inconsistency across the set. The detailed reviews below unpack where Hempispheres succeeds and where it falters in Sleep's catalog.
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Have Spacesuit Will Travel
The Morrisist
Hempispheres
Arrival of the Industry Ships
Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked
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What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 5 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Sleep’s Hempispheres finds the band looser and more psychedelic, trading sheer guitar immensity for bass-led space and conversational vocals. The reviewer flags “Hempispheres” and “Arrival of the Industry Ships” as some of the record’s best tracks, praising a guitar solo and a sprawling semi-jam respectively, and recommends “Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” as a closing exercise in tension-building. Recording at the Melvins’ studio and the cleaner production give the new lineup a vintage, garage-like directness that suits these songs. Overall, the best tracks on Hempispheres are singled out for their hypnotic grooves and successful psychedelic shifts from Sleep’s previous heaviness.
Key Points
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“Arrival of the Industry Ships” is the standout for its eleven-minute miniature voyage and semi-jam that crystallizes the new aesthetic.
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The album’s strength is its looser, more psychedelic sound, bass-forward mix, and conversational vocal space after Pike’s departure.
Themes
Critic's Take
Sleep's Hempispheres opens promisingly but quickly loses steam, with the reviewer singling out “The Morrisist” and “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” as the best tracks. John Wohlmacher writes in a measured, slightly elegiac tone, praising “The Morrisist” as possibly the album's best song for its ominous intro and dense mood, while noting “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” introduces cosmic textures. He fault-finds the record's dry production and listless runtime, explaining why other songs never achieve a climax or identity. The narrative stays grounded in the album's space-rock leanings and the failing translation of veteran players into inspired statements.
Key Points
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The Morrisist stands out as the album's best song for its ominous intro, nocturnal mood and inspired melodies.
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Hempispheres' core strengths are its initial space-rock textures and a few strong moments, undermined by dry production and listless pacing.
Themes
Th
Critic's Take
Hi, everyone, Anthony Fantano here - this review of Sleep's Hempispheres lands on the album's shortcomings more than its highs, and when I point to the best tracks I mean the ones that at least try to move the needle. The title track “Hempispheres” is called out as feeling like a stoner metal audiobook, which underscores why it is not the best song on the record but still notable. Conversely, on “Arrival of the Industry Ships” the band attempts momentum and groove, and that push makes it one of the more listenable moments despite clunky bass and a thin mix. Overall the record suffers from dry production, thin bass and passionless vocals, so searching for the best songs on Hempispheres feels like scavenging for small victories in an otherwise disappointing set.
Key Points
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The best song(s) are the ones that push momentum or atmosphere, like "Arrival of the Industry Ships" which tries to lean into grooves.
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The album's core strengths are scant; production, thin bass, and passionless vocals undermine otherwise extended riff-jams.
Themes
Critic's Take
Sleep return with Hempispheres, and the record’s best moments are few and small - chiefly the album-closing grit of “Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” and the moody soloing in the title track “Hempispheres”. Brad Sanders writes with blunt disappointment, noting that Dupree’s playing is too deferential and Cisneros’s vocals and lyrics leave the band sounding rudderless rather than transcendent. If you search for the best songs on Hempispheres, look to “Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” for Crover’s liveliness and “Hempispheres” for the only moments where a solo briefly punctures the album’s monotony.
Key Points
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“Whole Wheat Mountain / Well Baked” stands out because Dale Crover’s drumming injects swing and liveliness absent elsewhere.
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The album’s core strengths are occasional solo moments and Crover’s playing, but overall the record is hampered by timid riffs and distracting weed puns.
Themes
Critic's Take
Sleep reconvened on Hempispheres with a pragmatic, riff-forward swagger that spotlights the best tracks. I single out “The Morrisist” and “Have Spacesuit Will Travel” as the clearest highlights for fans seeking classic Sleep heaviness. The record benefits from the band’s first album in eight years and a revamped lineup. Overall, the album’s riff-centric approach delivers consistent rewards.
Key Points
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The Morrisist is the standout for its explicit homage to riff culture and Tony Iommi references.
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The album's strengths are its riff-focused songwriting, notable lineup changes, and strategic single releases.