Wake up! Sleep have just released 'The Clarity,' their first new song in more than a decade!

Technically, it took Sleep 18 years to give us a new track, as the albums 'Jerusalem' (1999) and 'Dopesmoker' (2003) were both written in 1996. The three-year gap dividing the 1996 sessions and the release of 'Jerusalem' has been attributed to issues between Sleep and their record company at the time, London Records. Creative frustration between the label and Sleep's experimental style caused much friction, and Sleep disbanded in 1998.

Both 'Jerusalem' and 'Dopesmoker,' which are basically two very similar versions of one idea, are considered to be modern classics, so the sudden release of 'The Clarity' is among the most exciting metal news of the year.

Thanks to NPR and the Adult Swim singles series, the near 10-minute song is a riff-heavy superbeast thanks to Sleep member and High on Fire frontman Matt Pike. The legendary Al Cisneros also lends his trademark bass tone and vocal groan to the tune, while new drummer Jason Roeder (Neurosis) keeps the doom chained down.

Sleep reunited in 2009, but we haven't heard much from them since. "Sleep has been sporadically writing riffs for a while now," comments the band. "When Adult Swim approached Sleep about a single, Sleep set aside those riffs and wrote the single in a couple days. 'The Clarity' is an exercise in musical stream of thought, as all proper music should be." According to the band, 'The Clarity' has inspired a new full-length, so stay tuned for news on that!

Do yourself a favor and check out 'The Clarity' by Sleep in the player below!

Sleep, 'The Clarity'

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