Asbestosdeath

by Eduardo Rivadavia
Asbestosdeath was an early incarnation of the legendary stoner/doom band Sleep, featuring the core trio of vocalist/bassist Al Cisneros, guitarist Matt Pike, and drummer Chris Hakius, plus second guitarist Tom Choi. Formed in the late '80s, the quartet released a pair of 7" singles in 1989's Unclean and 1990's Dejection that were made up mostly of songs later found on the first Sleep album, Volume One, only in a less refined, dirtier, and sludgier guise. When Choi eventually departed, toward the end of 1990, Asbestosdeath officially transformed into Sleep, recruiting guitarist Justin Marler for the aforementioned debut, but only achieving true cult worship as a trio, some time later, beginning with 1993's sophomore album, Sleep's Holy Mountain.