San Francisco’s avant-garde film scoring drone/doom project, Sleepbomb, has embarked on an exciting new chapter by signing with Koolarrow Records. The band, known for its unique approach to blending film scoring with their distinctively heavy soundscape, is set to release its newest LP this fall.
A Unique Fusion of Cinema and Doom
Sleepbomb has been a force in the San Francisco arts and metal scene since the early 2000s, scoring live soundtracks for films and creating a wholly unique music experience. After a short hiatus, the band returned in 2015 to explore heavier territories, crafting soundtracks for seminal works of German expressionist cinema such as ‘Metropolis‘ and ‘Nosferatu.’ Their debut release, ‘The Path of Pins‘ in 2020, laid the groundwork for their distinctive sonic path.
One of the band’s core members, Tim Gotch, shared some insight into their unique approach: “We receive frequent feedback from audience members who have attended films that they had no idea who Sleepbomb was upon coming in…And these people are amazed by the experience of seeing their favorite film in a new light with the recontextualized score. This is key to the Sleepbomb experience and key to growing a diverse fanbase outside of the metal scene.”
Koolarrow Records: The Perfect Home
Billy Gould, the founder of Koolarrow Records, expressed his enthusiasm for the new signing: “Compared to most other projects that I’ve worked on, Sleepbomb is an entirely different beast. I have always liked music when there is a visual component to it, but these guys express theirs with a rhythm that is very deep and hypnotic, but full of character in a very human sense.”
Tim Gotch responded to the signing announcement, “Billy has been a long-time mentor to Sleepbomb and a never-ending font of great ideas and advice. When Billy offered to release The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari via his personal imprint, Koolarrow, we immediately said yes. We are honored and grateful for this opportunity and can’t think of a better home for our first label release!”
An Unending Exploration of Sonic Boundaries
With the signing to Koolarrow Records and five full film scores under their belt, Sleepbomb is poised to disseminate their unique fusion of cinematic art and music to a wider audience. The band’s first full formal score recording – ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ – is scheduled to be released in October 2023 in digital, physical, and synchronized Blu-ray formats.
Founded in 2003 and known for their industrial/experimental scores, Sleepbomb has been consistently pushing the boundaries of drone and doom metal. After a hiatus and several lineup changes, the band fully regrouped in 2015 and has been delivering innovative scores to audiences, recontextualizing genre-defining films with entirely new soundtracks.
Sleepbomb’s signing with Koolarrow Records and the upcoming release of ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ underscore their commitment to their unique artistic endeavor and promise a deep dive beyond the listeners’ imagination.
