Review by Jack on May 8, 2002.

The reason I love working in the field of metal as a music genre is for reasons like Sleepless’ “Winds Blow Higher”. The amount of crossover metal has with musical sectors like jazz, classical, trip-hop, electronic, ambient etc, etc is truly phenomenal. While listening to the one collective genre (metal), us metalheads are subjected to a wonderful diversity of other musical talents, and the best thing is that metal tends to weed out the worse bands of their respective genres. Case in point, Sleepless.

“Winds Blow Higher” is the debut record from these two blokes from Israel. Possibly one of the most topical contemporary subjects in the world at the moment is the Israeli and Palestinian relations. It is nice to see something else besides ill-relations and controversial politicians come out of Israel in recent times. “Merging elements from the ‘vintage days’ of the progressive rock with today’s dark psychedelia, alternative and jazz with a dark gothic vibe” (adapted from the Sleepless website: www.sleeplesscd.com). Sleepless and “Winds Blow Higher” are all that and more. “Winds Blow Higher” is a murky record, it transcends many, many eras of music from today and yesterday, while making a unique concept in today’s transcending music scene. Sleepless bridge all the above genres so it well that it makes it impossible to tell that they combine jazz, rock and gothic elements to “Winds Blow Higher”. It is almost as though they forge an entire new genre of music themselves. Nothing I can think of even slightly resembles the doppelganger that has been created by Sleepless.

“Winds Blow Higher” isn’t for everyone, as it doesn’t really invigorate many a person like Soilwork or Cannibal Corpse does. But I guess “Winds Blow Higher” doesn’t seek to deconstruct brain-cells either, the way the aforementioned bands do. “Winds Blow Higher” is mellow and melodic. It can draw you in and suck you into a vortex of complicated thoughts and emotions or it can pass seamlessly by, as if it were background music. Such is the musical creativity and diversity of David Bendayan and Maor Appelbaum.

Bottom Line: Walking to the ends of the earth and back again, Sleepless pick up parts from every genre of known music, and create a fusion of all the finest pieces. For a debut this is fantastic, and I cannot wait for a follow up masterpiece. “Winds Blow Higher” is a tasty a morsel for those with an open mind to their extreme music.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 9
Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 9
Production: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 8.4 out of 10