Justin Marler
Encyclopedia
Justin Marler is an American musician and author. He is known for being a founding member of the seminal doom metal band Sleep
, and for leaving a burgeoning career in music to become a monk in an Eastern Orthodox monastery. In 1990 Justin joined the members of a little known band called Asbestos Death (Al Cisneros
, Chris Hakius
and Matt Pike
) and they renamed the band Sleep. Soon after recording their first full length record, Volume One
, Justin Marler vanished, while Sleep went on to become metal icons.
Marler turned up at St. Herman Monastery in northern California and later was transferred to a monastery on a nearly deserted island in Alaska. During his seven-year stint as a monk he founded the widely distributed Zine titled Death To The World
. The zine had a considerable impact on counter culture youth during the mid to late 90s, which caught the attention of mainstream press, and quickly led to the release of his first book, Youth of the Apocalypse, (co-authored with a fellow monastic). In 1999, Justin Marler left his reclusive life in the monastery and returned to California where he restarted his music career, with former Sleep bandmate Chris Hakius
, as the lead singer for the alternative band The Sabians. Marler moved to Austin, Texas
in 2005, and is a musician and publishing author. Marler is active in the Austin music scene with current band Shiny Empire.
Sleep (band)
Sleep is a stoner doom metal band from San Jose, California. Active during the 1990s, Sleep earned critical and record label attention early in their career. Critic Eduardo Rivadavia describes them as "perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band" and notes they exerted a strong influence on heavy metal...
, and for leaving a burgeoning career in music to become a monk in an Eastern Orthodox monastery. In 1990 Justin joined the members of a little known band called Asbestos Death (Al Cisneros
Al Cisneros
Al Cisneros |Sleep]], Om, Shrinebuilder, and Asbestosdeath.-Biography:He began his musical career in 1989 by founding a local punk metal band, Asbestosdeath, along with Chris Hakius , Matt Pike and Tom Choi . Cisneros performed bass guitar for the band, and they released two EPs in 1990...
, Chris Hakius
Chris Hakius
Chris Hakius was the drummer of band Sleep. After Sleep's break up, he became the drummer for The Sabians, with former Sleep member Justin Marler. He was also the drummer of Om, until his departure on January 31, 2008. His final live performances was with Sleep in 2009 at the ATP Show for the reunion...
and Matt Pike
Matt Pike
Matt Pike is an American rock musician best known as the guitarist of the influential doom metal band Sleep and frontman of High on Fire. He is quite well known in the metal scene for almost never wearing a shirt during live performances....
) and they renamed the band Sleep. Soon after recording their first full length record, Volume One
Volume One (Sleep album)
Volume One is the debut album by the American band Sleep. It was the only album recorded with original guitarist Justin Marler, before he became an Orthodox monk. Volume One showcases a darker sound and stronger doom metal influence than Sleep's later work...
, Justin Marler vanished, while Sleep went on to become metal icons.
Marler turned up at St. Herman Monastery in northern California and later was transferred to a monastery on a nearly deserted island in Alaska. During his seven-year stint as a monk he founded the widely distributed Zine titled Death To The World
Death To The World
- History : was started by monks and nuns from the St Herman of Alaska Monastery in Platina, California, as a medium of evangelism to teens involved in the punk subculture by monastics who were ex-punks...
. The zine had a considerable impact on counter culture youth during the mid to late 90s, which caught the attention of mainstream press, and quickly led to the release of his first book, Youth of the Apocalypse, (co-authored with a fellow monastic). In 1999, Justin Marler left his reclusive life in the monastery and returned to California where he restarted his music career, with former Sleep bandmate Chris Hakius
Chris Hakius
Chris Hakius was the drummer of band Sleep. After Sleep's break up, he became the drummer for The Sabians, with former Sleep member Justin Marler. He was also the drummer of Om, until his departure on January 31, 2008. His final live performances was with Sleep in 2009 at the ATP Show for the reunion...
, as the lead singer for the alternative band The Sabians. Marler moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 2005, and is a musician and publishing author. Marler is active in the Austin music scene with current band Shiny Empire.
Books
- Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country, first edition, moon handbooks, 2005
- Door to Paradise, published 1998, St. Herman Press
- Youth of the Apocalypse, published 1997, St. Herman Press
Discography
- Sleep-Sign Language, compilation (Allied Recordings 1991)
- Sleep-Very Small World, LP compilation (Very Small Records 1991)
- Sleep-Volume One (Tupelo Records 1991)
- Monk John Marler-Lamentations, (Catacomb records 1997)
- The Sabians-Beauty For Ashes, (The Music Cartel 2001)
- The Sabians-Shiver, (The Music Cartel 2003)