California doom act Sleep has returned with their first single in more than eight years, "Have Spacesuit Will Travel," the band's first track without founding guitarist Matt Pike, out now via Third Man Records.

Listen below:

While not having Pike on guitar is a hard pill to swallow for many, one silver lining is that legendary sludge drummer Dale Crover (Melvins, Nirvana) is sitting behind the throne for the foreseeable future.

The latest incarnation of Sleep also features longtime bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros and new guitarist Bubba Dupree (Void), who undoubtedly has massive shoes to fill.

A press release for the new single states:

"The music and art are alive and after the decades of obstacles that Sleep has overcome, it is time to move forward and make songs and albums. Al wishes Matt the best on his earth bound maneuvers."

Cisneros said the change was felt from the moment of the new trio's first rehearsal: "The vibe of the first jam was obvious. It was blue sunglasses-era Iommi in the quality, and equally awesome is Bubba is also one of the coolest people I’ve been able to make music with."

In conjunction with the new single, Cisneros also announced the first issue of the Sleep Comic Book, his authorial debut for Third Man Books. Illustrated by Dave Kloe and Arik Roper, the first issue begins the saga of the Marijuanaut, which features encounters with The Weedian and a world called Planet Iommia.

Issue #1 is available as a standard edition, standalone comic and a limited-edition bundle including the comic, full cover poster, signed bookplate, designed rolling papers and a flexi-disc of the band's new single. Purchase here or here.

The new iteration of Sleep will also embark on a sprawling 30-date North American tour that begins Tuesday, September 8, in San Diego, and includes a headline performance at Levitation Festival in Austin, before closing out November 17 in Washington, DC.

Artist pre-sale tickets begin at 10 a.m. local time Tuesday, June 23, and public on-sale tickets begin at 10 a.m. local time Thursday, June 25. Register here.

Tour Dates:

09/08 San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
09/09 Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
09/10 Albuquerque, NM @ Revel
09/12 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
09/13 Austin, TX @ Levitation
09/14 Oklahoma City, OK @ Tower Theatre
09/16 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
09/17 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Grand At The Complex
09/18 Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall
09/20 Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
09/21 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
09/22 Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
09/23 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
09/25 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
09/26 San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
09/27 Santa Cruz, CA @ The Catalyst
09/28 Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
09/29 Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
11/04 Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
11/05 Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
11/06 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
11/07 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrew's Hall
11/09 Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
11/10 Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
11/11 South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom
11/12 Boston, MA @ Roadrunner
11/13 Hudson, NY @ Basilica Hudson
11/15 Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts
11/16 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
11/17 Washington, DC @ Lincoln Theatre