10 Sci-Fi Hard Rock Albums You Need To Hear

8. Dopes To Infinity - Monster Magnet

Monster Magnet mastermind Dave Wyndorf has long been a fan of comics, other worlds, crazy creatures and everything in between. The band's lyrics routinely include references to everything from Ego, the Living Planet to artist Jack Kirby, and though they're frequently cited as a pioneer of "stoner metal", there's plenty to love in a "nerd rock" sense too. Even mascot "Bull God" is inspired by the front of a Conan comic.

For Dopes to Infinity, the band made a conscious effort to "transport" the listener to this place of pure, mind-expanding rock ephemera. The end result is a literal trip; sonically expansive but still identifiable as rock n' roll.

Negasonic Teenage Warhead (another Marvel character) starts with a spacey flange effect easing you in, All Friends and Kingdom Come is filled with echoes and delays, while Ego, the Living Planet comes with rumbling guitars, simulating the heft of such a creature. Its only lyric is Dave screaming "I talk to planets, baby!".

Wyndorf also noted he was working 16 hour shifts with sound engineers at the time, experimenting with what samples and synthesised textures were available in 1995.

The end result more than paid off. Dopes to Infinity is one of the band's absolute best. A pulsating precursor to anthemic-smasher followups like Powertrip and Monolithic Baby, achieving a mind-altering state with no other substances required.