Sleep Dopesmoker 2LP

Recorded in 1996 and not released (in slightly different edit/mix) until 1999 under the title Jerusalem, the legend and lore behind Dopesmoker would overshadow an LP of any lesser significance. But the 63-minute magnum opus dedicated exclusively to the sacrament of marijuana is not just the pinnacle of the goofily named stoner metal genre…it's inarguably one of the most important and influential albums of all time.

Dopesmoker is at once an instant doom metal classic — some might even say a masterpiece — as well as an impossibly dense, nearly impenetrable listening experience for unprepared fans (just to give you an idea, the first vocals only arrive 16 minutes in)... what skeptical listeners must take into account here is that 'Dopesmoker' is in fact a single song, not a series of song snippets stitched together progressive rock style. As such, this initially daunting edifice of snarling riffage requires quite a bit more patience and dedicated sampling before its secrets are unlocked and its riddles unraveled, but therein lies the crux of what is ultimately a very rewarding experience.