Monster Magnet Album: “Dopes to Infinity”

Only once every few years do I happen to find an album that is so beautifully crafted, that it is near impossible to select any favorites from the album, or only listen to one song; Dopes to Infinity is one of those few albums, where the album might as well be one long song, instead of divided into 12 individual sections.

MM blend psychedelic and rock elements together to create an hour long episode inside MM's brainchild Dave Wyndorf. The lyrics are purposefully written to be obscure with many science fiction and space-tinged themes, which is one of MM's glamors by truly being askew from the normal, standard popular rock crowd.

While I find it difficult to select any one song as a favorite, the top of my list would be "Dopes", "Negasonic" (which is the song that introduced me to MM), "Third Alternative" and "King of Mars". The lowest points I would point out would be Blow 'Em Off and Dead Christmas which have a more acoustic feel to them, but even they have their shining moments.

Not only would I label this among my favorite albums in my collection, this album has also placed its stamp in my life, detailing my life back in 1995-6.

The lads of MM aim to play with the big cats on this album and they succeed beyond their wildest dreams. The title track opens the album with nerve shattering snorting violence and the action doesn't let up until 70 minutes later. "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" can be used as a therapeutic device for highschool brats. "I will deny you!" That is, you've got nothing on me, you pseudo-peers. Things get downright scary in "All Friends and Kingdom Come." But like any good trashy horror novel, if you're not scared you wouldn't be getting what you want. Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land meant to purge its readers of pity and fear. MM agree. By making you so damn scared you get a huge rush when you realize that what's so bloody scary is YOU. If you like trash, you probably read comics. & Dave and the boys have come up with the perfect soundtrack to any cosmic comic with "Ego the Living Planet." This one can be profitably listened to while you read things like Marvel's Earth X. "I Control I Fly" kicks out the jams and rocks frenetically, while "Dead Christmas" provides some darkly amusing moments of introspection.

This is the best thing that Monster Magnet has produced so far. But I suspect that they're only beginning to tap into the demented mind of the teenage brat. We Want More!

What more can be said about Monster Magnet? That they are one of the last orginal rock bands in existance? That their sound is a culmination of everything from punk to heavy metal? That Dave Wyndorf is a genius? All have been said before. The proof? This album: Dopes to Infinity.

from the very beginning Dopes to Infinity is something special. The title track is not only heavy, blusy, and smashed, it is almost anthem like to the point where the word "beautiful" is not over doing it. The blistering assault of Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a quintacential hook of the album. With an infinitly hummable tune and a chorus you'll find yourself singing aloud to yourself. Look to Your Orb for the Waring is is perhaps the albums best song musically with it's obvious nods to not only Sabbath and Deep Purple, but also to Pink Floyd and even Nirvana. I Control I fly is one of the heavyest tracks to ever come out of the band, burning with energy and Daves ego in full swing. Dead Christmas is the albums wild card. All it needs is Jim Morrison instead of Dave to make it a Doors song! The album as a whole is a phenomina not seen in ages. Like AC/DC's Back in Black, Magnet will more than likely never be able to top this release. Certainly almost nobody else can. My advice: By this album, you will not regret it.

Simply the best MM ever IMHO.

Nasty... Trippy... & Great Production & Sound.

Let the "Melt-Down" begin.

Wyndorf at his songwriting peak here. Gone are the albumside-long psychedelic jams, and interstellar freak-outs-- Monster Magnet are clearly headed for mass appeal with this hour+ longplayer. "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" is "Smells Like Teen Spirit," with a few more hooks and a cool stoner vibe-- in other words, a bona-fide hit. These guys should be millionaires...