1. Kyuss – "Molten Universe" (from Blues for the Red Sun, 1993)
A classic from the band that spawned Queens of the Stone Age, the whole album is revelatory, but this instrumental number showcases the intricate playing by Josh Homme on a guitar apparently tuned down two octaves for even more sludgy goodness.

2. Monster Magnet – "Pill Shovel" (from Spine of God, 1992)
While the New Jersey combo may have devolved into Rob Zombie-like self-parodies in their later years, back before their rock radio hits they made 30-minute jams and put sci-fi weirdness on their album covers. This track's a little more straightforward, but still features thick reverb and menacing Eastern tones.

3. Clutch – "Spacegrass" (from Clutch, 1995)
Clutch have as much in common with prog-metal bands like Primus as they do with Kyuss, willing to leave out the drums for a whole verse and then scream their heads off in the chorus, but the sludgy groove keeps them firmly on Earth.

4. Sleep – "Dragonaut" (from Sleep's Holy Mountain, 1995)
One of the great underappreciated bands of the era, Sleep formed in San Jose and set their sights on Black Sabbath, but their weed-addled brains got a little lost. On "Dragonaut," they let the gloomy grooves evolve at a languid pace, although they would eventually push patience to the extreme with a 50-minute song. That, my friends, must have been some good pot.

5. Fu Manchu – "Asphalt Risin'" (from In Search Of…, 1995)
This SoCal band evidences a little more of the stoner stereotype: inconsistency and a tendency to devolve towards in-joke kookiness. When they hold it together, though, they sound awesome: the guitar lines in the chorus seem pulled down by their own weight.