10 Perfect Albums With Dark Backstories

10. Presence - Led Zeppelin

There was pretty much nothing that could slow Led Zeppelin down after Physical Graffiti. The last few years had been a whirlwind of them turning into one of the biggest bands in the world, and even if the critics didn't agree, their blend of blues, hard rock, and Eastern influences became the bible for any kid wanting to start a rock band of their own. While Presence may have still been up to the standards that the band set for themselves, the fatigue that they were feeling is really evident on here as well.

Just before the band had started to work on the album, Robert Plant was in a very bad car wreck, which left him in a wheelchair for most of the sessions for this record. In between all of the great performances, there were many times where the band had to take a break for Robert to ease tension on his voice, not being able to get the same kind of breath support in his frazzled state.

That didn't stop the songs in the slightest though. If anything, hearing something like Achilles Last Stand sound as powerful as it does is equally impressive knowing that Robert was sitting down for most of it, having to reach deep into his throat and came through with one of the best Zeppelin songs ever created, living up to the epic standards that came after Stairway to Heaven and Kashmir. Robert may have been on unsteady ground in the studio, but by just sitting for the whole time, you can really feel him channeling the gusto of bluesy belters like Howlin Wolf on here.