10 Perfect Hard Rock Albums Of The 2000s

10. Thirteenth Step - A Perfect Circle

The genius of Maynard James Keenan would have been enough for just one great rock band. Since Tool had basically cemented their legacy at the end of the '90s, it looked like Maynard was already set to be one of the greatest frontmen of the modern age. Once you find yourself with the right idea though, things can get a lot more interesting when you decide to branch out.

Being the second outing for A Perfect Circle, Thirteenth Step was proof enough that the first record wasn't a fluke, tackling the themes of addiction with a pretty morbid slant. This isn't just the kind of dependency of something like booze or drugs either. Going through songs like Weak and Powerless and Blue, the sense of helplessness in these lyrics have more to do with being totally dependent on any sort of vice.

As you go further and further into the album, it's almost like you're trying to understand what makes the human brain become so accustomed to going back to these addictions even though you know it will end up hurting you in the long run. Though other bands of the nu metal scene were delving into darker topics, this was a stark look at what real despair really looked like. See, even Tool's young brother had more than its fair share of tricks up their sleeve.