10 Darkest Hard Rock Albums Ever Made

When addressing the darker side of the spectrum, inspiration can come from a few places. While most people would like to take on something more personal in their lyrics, some of the most unsettling pieces of music come when you bring up the macabre parts of society like serial killers and maniacs. In the case of A Perfect Circle though, what if the real enemy is you?

Across Thirteenth Step, Maynard James Keenan paints a beautifully melancholy portrait of what it would be like to live life as an addict, always needing that one extra kick to make you function from one day to the next. Even though thousands of rock stars have written about drugs in the past, the characters in these songs are walking down much darker paths, almost willing to kill to get what they need.

By keeping things incredibly downtempo, the songs seep into your brain in a way that's much more discreet, much like an addiction doesn't reveal itself from the first moment you start using. Listening back to songs like Weak and Powerless and Gravity give you an added sense of realism, as if you're peering into these people as they reach the point of no return. Thirteen might not be that many steps to take at the end of the day, but it just might be one too far.