10 Greatest Nu Metal Albums Of All Time

A Perfect Circle has been called Maynard James Keenan's side band for far too long now. Ever since they first started, some average metal fans will just recognize the guy from Tool and just see him as the leader of this band when he's not belting out Stinkfist on the festival circuit. Fans may have been intrigued with Mer De Noms, but Thirteenth Step was where things really started to hit a peak.

Formed in the mind of guitarist Billy Howerdel, this entire album seems to be a meditation on the addictive personality, with most people being almost slaves to their respective vices.

Though there are some genuine headbangers to be had here on songs like The Outsider, the record truly shines when things are brought down to their dark essentials, from the soaring vocals on Weak and Powerless to the trance-like aura you get from Gravity.

Whether it's the soundscapes Howerdel paints or the schizophrenic nature of Keenan's vocals, every single person brings their A-game, with James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins entering the fold to add different sonic textures.

This definitely fits the nu metal category with the detuned guitars and moody vocal passages, but coming at a time when things were getting far too stupid for their own good, this was the breath of fresh air to remind people why this music was so good in the first place.