Tool

Heavy, patient and quietly hypnotic, this music unfolds more like ritual than rock. Debut full-length Undertow (1993) leaned towards classic metal before Ænima (1996) carried the band into progressive territory, a record dedicated to comedian Bill Hicks, whose ideas they felt mirrored their own.

Visuals matter as much as sound. Guitarist Adam Jones, who first arrived in Los Angeles hoping for film work, created the unsettling 'Prison Sex' clip, which MTV pulled after a few showings.

Lateralus (2001) stretched further still: thirteen intricate tracks across 79 minutes, among them the epic 'Parabola'. That year brought a mini-tour with King Crimson; singer Maynard James Keenan likened sharing their stage to 'Lenny Kravitz playing with Led Zeppelin'.