The Deftones' sixth album is inspired by tragedy: a car accident in 2008 that left bassist Chi Cheng barely conscious. The results recall the convulsive pummel of 2000's White Pony, which remains the standard for the thinking man's dreadlock metal. Frontman Chino Moreno sings about Cheng — and sometimes to him. Usually, though, his lyrics go for cathartic images (shaking coffins, fading faces) set to chopping riffage, whirlpool distortion and dark, soaring melodies that sound more like the Cure than Korn.

“The Pretender”

This song wasn't part of the planned track listing for 2007's Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, and was put together in a day. "It happened after we recorded a lot of stuff," said Dave Grohl. Yet it ended up as the album opener and the lead single. Grohl called it "a stomping Foo Fighters uptempo song with a little bit of Chuck Berry in it." The singer hinted at the lyrics' political overtones: "Everyone's been f---ed over before and I think a lot of people feel f---ed over right now and they're not getting what they were promised."