Incubus

One of the most versatile outfits in rock, Incubus pepper their alt-metal core with shades of funk, rap, and beautifully controlled heaviness. Building on a dedicated nucleus of California support, the band made it to the big time by fusing a maelstrom of guitar noise with solid funk-rock. "Pardon Me" is a mother.

Prepare yourself for the many pleasures of the remastered S.C.I.E.N.C.E., Incubus' 1997 major-label debut. Throughout the verses of "A Certain Shade of Green" the jiggery beats allow you to bust some moves like a rubber-legged funk monkey, while the chorus is a pogo-friendly eruption. Brandon Boyd's vocals remain a marvel.

If you believe the medieval mythology, an incubus is a horny male demon who smothers sleeping women in order to have its wicked way — but there's nothing too devilish about these L.A. Valley boys who made their name playing all-ages gigs in the '90s. Actually, Incubus chose their name at random, by looking in a dictionary, but they've since expanded the definition of the word to include a sound that encompasses everything from funk-fortified alt-metal to progressive, jazzy grooves. If nu-metal had a triumph, Incubus is it.