Nine Inch Nails' 'The Downward Spiral' is a masterpiece that both challenges and conquers the mainstream, leaving its mark on an entire generation.

If that's the kind of legacy Reznor has left with his words alone, then musically, "The Downward Spiral" is a tour de force of creativity, invention and innovation, and an outstretched middle finger to those who view electronics in heavy music with blinders on. More than 20 years after its initial release on March 8, 1994, The Downward Spiral was so far ahead of its time that it still feels relevant today.

The album's colors and textures - from jarring, unsettling keys and synthesizers to industrial, fuzzy and heavy distortion to moments of pure tranquility (as in the divine "A Warm Place") - are a veritable assault on the senses: The Spiral has it all. Such is the depth of this masterpiece that even an upgrade of headphones can offer a whole new listening experience, not to mention the sensory overload offered by the remastered vinyl reissue of the album.