On June 20th, 2000, alt-metal trailblazers Deftones released their creative and commercial breakthrough album White Pony. That same day, to celebrate and promote the release, the Sacramento band appeared on Late Night With David Letterman and delivered an emotionally devastating performance of the record's most well-known song "Change (In the House of Flies)."

After a brief intro from Letterman, who dropped a tidbit about the group's hometown being the capital of California, a greasy-haired Chino Moreno and the gang crept into the eerie, slinky track with a youthful passion and skill level well-honed through their previous 12 years as a band.

During the song's iconic quiet bridge, Moreno takes a bit of artistic license and recites his whispered lines like an inspired poet before bursting back into the explosively passionate chorus. The fire sustains them through the end of the performance, leaving an indelible impression on all who watched it the first time around. Check out the full video above.

Below, Chino Moreno discusses Deftones' creative process and why the interband conflict during the White Pony sessions was a good thing: