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Tool's first full length album is Undertow. Released in 1993, it marked the beginning of Tool's breakthough to mainstream audiences. Althought it featured two fairly popular singles, Prison Sex and Sober, Undertow never reached higher then 50 of the list of billboard 200 albums. However, even though it didn't sell well at release, it has sold well throughout the years do to Tool's large fanbase.
Every Tool album features a different theme. Aenima is dark and spacey, Lateralus is more progressive and technical, and Undertow is more hard rock then anything else. Although Undertow is obviously Tool, people who have only heard Aenima or Lateralus may be surprised by what they hear.
The Tracks:
Track 1: Intolerance
Intolerance is probably my favorite track on the CD, the track actually begins with what seems to sound like someone taking a bong hit. Then the killer bassline and guitar riff kicks in, and its all uphill from there. With an awsome chorus and a catchy tune, Intolerance is one of the best Tool songs in my opinion.
10/10
Track 2: Prison Sex
An awsome song, but the subject matter is pretty graphic. Listening to the lyrics just makes me uncomfortable sometimes. This was one of the singles, and as such, it is a short concise song with a catchy hook.
9/10
Track 3: Sober
This is the song that got me interested in Tool in the first place. I love the lyrics and the theme of the song, as well as the proficient instrument playing and awsome bassline. As time worn on and I listened to more Tool, Sober quickly fell from being my favorite Tool song. However, it is still excellent.
9/10
Track 4: Bottom
Bottom is a strange song. It alternates from Maynard screaming to Henry Rollins mumbling lyrics in a long interlude. Not the best thing Tool has ever done, but still good compared to most of the music out there.
8/10
Track 5: Crawl Away
This track is awsome, the buildup is killer and it is just fast paced mayhem. And even though ive said this a lot, ill say it again, the bass and guitars are ****ing awsome, and Maynard is top notch.
10/10
Track 6: Swamp Song
Another good song (surprise surprise). However, Swamp Song does get a little repetitive at times. The vocals and lyrics in the song aren't all that great, but the instrumentals are very good as usual. One of the worse tracks on the CD, but still good.
7/10
Track 7: Undertow
One of the more progressive tracks on the CD, Undertow is both interesting and technically proficient with some of the best guitarwork on the album here. This song kicks a lot of ***, and features a lot of tempo and style switching.
9/10
Track 8: 4 Degrees
This track starts off with someone playing some kind of sitar or other instrument, transitions into some interesting vocals and bass playing, then kicks in hard and really rocks. One of the best on the CD.
10/10
Track 9: Flood
This is my least favorite track on the CD. It is kinda like Swamp Song, except much longer, not as interesting, and featuring much less vocals. Just not up to the level of the other songs really.
6/10
Track 10: Disgustipated
Pretty much a weird filler track. I usually skip over it, because it isn't really music. Interesting to listen to though, and adds some flavor to the CD.
No Rating
Conclusion:
Undertow is one of the best hard rock CDs of the early 90s, and is in all ways up to the level of Tool's latter work. While not as refined as Lateralus, and not as orchestrated as Aenima, Undertow represents a raw unrefined metal side of Tool that anyone who enjoys metal or Tool should listen to. Although the CD doesn't have many tracks, it is definitly worth picking up.
Rating: 9/10
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this is nowhere nmear the calibre of Aenema, or Lateralus...I like it, but I wouldn't give it a 4.5/5 as it isn't groundbreaking. 4/5 or even 3.75/5....it is good, but nothing compared to their other records.
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I love this CD, Id give it a 4/5. Robnathanson is right. Its nothing compared to the others.
I was just about to do a review for this one, but you beat me too it.
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I like this one just as much as the others, and think it's underrated.
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10/10
Excellent CD
:thumb:
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I'm going to disagree and say that this is a great album too. In my other post, I said all albums would get a 5/5...and I really believe that. Each album builds on the next. Opiate sets the stage nicely, Undertow is dark, brooding, and heavy, Aenima stands out as being very in-your-face, but still progressive, and Lateralus is a masterpiece. When I say 5/5 for all of them, I'm not comparing each Tool album to another, because you can't really. Lateralus and Aenima stand alone, while Opiate and Undertow are connected in their dark, etherial kind of sound. They never really get rid of it, but it's very...bleak on these two albums moreso than the latter two
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[QUOTE=Nazi Bassist]I'm going to disagree and say that this is a great album too. In my other post, I said all albums would get a 5/5...and I really believe that. Each album builds on the next. Opiate sets the stage nicely, Undertow is dark, brooding, and heavy, Aenima stands out as being very in-your-face, but still progressive, and Lateralus is a masterpiece. When I say 5/5 for all of them, I'm not comparing each Tool album to another, because you can't really. Lateralus and Aenima stand alone, while Opiate and Undertow are connected in their dark, etherial kind of sound. They never really get rid of it, but it's very...bleak on these two albums moreso than the latter two[/QUOTE]
Agreed.
Undertow is a great CD, that is usually underrated by people who don't really understand Tool. All of Tool's work is on the same level really.
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Undertow is VERY under-rated. I'd say above Opiate, and pretty much touching Aenima and Lateralus.
The question is, which is better, Aenima or Lateralus?
:confused:
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[QUOTE=ParaRiddleDiddle]
The question is, which is better, Aenima or Lateralus?
:confused:[/QUOTE]
Even I don't answer that one...
I really think that Aenima and Lateralus are on two different levels anyway...they are distant, because of the maturity between the two...but they are close, because the music is still....Tool..
I can't explain it really. They are my two most favorite albums either way. By any band.
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:lol: Nazi Bassist... i can imagine you having nightmares about that!!!
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I've got to admit, I never really got Aenima. I love Undertow, and Lateralus is one of my favourite albums of all time, but I rarely listen to Aenima...
sad, I know...
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[QUOTE=manuscriptreplica]:lol: Nazi Bassist... i can imagine you having nightmares about that!!![/QUOTE]
You bet. Half of me hears "Prying open my third eye!" and the other hears "Keep going...spiral out!". It's a neverending battle between my subconsious :cool:
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^^^
i know how you feel man.
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Id have to say Opiate is the most underrated cd Tool produced.. opiate is TOOL's roots, for it only being 6 tracks long, its a masterpiece.. I can play this cd on repeat for about 3-5 times before I decide to change it... every track is hard hitting, good music, good vocals, good lyrics. I know Undertow put them on the map, but Opiate is a 5/5. So is undertow, aenima and Lateralus, its truely hard for me to say this but i feel Laturalus is a little overrated, dont get me wrong its a very very very good album as I said I give it a 5/5 yet it seems like others give it a 7/5, it just doesnt hit me like Opiate/Undertow/Aenima. I cant say which cd is better then the next because i love them all.. yet id have to say I listen to Aenima & Opiate the most. and I would agree with Nazi Bassist, each TOOL cd is at its own level, its almost imposible to relate one to the next. I love that about tool, Picture a tree.. Opiate as the trunk, and each cd after that as new growth, a new branch... yet all connected and the base. TOOL IS GOD.
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Undertow still gets a five from me...but that's only because the good songs are really good. Undertow, IMO, is the weakest Tool album...because of songs like Swamp Song and Flood. Neither is very good, and Disgustipated is a waste of 15 minutes...the opening dialogue is funny...the Life feeds on life thing is alright...but 7 minutes of crickets? Come on guys that wasn't necessary.
I really think Tool should be rated on a 10/10 scale...
Lateralus = 10/10
Aenima = 8/10
Opiate = 7/10
Undertow = 6/10
I know that I said that we shouldn't really compare Tool albums to one another, but if you do, and even I do it sometimes...I do it by song content. Undertow has two real songs that I don't like, Aenima has one, and Lateralus and Opiate have none, but Opiate is below Aenima because 1) it's just an EP 2) The content on Aenima is superior.
I could discuss this all day, but I probably shouldn't. Either way...this is still a great album to put in when you're feeling especially angry at the world...songs like Intolerance, Undertow, Bottom, are great for releasing that pent-up hatred in a powerful way.
Oh yeah, I call dibs on the new album for reviewing. :thumb:
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[QUOTE=The JoZ]
Oh yeah, I call dibs on the new album for reviewing. :thumb:[/QUOTE]
You'll have to beat me to it! muhahaha
:evil:
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This is infinitely better than Lateralus, which was nothing more than some pretentious kids dabbling in something that they aren't capable of pulling off. Tool trying to do a prog record, what a silly thought. This album features them tackling a style that they can actual carry out, and it's an excellent hard rock record. I don't think it's as good as Ænima, but it doesn't have to be. I think this is a much rawer record, which of course better suits rawer emotions and moods. When you feel like a more polished, masterful hard rock record you reach for Ænima. When you want something a bit more vulnerable and impulsive, it's Undertow all the way. When you want a good laugh, you reach for Opiate or Lateralus.
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[QUOTE=The JoZ]Lateralus = 10/10
Aenima = 8/10
Opiate = 7/10
Undertow = 6/10[/QUOTE]
I think this is fairly accurate. Aenima was good, but not at the same level as Lateralus. The next album will be the first that I buy the day it hits the amazon.
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Tool are gods. everything about them is amazing, and can't wait for there new album, lets hope they tour aus this time though, it took them agges to come out for aenima :confused:, and then they came out for lateralus briefly afterwards, so DAYAM?!?! its gunna be AWESOME!! T00L :thumb: :thumb:
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I think this album deserves more credit than is given to it in this forum. It is far more sophisticated than most of the other albums that came out during that period. I consider it to be an extremely good debut for Tool but I admit their material has gotten better over the years. I give this album 5/5.
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[QUOTE=christonastick]I think this album deserves more credit than is given to it in this forum. It is far more sophisticated than most of the other albums that came out during that period. I consider it to be an extremely good debut for Tool but I admit their material has gotten better over the years. I give this album 5/5.[/QUOTE]
It's not a debut album, guy-who-was-banned. Just the first full-length album after the Opiate EP.
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