[QUOTE=Med57]I'd say they're alternative/progressive rock, although I know some people say they're metal. Personally, I don't really see many of the metal elements in their music, and think that people call them "metal", as their music can be very heavy at times, especially with the earlier stuff. Just being heavy doesn't mean you're metal though (a lot of alternative music can be heavy), so yeah...I wouldn't consider them to be metal at all really. Hard rock, yeah, but not metal.[/QUOTE]

I respectfully disagree.

I really think Tool's older material is more hard rock, while their newer stuff is definetly metal.

Pre-Aenima Tool sees alot of chunky riffs, palm muting, and of course that signature Tool sound (something which, IMO, defies definition). No real metal elements to their older stuff, unless you count distortion, and if you do...well that's pretty poor criteria for putting a band in a genre.

Once Aenima hit, however...their sound started getting more tinges of metal. Eulogy, for example, with it's wailing guitar solo toward the end of the song, has a very metal feel to it. H, with it's breakdown section, seems metalish to me, because it's faster than some of their normal riffs. I am torn about 46 and 2 and jimmy...I think each song has some minor metal instances, but overall, I'm not sure either of those songs could definitively be called metal.

Aenema the song, yeah I think that's pretty metal to me. Again, the main riff seems slightly faster, and the guitar solo here has that metalish quality to it, as does the interlude section with the triplets in the double bass and the guitars. Third Eye? Oh yeah, this is metal. This is probably their first 'true' progressive song...and one of their heaviest. There are many riffs in this song that I feel are too heavy, and/or too fast to simply be considered hard rock. Once again, I look toward the solos, even the slower first solo Adam does, to point out the metal-ness of this song. And the charging outro riffs, definetly metalish.

Lateralus sees them expand on their metal sound, although some of it is definetly subtle. Some could argue that songs like The Grudge and Schism are not really metal, because they are slower...but remember, tempo does not make a song metal or not metal. The Doom Metal genre by itself shows that you can have (dreadfully) slower tempos and still maintain one's metal sound. I really think the intensity of songs like The Grudge and Schism is what makes them metal, not the distortion, and not the speed at which they are played.

I don't think anyone would argue that Parabola, Ticks and Leeches, and Triad are metal...I think these are the obvious metal tracks on this album. Songs like Lateralus, and Reflection...I'm really torn about. Both tracks have plenty of intensity, but I'm not sure they are heavy/intense enough to call metal...but I don't think they are simply hard or heavy rock either. I would err on the side of metal here, but I really don't know.

So yeah. I have always called Tool progressive metal, at least when it comes to their newer stuff. Med, don't take this as me ripping on you or anything, I'm simply offering a different view :thumb:

[URL=http://www.lateralus.net]Lateralus.net[/URL]

Best tool site ever.

I classfiy Tool as 'awesome'.

I hate trying to pidgeon-hole everyone. Especially when i get people trying to place Tool as new metal.

You know you're desperate to put things on your page when you have a link to google.

[QUOTE=Adam Jones is GOD]I classfiy Tool as 'awesome'.

I hate trying to pidgeon-hole everyone. Especially when i get people trying to place Tool as new metal.[/QUOTE]

I just call Tool "A mixture of things".

[QUOTE]You know you're desperate to put things on your page when you have a link to google.[/QUOTE]
What are you talking about?

[QUOTE=Sliptallica]You know you're desperate to put things on your page when you have a link to google.[/QUOTE]

This thread used to be high up on a google searhc for tool. Its dissappeared now it seems.

[QUOTE=Darkness Of Greed]What are you talking about?[/QUOTE]

That place had a link to google...didn't it? It took me to a pretty plain black on white page with a few links on the bottom of it's single update. One being a link to google.

Oh I was just talking about the page with the lateralus pic, I have no idea what that page when you enter it is.

I always call their music Hard Prog Rock. Sure they might have "metal" moments in their music but most of the time it's just Prog Rock.


As for the Album Art/Image/Live shows, its all metal.

Not sure if you guys have heard yet....I just saw a rumor on the Myspace.com Tool board (yeah...reliable, I know) but the new album MAY be called 'Teleincision' and could be released around August 15th or 16th.

I hgihly doubt this, as it came from a Norwegian website. It would be cool, though.

[QUOTE=PageCobain]Not sure if you guys have heard yet....I just saw a rumor on the Myspace.com Tool board (yeah...reliable, I know) but the new album MAY be called 'Teleincision' and could be released around August 15th or 16th.

I hgihly doubt this, as it came from a Norwegian website. It would be cool, though.[/QUOTE]

Hey, at this point, I'll take rumors rather than silence :cool:

Yeah....I searched the net for the title....I got the Norwegian site and and the Coheed and Cambria forums....I'll keep you posted, though.

[QUOTE=Med57]First of all, good argument. There's quite a lot of stuff that I hadn't considered/just didn't know. I won't even pretend to be an expert on what makes metal metal, although it's obvious that you're right on some points. Doom metal can be excruciatingly slow at times, and yet it's still definitely metal. I've got a bit of a problem with metal being determined by intensity though, like what you said about [i]Schism[/i] and [i]The Grudge[/i]. It just seems to be like a really hard way of classifying music in general, not least because I think that some of the most intense music in existence just can't be classified as metal. [i]Ticks And Leeches[/i] is metal, I agree, although I'm not really sure where [i]Parabola[/i] becomes metal...it just never really struck me as metal I guess, possibly because of the heaviness issue. I guess what I'm trying (in a convoluted way) to say is that I still think they go under rock, rather than metal, even though they have metal moments, if that makes sense.[/QUOTE]

First, thanks. :cool:

Secondly, I agree its's hard.

And it does make sense. Basically, what I'm trying to say is I think they go under metal, rather than rock, even though they have rock moments. :thumb:

Nice argument JoZ, a real fanboy! hehhe :p

I don't think it'd be fair classing tool with metallica and stuff, so i would question the metal tag. I think they have to go in with someone, It'd be dream theater and opeth making them prog metal...But metal???

Thanks for the rumour :)

I also think their Prog Rock/Alternative. Metal just doesn't seem to fit to me. I mean, compare the bands.


Metallica - Tool: No comparison I see
Black Sabbath - Tool: Again, very little in common
Arsis - Tool: No.
Slayer - Tool: Nope :\




Dream Theater - Tool: Now, this is the thing here, Dream Theater is not always considered to be Prog Metal. Their earlier stuff is often classifed as Prog rock, their newer stuff to be Prog Metal. I find it very hard to find things in common when comparing, say, ToT and Lateralus.

Also consider, heavy does not equal metal. It is an untrue converse, Metal is always heavy, but being heavy does not mean you are metal. Atleast, that's the way I see it.

How about Pink Floyd and Tool? I think Tool is the modern day version of Pink Floyd. They are both progressive, both have amazing lyricists. Also, Gilmour and Jones are not what I would call lead guitarists, but they are both very influential. Waters and Chancellor are both good bassists, not technically, but they can write a nice bassline. I would venture to say that Tool's biggest influence is Pink Floyd.

I think Tool did a cover of one or more Pink Floyd songs. Could someone YSI those, if you have them? (I beleive they're live versions, not studio covers, like No Quarter)

Thx

I have a Tool - Comfortably Numb mp3, but I'm pretty sure it's Pink Floyd. I'll upload it anyways....

Meh it's not tool...

[QUOTE=Dr. Jake Destructo]How about Pink Floyd and Tool? I think Tool is the modern day version of Pink Floyd. They are both progressive, both have amazing lyricists. Also, Gilmour and Jones are not what I would call lead guitarists, but they are both very influential. Waters and Chancellor are both good bassists, not technically, but they can write a nice bassline. I would venture to say that Tool's biggest influence is Pink Floyd.

I think Tool did a cover of one or more Pink Floyd songs. Could someone YSI those, if you have them? (I beleive they're live versions, not studio covers, like No Quarter)

Thx[/QUOTE]


You do know that No Quarter was a cover of the [I]Led Zep[/I] song, right? But I'd have to disagree, the think Tool were more influenced by King Crimson and Led Zep. For Led Zep, you have to look at the darker more progressive songs they put out to make a true comparison.

I've always thought that Radiohead were the modern day Pink Floyd and Tool were the modern day Led Zep. But I can see similarities between Pink Floyd and Tool.

[url]http://s13.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0ZD5AIUOCF27C2985ENPEPDAGC[/url]

After listening to it again, I can say with 100% accuracy that it is not Tool. Oh well, it's still good.

Meh i love radiohead, but I'm not to keen on floyd. I can see similarities, but not big ones. I think radiohead are influenced by so many different things as there sound has chopped and changed immensley. For a modern day flowd my vote stands with porcupine tree.

[QUOTE=In Chains 36]You do know that No Quarter was a cover of the [I]Led Zep[/I] song, right? But I'd have to disagree, the think Tool were more influenced by King Crimson and Led Zep. For Led Zep, you have to look at the darker more progressive songs they put out to make a true comparison.

I've always thought that Radiohead were the modern day Pink Floyd and Tool were the modern day Led Zep. But I can see similarities between Pink Floyd and Tool.[/QUOTE]

Tool is not a modern day led zep, their songs are totally different.

[QUOTE=clearvision]Nice argument JoZ, a real fanboy! hehhe :p

I don't think it'd be fair classing tool with metallica and stuff, so i would question the metal tag. I think they have to go in with someone, It'd be dream theater and opeth making them prog metal...But metal???

[/QUOTE]


There are alot of different metal bands that sound nothing like Metallica.

Tool's metal is more intense, and atmospherically heavy, as opposed to simply "chug-ch-chug-ch-chug-chchchch-chug"

[QUOTE=Darkness Of Greed]Tool is not a modern day led zep, their songs are totally different.[/QUOTE]

well, at least you backed up your argument. :rolleyes:

Check out the more haunting and progressive songs of Led Zep, they clearly have influenced Tool.

[QUOTE=clearvision]Meh i love radiohead, but I'm not to keen on floyd. I can see similarities, but not big ones. I think radiohead are influenced by so many different things as there sound has chopped and changed immensley. For a modern day flowd my vote stands with porcupine tree.[/QUOTE]


Do you have Kid A? When I listen to that album, I think to myself Dark Side of the Moon.

[QUOTE=In Chains 36]You do know that No Quarter was a cover of the [I]Led Zep[/I] song, right? But I'd have to disagree, the think Tool were more influenced by King Crimson and Led Zep. For Led Zep, you have to look at the darker more progressive songs they put out to make a true comparison.

I've always thought that Radiohead were the modern day Pink Floyd and Tool were the modern day Led Zep. But I can see similarities between Pink Floyd and Tool.[/QUOTE]

I know it's a Zep cover. I've heard it many times. Anyways, another reason where Tool is more similair to Floyd than Zep is in the song writing. Maynard and Waters wrote/write about the similair things,(philosophy, life in general, etc..) whereas most(not all) of Plant's songs were written about love, Lord of the Rings, and other things. Radiohead [I]sounds[/I] more like Pink Floyd, but I think that if you factor in everything, Tool is the modern Pink Floyd.


To whoever said Zep clearly influenced Tool- Zep influenced every fu[B][I][/I][/B]cking band on the radio.

Kid A is my 3rd favourite album ever. DSOTM bores me :confused: slightly blasphemous i know. There are high points, Time, money, great gig. But the rest is just meh...I findKid A completely unique, but then again i do actually love it to pieces :(

[QUOTE=In Chains 36]well, at least you backed up your argument. :rolleyes:

Check out the more haunting and progressive songs of Led Zep, they clearly have influenced Tool.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I ment to back my self up but I had to go.

Anyways I should say that I'm judging off of Zep 4 and I don't recall any of the songs being to haunting or progressive... perhaps you could tell me some? From what I hear of zep, they sound nothing really like tool, zep had more riffs and stuff, where as Tool have more chord progressions. Adam and Jimmy play completly different styles of guitar, like how Jimmy can solo really well, where as Adams strenght lies in rhtyhm playing. I guess you could kinda compare the drummers but I never really pay attention to the drums on Zep so I don't know to much about John. The bass playing is also really different, where as Tools basslines are, IMO, alot better then zeps. Comparing Maynard and Plant would be the best comparison I think, as you can see alot of Plant like stuff in Maynards vocals but there are still alot of differences here to... like how Maynard doesn't sing about lord of the rings...

But yeah, Tool definatly was influenced by them but I don't think they sound to alike. But thats my opinion ofcourse.

Zoso wouldn't be my pick of where to find Zep's darker material. Look for some of their more modern stuff that's heavier.

Bonham and Carey are both immensely talented drummers, but the comparison ends there. They use 2 totally different styles of drumming, but they both execute it very well indeed.