Best. Album. Ever.



Oh, and good review too. :thumb:

that was a sweet review. i agree with it.

My favorite Tool album, definitely. The atmosphere on this album is just amazing. I've had it for 3 years and I can't get enough of it. Parabola and Lateralus are great songs.
5/5

i could say the saaaaaame thing here, and in the offical thread 900000 times, but ill save it for once here...

its good, i like it...alot, im fact i listened to it today...its solid, no cracks or leaks, just Tool doing what Tool does, in a good way...ok later

I think this is an awesome album, definitely some of my favorite listening. I prefer Carey's style to Portnoy's any day. I love Dream Theater, but I love Tool even more. I would say the stand out tracks on this album are definitely the title track and Parabola. However there are others of course. Schism is hard not to love because the bass is so catchy, and Maynards voice at the end when he says "between supposed lovers" is so musical. Ticks & Leeches I'm addicted to for the excellent drumming, and how incredible Maynard's voice sounds. The whole album is great, but when you listen to it lots, there are a few parts that seem dragged out for no real reason. I give this album a 4.5 out of 5.

There's far too many 5/5 ratings in this thread, 3/5 at best, Aenima is way better

/agrees with manuscriptreplica

The idea of having something like 4 powerchords on an 8 minute song and having guitar in the song just for the sake of heaviness doesn't appeal to me. Tool is a rhythm based band, and me, being an armony and melody whore, couldn't appreciate it. Drumming is great in this cd. (Especially on the song Ticks & Leeches). But the rest sounded pretty bland and unoriginal to me. Maybe I need a couple more listens; but I've listened to this cd atleast 5- 6 times at the moment.

But I admit, Parabola is such a good song.

In case I turn back crying "A masterpiece!!!!" like most of you guys did, no rating.

I ripped this cd from one of my friends and the first time I was exposed to tool. All i can say is overrated but good. It is not the best thing ever and It definately takes being in a certain mood to listen to it.

3.5/5.0

Parabol/Parabola is a great song, but it doesn't make the rest of the album great

I beg to differ. I still love this album. It's the perfect record for this reason - It is easy to listen to without being simplistic or boring. It has appeals of pop and of prog.

This album is better for songs like The Grudge, Schism, Parabol/Parabola, Lateralus, Disposition, and Reflection.

Aenima has good songs, but honestly, they are not the caliber of the Lateralus songs, with the exception of Third Eye. And this album has less annoying filler on it, as well.

(progressive rock) tool-lateralus
 

this is the first tool album i bought, followed by every other one, and it took me a few listens, but it just blew me away. It's one of those albums that you can listen to from end to end and not get bored of. everything just seems to flow perfectly, a very enjoyable listen. in my opinoin one if not the best tool release yet. Adam is still churning out amaziong riffs and good solos, maynard still has an amazing voice, danny's drumming is still as technical and impossibly hard to play as ever, and the bass presence is still strong and forceful. now to the lengthy track by track review.

1. The Grudge (10/10)

an amazing opening track, powerful from beginning to end, top to bottom. tool has an excellent way of building up momentem and ripping out at the end of songs, and this is no exception. Maynards voice is simply amazing, he pulls off a 30 second scream near the end of it. The guitars, the drumming, the bass-everything falls into place perfectly. The lyrics also, sarturn 1 or 10, has a whole secret message behind it, as does almost every song on the album , which makes things that more interesting. (i suggest The Tool Page for more info)

2. Eon Blue Apocalypse (8/10)

you're sking me now "why 8/10? its just a filler/intro type track"

well, this is my review and i like the song. it just is so melodic and sounds so excellent, and runs perfectly into the patient, i couldn't bring myself to give it anyhting less. also a very cool title (see my user name :thumb: ) little tidbit of info for you-eon blue is also the name of adam's dog. very cool.

3. The Patient (10/10)

one of my favorite tool songs of all time, easily one of the most melodic. the guitar work in this is some of adam's best in my opinoin, the multi-layered melodies work perfectly with maynards voice, the bass is flawless, and the drumming is friggin increadible. this is one of those songs where absolutely everything works into place with another, just a simply amazing song. every riff in this is great, as are the lyrics, and maynard's stab at singing melodically through the whole song works in beautifully.

4. Mantra (5/10)

sorta a non-track, intro to schism. interesting point-the sounds on this song is a slowed down and processed sample of a cat being squeezed by maynard. it sounded so weird that he recorded it and put it on the cd. also, mantra means "sounds/music that enhance meditation"

5. Schism (9.5/10)

i would love to give this song a 10/10, but the only flaw is it's repeditive-ness and extremely long mid section. other then that it is flawless. even though the opening riff that is repeated throughout the entire song is indefinatly one of the best sounding tool has ever came out with, they play it over and over again. also 2 minutes of the second riff with bass effects on the backround can become tedious, but pays off in the breakdown-more high energy and simply amazing guitar/bass work. an awesome song, also probably the most played song through media sources.

6. Parabol (6/10)

this song would be better if it was easier to hear. everything is sorta just blurred together and in the backround, but once again it's an intro track to that of parabola. it has a good leadup to parabola, with the slowly hightening distortion.

7. Parabola (9/10)

the second single off the album, another great song. its more straightforward then most of the other songs on this cd, more rock less prog, has a great solo in it as well as excellent and catchy riffs. very accessable and easy to listen to, well structured and played by the members.

8. Ticks and Leeches (10/10)

this is reminicent of undertow era angst and rage not seen since aenema's hooker with a *****. a very powerful track, with more great and memorable riffs by adam (as always), the bass having a little less presence then on other tracks. Maynard also busts out the screams that we can only remeber from opiate, a very nice touch to the anger ridden song. (they don't perform the song live however, becuase when maynard sung it for the studio cut, he threw out his voice for nearly 3 weeks.) another gem for tool.

9. Lateralus (10/10)

one word-masterpiece. this is the most definative tool song since third eye. everything in this song is amazing. the guitar into is great, the riffing throughout the whole song is awesome, the soloing is unparalled to anything else off this album, the song structure works great....easily one of if not the highlight of the album. this also ties in with the fibbonacci sequence theory with lateralus, every line of the lyrics follow the pattern with syllibles. (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13) a great, great tool song, that digs deeper then most others.

10. Disposition (10/10)

even though it isn't really a centerpiece for the album, i frekaing love this song. its the single most calming piece of music i've ever listened to. i could be wishing nueclear holocaust upon all of you, and listen to this song, and i'd be fine. its the most beautiful and melodic song tool has ever done in my opinoin. adam uses multi-layered guitar work again, and the bass line is also amazing. a different style of drumming also comes into play here. a very underrated tool song.

11. Reflection (8/10)

a very good song if you have the patience to sit through it. the only things that stand out is maynard's great voice, danny's incredible opening drum sequence, and it has a great chorus melody, interesting effects and instruments. enjoyable to those who like the more prog less rock type tool. nonetheless a very good track.

12. triad (7/10)

all guitars here, nothing special. just 6 and a half minutes of adam riffing with power chords, (something to do with the fs i believe). more info for the reader-disposition, reflection and triad were origionally supposed to be 1 track, why they changed it, i don't know.

13. Faaip de Oiad (5/10)

a sorta creepy track, just staticy noise and drums over a phone call sample of maynard claiming to be from area 51 and discussing aliens, government conspiracy, so on and so forth. very creepy to listen to. more info-faaip de oiad means "the voice of god" in enochian.

this is one of my all time favorite albums, not only from tool , but from all artists ever. this is in my opinoin a masterpiece, a true work of art in this day and age. you can also read into the album a lot more with theories about the fibbonacci sequence and such, which make the album a helluva a lot more interesting. i suggest the tool page (fansite) if you choose to look into anything tool.

simply amazing. 10/10

[url]http://www.musicianforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129609[/url]

You're just a *little* late.

ahh dammit...well, i tried

Hahahahaa What A Failure

Threads merged. Check the List next time, please.

I just can't believe he gave Parabola a 9/10 :eek:

I can't believe he gave Reflection an 8...

[QUOTE=EonBlueApocalypse]9. Lateralus (10/10)

one word-masterpiece. this is the most definative tool song since third eye.[/QUOTE]


I beg to differ, something like Aenema or Stinkfist are definitive Tool

Danny Carey
 

Dannay Carey owns.

i like the song Ticks and Leeches mainly because of the drums...Schism is my alltime fav tool song...but i love the whole album.

[QUOTE=manuscriptreplica]I beg to differ, something like Aenema or Stinkfist are definitive Tool[/QUOTE]

Well, it defines their sound now.

Honestly, you cannot really have a 'definitive' Tool song, IMO, because their sound has changed quite a bit as the years have passed.

Maybe if they released a CD more often than every half a decade there would be... heh

Tool song
 

[FONT=Century Gothic]I think that lateralis , followed by parabola are the best songs on the album.
By the way , has any one heard the new perfect circle album? get back to me on this :lol: :)

[QUOTE=manuscriptreplica]I beg to differ, something like Aenema or Stinkfist are definitive Tool[/QUOTE]

Well he did say since Third Eye, which presumably excludes Aenema and Stinkfist.

[QUOTE=manuscriptreplica]Maybe if they released a CD more often than every half a decade there would be... heh[/QUOTE]

Yeah.

I mean, you can have like one song to define each 'era' so to say...

Pre-Aenima, Aenima and Lateralus.

But with the release of the new album, you'll have to add Post-Lateralus as well

Ahh well.

Third Eye would probably be a good bet for them even today. It's long, it's full of weird sounds, superb drumming, very cool basslines, two great solos by Adam, and Maynard shifting between screaming his lungs out to quiet, whisper-like vocals.

:thumb:

I'm almost done listening to this ENTIRE album online..and I'm hooked...I've already heard Faaip De Oiad, but its good for a scare.

Well this is one of the albums that got me into music in the first place so..

[QUOTE=The JoZ]I can't believe he gave Reflection an 8...[/QUOTE]

I know... a great review until I saw that.

"Tool is a rhythm based band, and me, being an armony and melody whore, couldn't appreciate it."

What?!??!

TOOL is full of melody!! Just becuase the first part of the grudge is a bit jarring, doesnt mean its heavy all the way trhrough and its not. The middle section has great, melody.

Allthough i do agree that the rythm element is alot stronger than most contemporar music, but that's just cos danny carey is a genious.

i agree that The Grudge is an amazing song. the way that Danny carries that song is just fantastic and Maynard's 23 second scream is mind boggling

[QUOTE=suspectofsubtlety]TOOL is full of melody!! Just becuase the first part of the grudge is a bit jarring, doesnt mean its heavy all the way trhrough and its not. The middle section has great, melody.[/QUOTE]

Thank you, I've listened to the album enough to realize that The Grudge is not the same all the way through; you didn't have to explain me that.

Try to hum a Tool song along with Adam Jones' riffs. Even Adam Jones himself admits that they're not something that can get stuck inside your head:

[url]http://archive.guitarplayer.com/archive/artists/tool.shtml[/url]

But I'm starting to enjoy the album more... it somehow manages to chill me out. I know, it is weird that I listen to progressive metal to chill out. I like the fact that the cd has a spiritual wholeness.

Tool's music has the kind of slow, long melodies in it that can sometimes take a while to trully appreciate. Something about their songs always has some kind of melody, whether it be the vocals, the guitar, the bass, whatever. Yet the rhythm of the band is definately their strong point, and the "texture" of the music.

[QUOTE=Phunphone]
Try to hum a Tool song along with Adam Jones' riffs. Even Adam Jones himself admits that they're not something that can get stuck inside your head:[/QUOTE]

The Lateralus riffs are always in my head. And the Schism bass. And the grudge theme. I think you are purposely trying to disagree.

yeah aenima too is always going through my head and schism

[QUOTE=Fast Fingers]The Lateralus riffs are always in my head. And the Schism bass. And the grudge theme. I think you are purposely trying to disagree.[/QUOTE]

Nah, I really do find them hard to hum along to...and I forget most of'em quite easily. I'm not telling that NOTHING is melodic by Tool. There has to be. Without melody, you can't create music. Tool has a melody, and keeps it constant throughout a song. The songs progress without having a strong chance in melody. They are usually simple, and have rhythm/ tempo changes instead of direct melody changes. It's a nice way of progressing, but it doesn't strike me. After all, Adam Jones' guitarwork just don't inspire me. It's personal opinion.

Do I hate Tool? No. I somehow prefer APC.

Tool are one of the worlds greatest bands, no question

Good review

[QUOTE=Libertine`88]Tool are one of the worlds greatest bands, no question

Good review[/QUOTE]

Bad post.

Anyhoo, a teacher of mine saw Tool during the Lateralus tour in Binghampton, NY with Meshuggah. Apparently Thomas Haake played with Tool for a few songs. I want live footage so. so. so badly. AJIG, can you help?

I love Tool and I most definitely agree with your 5/5- very nice review :thumb:
This is, quite possibly, my favorite Tool CD.