Tool’s Lateralus has been covered in great depth here on Epinions, but considering it was my first experience with the band and that it’s certainly one of their best, I feel the need to review it. Lateralus is a sprawling Progressive Rock masterpiece from 2001, the full-length follow up to 1996s Ænima.
It’s clear early on that Lateralus is epic not only in scope, but execution as well. Album opener The Grudge is nearly nine minutes long and this length is frequented on the album. This song is rich in musicianship and songwriting. Each band member proves his talent by using dynamics; Adam Jones brings out the crushing riffs, but only after he plays a mysterious repetition of notes; Danny Carey stays back before powering through the song with his toms and cymbal crashes. Bassist Justin Chancellor provides dark, unique bass lines over which Maynard James Keenan calmly sings or yells with conviction. What’s interesting is my reaction upon this song’s finish; I think “it’s over already?”; the music on this album draws you in, but it never drags.
We get a short interlude in the form of Eon Blue Apocalypse and just like Mantra it gives off an unfamiliar, eerie atmosphere without ever overstaying its welcome.
I love The Patient for the way it builds and it’s neat 5/4 time signature. It’s a very calm song for its first couple of minutes, but its later sections offer a louder counterpoint while Maynard’s hypnotic vocals blend excellently with Jones’ distorted guitar. The repeated mantra of “Imust keep reminding myself of this” is the highlight for me, acting as a beautiful transition to Carey’s tabla percussion, Maynard’s soft-spoken words, and Chancellor’s smooth bass work. If there were no rewards to reap, Loving embrace to see me through, This tedious path I’ve chosen here, I certainly would’ve walked away by now
I’m gonna wait it out…
If there were no desire to heal, The damaged and broken met along, This tedious path I’ve chosen here, I certainly would’ve walked away by now
And I still may. And I still may
Parabola is one of my favorites and as always on Lateralus it’s as a result of the members’ combined effort. You’ve got Carey doing what he does best on his toms and Chancellor effortlessly playing the well-suited and creative bass lines. I especially love the way Jones lets out some dissonant riffs atop Maynard’s serene, but powerful vocals. All of these instruments sound great by the way; the sound is clear and mixed extremely well. I really don’t think the drums could sound any better as there deep and full of power; the bass is dark and completely audible and neither the singing nor the guitar is overpowering. Playing off the aggression of past Tool songs such as Jerk-Off and Hooker With a Penis is the much longer Ticks and Leeches. It doesn’t take a musician to hear the incredible talent of Danny Carey as he gives a performance to marvel at. His drumming and Maynard’s screams (really-Maynard has never screamed quite like this before) are relentless, but we are treated to a rather long and much needed break in the middle of the track.
The title track is a favorite of many a fan and it consistently engages the listener with it’s many memorable sections. It also has the band utilizing five different time signatures (that I know of…) throughout it’s entirety and never do they feel unnecessary in their inclusion as they only make the music more interesting. The lyrics in this song and many others on the album are of a spiritual (and often positive) nature and open to interpretation; they’re also extremely well written.
Three songs near the end of the album flow together seamlessly and I must mention each of them. Disposition is a wholly quiet track, but it’s ensemble of percussion, guitar, bass, and subtle vocals are bound to lure the listener into a trance. Reflection continues this hypnotic vibe with a bouncy, ascending drum rhythm, a repetitive bass line, and intensely dark synths. There is also a haunting, Eastern sounding instrument which, while unfamiliar to me, is an excellent addition to the song. The rest of this song is just an incredibly hypnotic journey only enhanced by Maynard’s reverb affected vocals. Last in this sort of trio is the tribal pounding of Triad. It has some abrasive guitar work early on, but also a quieter section with ride cymbal and other instrumental nuances.
From Reflection: So crucify the ego before it's far too late To leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical And you will come to find that we are all one mind Capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable. Just let the light touch you and let the words spill through Just let them pass right through, bringing out our hope and reason
Lateralus is an incredible journey which must be experienced by all willing listeners. It’s the perfect album to listen to all the way through with headphones and no distractions. Tool has paid attention to every detail in order to create an album in which every track not only grabs the listener’s interest, but refuses to let it go. Lateralusis a must-have.
Music. After an exhaustive five-year litigation battle between the band and their label management, {$Tool} offer up the latest chapter in their music...More at DeepDiscount.com
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
![Lateralus [PA] by Tool](http://di1.shopping.com/images1/pi/32/3a/a8/2005387097-177x150-0-0.jpg)
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.