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Tool: Lateralus
27/04/07 || The Duff
I honestly don’t think much to Tool. They’ve clearly written some good albums, and are worthy of at least a portion of the faithful following they’ve acquired over the years simply due to the fact that they are clearly a very unique act, but as musicians, these guys aren’t really all as shit hot as some would have you believe; I reckon that they’ve developed an original sound that has possibly garnered too much acclaim simply because they’re a “neat” band to like. The solid efforts “Aenima” and “Undertow”, as well as the adequate (being honest here, most will agree that this one here was a disappointment) “10,000 Days”, are testament to this fact, as they’ve attained some extremely high praise without really displaying anything worthy of more than an appreciative nod for displaying something quite artsy yet still worthy of the odd-head bang or two (“Aenima” sure has its moments, to be fair – maybe I’m being over-harsh for the unnecessary segments between the main tracks). However, for the release of “Lateralus”, all the planets seemed to be in alignment, and the band struck gold by releasing possibly one of the top ten albums of this decade.
The thing is, none of the ingredients of which a Tool album usually comprises are any different on this effort. Many people may disagree with this, stating that the band has evolved considerably since its somewhat primitive beginnings, and that every album has developed from its predecessor so as to give rise to something totally different in feel. Well, to put it bluntly, I consider this to be bullshit. True, some elements do differ from one album to the next, but for the most part, these are nothing more than an upgraded production, a more mature sound and possibly greater/more ambitious musicianship; this is all to be expected from a band that spans a career of fifteen or so years and garners as many fans as a band like Tool has done (meaning an increased budget for each recording). In short, the elements that make this band so appealing (namely, the intricate and well thought out drumming, Keenan’s vocals and a couple of heavy riffs/slightly complex guitar patterns with a couple of odd time signatures) remain intact and present throughout every single release with little to no alteration whatsoever. So what makes this album so great, if the recipe is exactly the same? Fuck knows, but I’ll give you my reasons for which I prefer this album so far and beyond what this band has otherwise offered.
One thing that makes this album such a success, for me, is that Keenan’s vocals have vastly improved; he sounds truly fantastic on this record. When toned down, his voice acts as a soothing complement to the (often) ambient guitar-lines; when moving on to his more desperate method of singing, his quavering vocals display a vulnerability difficult to convey in the genre of metal/prog for fear of being labeled a girly-boy, and yet it works to best effect; and then there are the times when he gets pissed, which is where he truly shines – at one point, he lets out a scream that, although not revealing a man with particularly large testicles, sure shows the man’s talent via the duration for and intensity with which it is performed (this is a twenty-eight second, full-forced belter of a battle cry).
Adam Jones also seems to have learned when enough is enough when it comes to playing a riff, as some of the sections on “Aenima” were too long-winded at times; on “Lateralus”, everything is given its duly required space on the record, and never allowed to outstay its welcome. This is an incredibly positive attribute unique to this Tool album alone, as let’s face it, this ain’t the rocket science of guitar-passages, so anything overplayed can get laborious pretty damn fucken quickly. The fact that the in-between track sections actually add something to the album and aren’t simply minutes of random bollocks (such as a pancake recipe being recited in German) certainly doesn’t impede my appreciation of this stuff. The drumming by Danny Carey is stunning, as always; the guy is a pure pleasure to listen to, and without a doubt the most accomplished musician in the band. Finally, the bass is the underlying instrument that brings a much needed gravity to the somewhat thin guitars; furthermore, the clarity of the instrument is truly impeccable, and possibly one of the best bass sounds I’ve ever heard put to disc.
This album is a classic metal/prog release that shall be remembered for many years to come, I’m sure. I would highly recommend it, regardless of what stuff you’re usually into (provided at the least that you like guitars, bass and drums played together). I find that this album seems to be appreciated most by those who like rock, metal or prog, so if this sounds like you (I doubt you’d be here otherwise), pick this one up, and give it the time it deserves; I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
10 blue, diaper-wearing mental asylum patients out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2001
- Label: BMG
- Website: www.toolband.com
- Band
- James Keenan: vocals
- Adam Jones: guitars
- Justin Chancellor: bass
- Danny Carey: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Grudge
- 02. Eon Blue Apocalypse
- 03. Patient
- 04. Mantra
- 05. Schism
- 06. Parabol
- 07. Parabola
- 08. Ticks And Leeches
- 09. Lateralus
- 10. Disposition
- 11. Reflection
- 12. Triad
- 13. Faaip De Oiad
