“Everything revolves around the music when it comes to Tool. Music is about listening, the more you play, the more the magic spreads.”
— Tool lead singer Maynard Keenan
Tool is not a tough band to sell for this type of column. Hell, the band already has a certified classic under its belt (1993’s “Undertow”). So it doesn’t take much examination in order to convince people why the band deserves to be considered for such a title.
When Tool burst on to the national scene in 1992 with the “Opiate” EP, there was an immediate rumble in the underground scene about the band. Tool was lumped in with the growing “alternative” scene, though the band would soon prove to grow far beyond the forced-genre. As with most debuts, there were the glimmers of what was to come: the expansive music with an epic feel; the muddy sound, heavy on the bass; the bitter, groggy vocals.
With “Undertow,” all of those elements bloomed into a cohesive mix of alternative rock and metal. The album was, in essence, an instant classic, leading critics to hail the band as a modern day Black Sabbath. Soon Tool was one of the most notable bands in the North American metal scene. “Undertow,” or most notably the track “Sober,” kept the band in the public consciousness for three years until Tool returned with 1996’s “Aenima.”
“Aenima” was everything “Undertow” was, only more. The songs were heavier, more epic, more intricate and expansive. The band would continue this trend in 2001 with “Lateralus,” though, rather than get heavier, the songs simply became more elaborate and, for lack of a better word, interesting. Tool is almost like a second coming of Pink Floyd, only much edgier.
So, when in comes to picking a New Classic, there’s really only a “one or the other” decision. I pick “Aenima.” “Lateralus” is a phenomenal album featuring probably some of the best material the band has ever crafted. But it feels too loose. “Aenima” is a tight, solid album, while “Lateralus” tends to go off on tangents at times.
Tool
Aenima
Volcano Records
“… a jagged, brooding nightmare filled with roaring guitars, abrupt rhythm shifts, and jarring sound effects. One of 1996’s strangest and strongest alt-metal records.”
— from Entertainment Weekly’s review of “Aenima”
“Aenima” is one of those albums that, after release, seemed to yield hit after hit. Each subsequent single seemed better than the one before. From the title track to “Stinkfist” to “Eulogy” to “H” to “Forty-Six and 2” and “Hooker with a Penis,” the hits never stopped. Anything that wasn’t released, very well could have.
“Aenima” has a fairly sterile feel to it. The production is crisp and the tone undoubtedly foreboding. Whether the band is tackling the destruction of L.A. (on the title track), death (“Eulogy”), drugs (“H”) or even the taboo topic of fisting (on “Stinkfist” — think about it, this song is on national radio since its release to this day), the message is quick and to the point and conveyed with a deadpan delivery. Even the instrumental and other interludes seamlessly flow between the tracks and pull the rest of the tracks into one complete cohesive unit.
The beauty of the Tool sound is that it isn’t an in-your-face assault. Rather than the percussive unit, the guitar is the driving force behind the music and the rhythm is what propels the album. Not quite tech-metal, not quite an industrial durge, the focused delivery is what makes this album a classic.
Well, we won’t have to wait long for the next instalment. Tool will release “10,000 Days” in May. I foresee much of the same from this band, and that is in no way a bad thing. The music will continue to create expansive audio soundscapes.
Most people point to “Undertow” as the band’s best effort to date. I’m almost inclined to point directly to “Aenima.” Like I’ve already stated, it’s a completely tight offering that unfolds in a perfect manner. The album and band pulls you in with a hard-hitting assault and then keeps shifting and changing the tempo and direction in such a pure manner that you feel powerless to stop the onslaught. That’s the true beauty of the album. You can pull any nugget out and it sits perfectly alone. But it also fits into this complex puzzle of sound. You could never change the tracklist order for “Aenima,” but each piece can be enjoyed on its own.
While it is often said that music is art, never has it been more true than in the case of Tool. The band literally creates works of art with its music that are immediately engaging and never boring. The music literally pulls you in and refuses to let go.
While it’s hard to consider Tool a “new” classic, “Aenima” is definitely a New Classic and I see little sign of this legendary outfit letting up any time soon. “Aenima” runs neck-and-neck with “Undertow” as the best of the band’s catalogue, but when it comes to Tool it’s impossible to go wrong.
One of the most important bands of the last decade; one of the most solid metal outfits to come around in a long time. If you don’t own it, go pick up “Aenima” … now.
And that’s that. Until next time, take it easy. Stay tuned and enjoy the ride …
