Rock & Roll Feature: Tool - Lateralus

Over the years my musical tastes have progressed significantly. I've listened to folk, blues, classic rock, heavy metal, thrash, nu-metal and probably about everything in between. I have favorite albums in all genres ranging from the simplest folk to the hardest metal. This feature is a unique hard rock/heavy metal album that breaks all boundaries for this genre to create not only a unique sound, but a unique mystique, a cult following and an epic listening experience.

The Band is called simply Tool, and the album is Lateralus. Previous efforts by Tool straddle the line between metal and progressive rock, producing a very heavy sound that is still progressive and thought provoking even after many listens. This album is no exception and to me, it represents a peak in their work (they have a newer album but I haven't heard it yet so this may change).

I first came to this band via a song off this album and it really sparked a deeper foray into other heavier and progressive rock formats. The single, called “Schism”, was my first real experience with this band. The song has a unique hypnotic riff that was supposedly inspired by a mathematical series of numbers. It's the kind of riff that draws you into the song as the other instruments come in and creates a sonic landscape with layers of sound.

As the percussion and heavier guitars kick in, the hypnosis continues to build until it explodes in a hard metal riff, only to pull back and revert back to its previous self. There are ebbs and flows, spikes and recessions throughout this song, featuring this hypnotic, almost mystic feel to its guitar work, fantastic percussion and drum work, and an ever changing sonic feel. As it progresses from light mystic riffs to hard metal stomp all with pounding percussion, its hard to believe the song plays for nearly 7 minutes. It is the capstone of this album, not only a great song, but the perfect index of this entire album.

Although “Schism” is great, the whole album is unique with each song adding another piece to the puzzle. “The Grudge” is the perfect album opener, setting the stage for the power that is to come with a riff that is echoed again in slightly different forms throughout the album. “Parabol” and “Parabola” read like the same song with the same lyrical lines and progressions but with distinctly different takes on the same emotions. The first is sad and soft with a very mystic feel while the second builds on the first taking it to its obvious metal conclusion before returning to the original melody.

Article Author: D.A.N.

D.A.N. is the owner of multiple blog type sites. The main one, The Soul of Rock 'n' Roll is a music and rock 'n' roll oriented blog dedicated to discussing the music he loves, promoting new artists that he's discovered, discussing guitars and creating …

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