Hush (Tool) (LP 4690 - 4694)

Tool  Opiate (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1992) ***  

Tool  Undertow (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1993) ****  

Tool  Ænima (CD, Zoo Entertainment, 1996) ***  

Tool  Lateralus (CD, Volcano Records, 2001) ****  

Tool  10,000 Days (CD, Volcano Records, 2006) ****  

Genre: Prog metal, heavy metal

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi, HMV, Fives

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Schism (Lateralus)

Gear costume: Sober (Undertow), The Pot (10,000 Days)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7; Part 8

Active compensatory factors: Tool began with the Opiate EP in 1992 before their first full album, Undertow. At this point Tool were Maynard James Keenan – vocals, Adam Jones – guitar, Paul D'Amour – bass (he would leave after Undertow), and Danny Carey – drums. Keenan's vocals are a strength and they immediately identify the band.

I've included it on this post because as AllMusic points out, 'it's possible to hear the seeds of Tool's oppressively bleak, cerebral metal' over the course of the 6 tracks (plus one hidden after Opiate).

Incidentally, I fail to see the point of the 'hidden track' concept generally. To my mind, if it's good enough then it should be included as a proper track, not hidden a few minutes after the last song ends. Thankfully, the practice seems to have died away with the resurrection of the vinyl industry. Good job!

Although it wasn't grunge, Undertow was a standout album in the grunge era (early nineties) with its sludgy heavy bass/drum sound. Keenan's assured vocals are a continued highlight and the whole band perform as a solid unit. 

Critic, David Browne summed up their other strengths:  Tool can crunch and lumber about with the best of them. What put this L.A. band a notch above the rest are better songs (with actual verses, choruses, and hooks-check out the terrific "Prison Sex") and the hints of vulnerability in singer Maynard James Keenan's voice'.

Ænima was an extension of Undertow, with a more experimental mindset. There are more exotic sounds and more alt metal sounds than on the debut - which, overall, I prefer to Ænima, although I do like that they are moving into a more progressive stance on Ænima. Ultimately, I find it an inconsistent album with some of the ambient metal noises a bit annoying.

Their third album was Lateralus, which came five years after Ænima  because of a legal dispute. It's more focused than album number two, with the band perfecting their signature throbbing, pulsing, bludgeoning metal sound. However, it's 10,000 Days that I like more.

For me, the more ambient tracks work better than on previous albums and it has a more melodic metal approach while still being recognisable Tool. The epic songs work too, each song has a prog metal approach that works.

Where do they all belong? They have produced a further album but I'll stick to these ones.