Track Listing
1. Stinkfist 2. Eulogy 3. H. 4. Useful idiot 5. Forty six and two 6. Message to Harry Manback 7. Hooker with a p*nis 8. Intermission 9. Jimmy 10. Die eier von satan 11. Pushit 12. Cesaro summability 13. �nema 14. (-) Ions 15. Third eye Year: 1996 Label: Volcano - Official Site |
Tool - 'Aenima' - By C. Diamantis
Tool are in my opinion, and in that of many others, probably the most important heavy rock band on this planet right now. Though they release albums sparingly, these albums are known for their long duration and high quality. This is also the case with this album, their second full length. With the addition of Justin Chancellor on the bass, the band appears better than ever in this album. All the songs are outstanding compositions that can�t be written every day. Each band member impresses the listener with their flawless performance, but while accomplished musicians, they don�t show off their skills. They know their worth so they don�t feel the need to prove it with complicated solos and musical masturbations. Two things impressed me the most in this album, the first is the drumming of Danney Carey, which is so good that it surely embarrasses many of the progressive drummers who think of themselves as very talented. The second is the performance of Maynard James Keenan on the vocals. He mixes several styles, sometimes high, sometimes low, angry or emotional and he�s one of those rare singers who sings with every inch of their soul and makes each song a glance into his emotions. The songs are quite long, with many changes in rhythms and melodies. Although all of them are very good, there are a few which, at least to me, seem to be better among equals. �Hooker with a P*nis� is probably the angriest song of the album, with the lyrics that talk about all those �underground� fans that constantly accuse bands of selling out. For once a band has the chance to respond. Another one is �Aenema�, my favorite from the album, a song which describes the band�s �love� for Los Angeles. This is definitely a band who isn�t afraid to express its opinions. Another interesting thing about this album is the strange interludes there are amongst the songs. Some very funny (like �Die Eier Von Satan�, which sounds like a speech in Nazi Germany of the 40�s but is in fact a recipe for Mexican cookies), and some strange (like the answering machine message in �Message to Harry Manback�), but all are very cleverly put in the album. I really don�t know why some people relate Tool with the Nu-Metal scene, because, in my opinion they are two completely different things. After all Tool have more talent than the whole Nu-metal scene put together :) (my prejudices are showing). If I would compare them to anything, it would be the 70�s progressive rock bands, because Tool play progressive music with the truest sense of the term. This is a band who sound angry on many occasions, but instead of just following the easy way to treat the problems superficially they are more analytical and philosophical. If someone takes the time to read their lyrics, I�m sure they�ll find a lot of interesting ideas in there. I can�t really compare them to another band, because their music is so unique that I haven�t heard anything similar to them. However, their influences are very apparent, especially with progressive metal. If you don�t already know this band, you�re missing the most important modern band in rock. This is a good album to start with, but soon you�ll need to buy everything from them. Music for the mind and the soul� Metal Obsessive Grade: 98% |