Tool
REVIEWS
OPIATE, (1992)
Rating: 10
Best Songs- Hush
Worst Song- The Gaping Lotus Experience
A terrific debut from an exceptional 90's alternative metal band.
Written by Shaun Downton
This is one hell of a debut. It is essentially a heavy metal
album, as none of the artier side to Tool has come in yet, but what an intense
25 minutes this is. The songs sound very fresh and the playing is superb and
it will make you move and mimic the playing and if it doesn't, you aren't
listening to it loud enough. Adam and Paul's riffs aren't the fastest or the
most complex you'll ever hear but damn they sure know how to write a memorable
riff, like the one in 'Jerk-Off'. And there's not a heap of speedy solos of
the Slayer kind and if there is, I must have blinked and missed them? Blinked?
Hmmm.. OK then.. BUT! on the other hand, Danny does go all out. His double
bass drum work, hi hat patterns and tom fills are all incredible. A good drummer
is more than needed for an exceptional heavy metal album like this one. And
Maynard, his voice is as always, listenable and his screams are so stunning
they make my body feel all tingly and make my eyes all teary, mainly the "DDDIIIEEEEEE!!!"
scream in the climax of 'Jerk-off'. Heh climax heh heh jerk off heh. Moments
like these make me so thankful that I'm not deaf.
For some reason 2 out of these 6 tracks were recorded live. But why? They're
just as good as the studio ones in terms of sound quality. For a heavy metal
debut, this album has great sound quality. Look at the others.. 'Kill 'Em
All', 'Haunting The Chapel', 'Trangressions From Acheron' etc.. You'd hope
out of 6 tracks that at least 4 of them would be good, well... they're all
great. My personal favourite would be 'Hush'. With it's awesome bass intro
and the "FUCCCKK YOOUU!!" scream, it is one of Tool's most intense tracks
with lyrics about censorship, which shouldn't be a problem for Tool anyway
because they haven't got anything to censor besides the words "fuck" and "shit"
popping up numerous times within this very song. All the songs are great !
Then there's that silly little song hidden after 'Opiate' called 'The Gaping
Lotus Experience' while it has amusing lyrics,it can be quite annoying when
it wakes you up after you fall asleep during 'Opiate'. You can subtract a
point of the rating if you like. But it's not even listed and it's a secret
song, so it doesn't really count. Great album. If you like metal at all, this
must be in your collection.
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