UNDERTOW

I know. I know. This here not remember the Tool that would later be hailed as a major force in metal today, but one has to say that Undertow is very different sound grunge / alternative from the early 90s. Although the band is listed as "alternative metal", I believe they are bold enough to escape any definition of genre that you can try to classify.

About the members, they manifest their skills without hesitation, even when dealing with a "debut" (put in quotes because the Opiate EP they had released the previous year). The only difference here is that the bassist is Justin Chancellor, but Paul D'Amour. I have nothing to complain about, after all he is a great bassist (see the introduction of Sober). Maynard James Keenan displays his vocal power and frightening. He's a guy whose singing style is beyond compare: more than that, is a chameleon, since each album his voice is changed (assuming they take three to seven years between an album and another is even understandable) . Adam Jones shows his techniques, and although he is not the kind of virtuosic guitarist, plays an important role in the band's sound, especially considering that they do not have a keyboardist. And Danny Carey, although touch more simply than in Lateralus - ie anything insane polyrhythms - already shows his qualities here.

My first listen of Undertow not impressed me much, but it grew in my heart as the most listened. Still, neither compares to Lateralus, and I would not be surprised if after hearing all four albums the band consider this the weakest. My favorite tracks here are Prison Fri, Sober, Bottom, the title track, 4 th and the first half of Desgustipated (yes, because the other half is a pointless waste descatrável annoys me deeply).

4 stars or so.

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