Tool ... are they really all that good ?

Tool is an excellent prog metal band,with great musicianship and some very good albums in their discography(Lateralus is a prog metal key studio album)

laplace wrote: Tool are a hard taste to acquire? as proven by their large fan base rooted in many different age groups and musical contexts, not to mention the fact that they're successful enough to have produced memorable videos? :P :P :P they're just a little bit more clever than most bands, a little more judicious with their payoffs and choruses. They do have the image of being mystic travellers and so forth but I think it's a cynical thing to some extent. you may think it takes a genius to put down the lyrical themes of life, which every intelligent person already constantly considers, but I do not. I find Lateralus to be seventy minutes of a very good forty minute album.

well, to be fair, he DID say "for some people" so... you lose! :)

Well it's a matter of taste, yada yada yada.
What I can say is that Tool are acquired taste for some people. I always liked Tool to some extent, But not until just recently have I started to really love what they do. Im a huge fan now, and back when I first heard them I thought they were good, but not "all that good". So don't jump to conclusions after 1 or 2 listens, because it took me like over 100 (not exaggerating) to love em. and no, its not brainwash. I can tell when it is and when it isn't   

^I tend to agree with you, though I'm a bit confused.The MOST POPULAR, I'd say

On the lyrics bit: It's very easy to criticise, but try doing it better yourselves. It isn't always easy I tell you.

el böthy wrote: Visitor13 wrote: el böthy wrote: Visitor13 wrote: At their best (Aenima, Lateralus) yes, they are that good. On the other releases they're quite good, but not groundbreaking.  What is definitely not that good about them is the lyrics (with a few exceptions). Do they sound samey? No. ...what?!?!??!?!?! To say Keenan´s lyrics are not good is like saying Russia is a little country! He is THE best ever, for me of course. His lyrics are so incredibly deep and filosofical, can´t believe there are people out there saying his lyrics are not good. One thing is that you don´t like them, but to say they are not good, that´s just absurd!...man does this piss me off Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! and, they are as good as everybody says they are and diserve all the popularity they get. Plus, Lateralus is the best prog album of this millenium Please quote some deep and philisophic lyrics from them. When it comes to lyrics I'm very critical, but I will admit to being mistaken, if what you quote meets my standards. It´s all good now. It´s just whenever someone talks about Keenan´s lyrics without the expretion "best ever in the history of mankind" I just snap!...once I hit someone to death because of it...naaa...thats a lie...or is it?...na, it is...it is...really?...really, I never did that... and here I give you...Schism I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them fall away mildewed and smoldering, fundamental differing, pure intention juxtaposed will set two lovers souls in motion disintegrating as it goes testing our communication the light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so we cannot see to reach an end crippling our communication. I know the pieces fit cuz I watched them tumble down no fault, none to blame it doesn't mean I don't desire to point the finger, blame the other, watch the temple topple over. To bring the pieces back together, rediscover communication. The poetry that comes from the squaring off between, And the circling is worth it. Finding beauty in the dissonance. There was a time that the pieces fit, but I watched them fall away. Mildewed and smoldering, strangled by our coveting I've done the the math enough to know the dangers of a second guessing Doomed to crumble unless we grow, and strengthen our communication cold silence has a tendency to atrophy any sense of compassion between supposed lovers between supposed brothers. And I know the pieces fit.

Hi El Bothy,

Sorry, but I wouldn't say these are good lyrics. Or let's put it this way - the message is good (though hardly original), but the way it's put into words isn't. A more careful, aware choice of words would certainly make the message more tangible and shed more light on this ancient problem of 'rediscovering communication'. As it is, I don't really see anything here I didn't know before and wouldn't have arrived at myself.

It's a bit like Neil Peart's lyrics. Wisdom yes, poetry no. And poetry isn't only form (and therefore somehow secondary to content), it allows for deeper and more precise content. And poetry lis what's lacking here, IMO.

The bit Prog-Jester quoted sounded more personal, and as such probably made the choice of the right words easier.


Edited by Visitor13 - January 19 2007 at 13:07

I'll say, that if a band still gets 40% saying no, how could it be one of the best this year? Personally Tool doesn't appeal to me in any way. I have heard 3 albums from them, and in my opinion, I might as well not have heard them, I think that says I'm not a fan, whereas most of my friends are.

I love TooL, they rocks !

No cheesyness, all heavy and dark progressive metal !

Especially AEnima, Lateralus and 10000 days. Their first album sounds less progressive, but is nonetheless quite enjoyable.

Looking at the results so far Tool is going along OK,  but its not a clear result so far many people seem to feel they are that good and almost as many don`t.    

Taking into account the fanboy hysteria that a band like Tool have I`d say this poll is even so far in real terms     50/50 result     not a bad result for Tool in fact pretty good 

Edited by Masque - January 18 2007 at 21:18

yes, they are