Tool ... are they really all that good ?

So you didn't get enough input in the other Tool threads you have made?

I tried it...but I don't like Tool:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22820&KW=Tool

Tool...so what's the fuss?:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23453&KW=Tool

Tool and Dream Theater Burger Factory:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24290&KW=Tool

King Crimson vs. Tool:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=26639&KW=Tool

And that is just a few of them,the ones I felt like listing.

For someone that can't stand them you sure talk about them alot.What more do you need to know???????????????

I know it's harmless,but it's also pretty redundant.

I won't close it,there is really no reason to,no rules are being violated.I was just wondering why you obsess about these guys so much.I obsess about music and bands that I like.Bands that I don't like I don't care about.I think that's sort of strange.Just my personal opinion,though.

In response to the thread title: No, they're better. 

archivep wrote: Prog-jester wrote: Yes. I ain't Metal fan(neither Prog nor Alternative where TOOL seemed to belong) mostly ,but they're my favourite Metal band."10 000 Days" is The album of the year for me (glad to see it takes #5 in Collabs' choise). The title track is simply a masterpiece. It´s funny but in fact they are not a metal band, it´s some mix of hard rock with american alternative music... And I think they are closer to B. Sabbath than to a traditional metal bands. They were never rated as a metal band so I don´t understand why they are now... But the point is they are pretty good but not a metal.

I respect Tool for what they have achieved. It is not really 'popular'music is it?

XTChuck wrote: archivep wrote: Prog-jester wrote: Yes. I ain't Metal fan(neither Prog nor Alternative where TOOL seemed to belong) mostly ,but they're my favourite Metal band."10 000 Days" is The album of the year for me (glad to see it takes #5 in Collabs' choise). The title track is simply a masterpiece. It´s funny but in fact they are not a metal band, it´s some mix of hard rock with american alternative music... And I think they are closer to B. Sabbath than to a traditional metal bands. They were never rated as a metal band so I don´t understand why they are now... But the point is they are pretty good but not a metal.          I think Tool are to be considered a metal band even though not EVERYTHING they've recorded was heavy sounding.  Even Black Sabbath recorded songs like "Laguna Sunrise", "Fluff", "Planet Caravan" etc.

Personally I would put them in Art rock

I've been a huge Tool fan. Discovered them in their gap from Aenima to Lateralus via APC, and fell in love for the most part.  I think those two albums are probably their apex...when 10K was about to break out (aside from almost literally throwing up in my mouth from the title when it was first announced), I figured based off their last album's experiments it could only make or break them.

And in my opinion, break them it has.  What happened to the long, trance-inducing, intricately crafted textures that were hinted at the end of Lateralus?  I saw Lateralus as the closing of an era for the band...they got over the legal battles, they rediscovered communicating within themselves, and from there on in, they'd really go whacky and explore to their hearts' content - see the lyrics to the song Lateralus in general.  What we saw was not an expansion, an improvement, or any sort of 'pushing the envelope' (statements which the band bark about til they're blue in the face but no longer show corroborating bite)...but a band standing still doing what worked for them.  Had 10K been released 2 years after Lateralus I would've said cool, or as a companion piece, even better. 

The band needs to make either some dramatically big changes in their overall sound or composistional skills for the next album, or adios Tool; because seriously, these guys are writing the same D minor bound song over and over and over with reliance on Danny Carey's powerhouse drumming taking up farrrr too much precedence. 

Experiment I say to Tool, and don't be afraid to be weird or alienate your audience again!  So back to the initial question, is Tool great...I guess I can at this moment say they WERE and they still have the latency to become even better, I simply became rather, RATHER disappointed with them last year.
 

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.

Yes Yes Yes!