The most obvious.....

[Death]

It's already been said, yea I know, that Opiate is the most understandable and decipherable CD Tool has put out, but what i find strange is how Tool could go from something as simple and obvious as Opiate, to something as Enigmatic as Undertow in a year. Makes ya think...

[ragna16]

Yeah, it always made Opiate seem rushed. They obviously already knew what they wanted an album, seeing as how Undertow was released just one year later with a complete Album feel to it.

[bmeason]

I read in an interview somewhere, I think SPIN, that Opiate was released as a contestant to heavy metal and that TOOL was not able to put any of their "moody" stuff on the album. I have an early demo (before opiate) of tool and it included a version of Sober. So I would have to say that they had a wider range than the head banging hard guitar action we only heard on Opiate, they were just corraled (like most) to releasing what the execs thought would make it a seller.

Little did they know... when SOber dropped TOOL's true colors ignited an even more popular tune ;)

-Bryan Meason

[hyeboy]

Yes, I think all Tool fans would agree that there sound has definitely "evolved" if you will into what we hear on Lateralus today. But I don't mind it at all. I love the newer stuff even better than Opiate.

Maybe Optiate was a little rushed, but let's not forget the group was younger and full of rage back then. Just as their sound has evolved, so has their aprroach to life and how they deal with anger. They seem much more laid back and into just delivering a message of patience and self-reflection now. No need for "mosh music" any more to flush the anger out of their system.

[hateandvaseline]

Especially when Justin joined the band. I think the most noticable change is when they recorded Aenima, everything seemed more complex and universal. I think I have that demo with Sober on it, Bmeason. Does it have Part Of Me, Hush, and Crawl Away on it...?

[xx lateralus xx]

I would agree that the band has evolved. But now opiate provides some excellent "change-up" listening. i know it may be hard to believe, but ive listened to lateralus for like 2 months striaght, and im almost tired of it. throwing opiate into the cd player provides an excellent change of mood and pace. its more dark, and its more agressive. but after a few rotations, the cd player goes back to the deafult disc 1. lateralus it is.

[bmeason]

Originally posted by hateandvaseline
Especially when Justin joined the band. I think the most noticable change is when they recorded Aenima, everything seemed more complex and universal. I think I have that demo with Sober on it, Bmeason. Does it have Part Of Me, Hush, and Crawl Away on it...?

Yep that is the demo I speak of. Pretty rough cut, sounds like a before master demo.

-Bryan Meason