I'm not sure if this is already blatantly obvious to most people by now, but the idea hit me outta the blue.
I've always thought of Tool's albums as being thematic rather than conceptual, meaning they have central themes that run throughout, but not an actual story line. Then I started thinking about Ænima as a whole.
An enema, as you all know, is a procedure done to cleanse the anal cavity. So Stinkfist, the first song, represents the actual device being shoved into place. This is probably a metaphor for being open and vulnerable to spiritual change , or cleansing. "something has to change, undeniable dilemma"
Songs 2-11 (Eulogy through Pushit) are all the different things within the psyche that could go under an attempted change. As we all know, there are numerous interpretations as to what you are actually changing, or improving within yourself.
Eulogy - concepts of martyrdom, having someone above the masses do things for everyone else. being a sheep.
H. - getting over an attachment to heroin, someone in a relationship, etc...
46&2- changing the level of spirituality.... ah.... "Cleansing I've endured within My shadow. Change is coming. Now is my time."
Hooker - misconceptions of consumerism. "buy, buy, send more money, buy" pretty much sums up how we are pawns in the capitalist system...not good for spiritual growth within ourselves.
Jimmy- reverting back to a childhood state, possibly to deal with un-resolved fixations within the psyche.
Pushit- perhaps the destination of Jimmy's journey. Now the good old Oedipus complex can be resolved. Or, taken more literally: coming to grips with an abusive relationship.
Ænima- the final 'squirt' , if u will. All the other shit in society that needs to be dealt with. Basically, everything opposed to self-reflection and spiritual advancement is 'flushed away' and cleaned out. now we are 'clean.'
I haven't been mentioning the segues, but Ions might have some relevance. I recall Danny saying that ions are commonly found near natural water and they tend to give off good energy or something like that. He said it was the "feel good song of the album." It makes sense here: The anal cavity has successfully undergone cleansing by water and is now clean; a metaphor for being susceptible to genuine spiritual change.
Third Eye represents the spiritual enlightenment now made possible after all of the above.
Feedback would be wonderful , thanks.
__________________ this here is a run out the clock situation...just like upstairs.
-stanley
BEST INTERPRETATION IVE SEEN DUDE
RIGHT ON THE FUCKING NAIL
SINCE TOOL IS INTO CARL JUNGS WORK AND METAPHYSICS this is exactly right
if you read any of carl jungs work you will totally understand most of the cd
I dunno. After reading all that, I couldn't tell if you were joking, or being serious.
While you may be right on, I don't know for sure that the whole album was intended that way. It might of just happened to become what you stated. I know every die-hard Tool fanatic will claim to the death that Tool does EVERYTHING for a reason, but I think maybe what you said might have been just coincidence. Or perhaps thinking way too much into it. To borrow yet another Tool quote "overanalyzing seperates the body from the mind". Just enjoy the music.
__________________ "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." General George S. Patton
HateSolstice, look up Jung on wikipedia or something and read up on his ideas about psychoanalysis and the human mind. Alot of the central themes of the songs on Aenima are based upon Jung's theories. It's truly amazing.
First of all, I trully dig benpink's analysis. Way to go man! ;)
Most probably, I'm tellin bullshit, but I've noticed that in the end of the four Tool records, we have somethin like a common link at least semi-lyrically for the next one.
I mean,
Undertow: It had that strange "Disgustipated" song which was full of sheep bleats. I've heard that these bleats were actually aimed towards L Ron Hubbard and scientology (in a live show, when Tool were playin in the scientology center, Maynard was bleating thru the songs)? Maybe I'm way out.
So the scientology asault continues on Aenima, which had some obvious scientology rantin inside (and was more... "socially angry", somehow).
Aenima: It ends with "Third Eye" (love of my life ;P), which is about spiritual enlightenment and the chackras (at least lyrically)
Lateralus was based on some of these ideas, if not as an entity, then in the cover and some song lyrics.
Lateralus: It ends with "Faaip De Oiad", which has a guy in a radio show rantin about aliens.
In the new record, we have "Rosetta stoned".
I said, most probably this is bullshit, but if by a 1% is true, then I would be really curious to find out what "Viginti Tres" can lead into.
Maybe Tool will become Merzbow in the next record! ;P
__________________ We are falling, like the Mourning Sun.
-McCoy follower since forever.
"Pray for Leviathan, pray for me"
Wheather its right or wrong, Its one hell of an interptretation and its commendable that you would put that much thought into it and come out with something so original. Good job.
yeah, I am impressed with the thinking here, it is original, well though out and simply put - I like it a lot. Whether it's right or wrong, who's to say, but as far as interpretations of aenima go, this is one of the most plausible and appealing I have read.
SINCE TOOL IS INTO CARL JUNGS WORK AND METAPHYSICS this is exactly right
if you read any of carl jungs work you will totally understand most of the cd
Well done on a sterling interpretation! You have certainly given me food for thought on my own interpretation.
Although the album is heavily influenced by theories proposed by Jung, the oedipal complex and notions of repression are more theories of our good friend Sigmund Freud. Freud and Jung both subscribed to psychoanalysis and exploration of the subconscious, but Jung disagreed with Freud's negative vision of the unconscious - unresolved issues, repression yhadda, yhadda, yhadda - and saw is more as an untapped resource for development (in its many forms).
Perhaps we can broaden Ænima as a concept ambum influenced by analytical psychology as a whole rather than get so bogged down with the specifics of Jung?
