I recently talked with someone at school, I saw he was listening to Aenima, and so we discussed tool for a moment. He said aenima was the only tool cd he had and that he sold lateralus on ebay because he didn't like it.... I know that everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but I would like to know more about why some of you people dislike Lateralus...
I've read things and some fans of early tool say lateralus is 'hippy music' and aenima is way better. let me ask you, how is lateralus 'hippy' music'? If you would call anything hippy music it would be maybe pink floyd, I could understand that. but the music is amazingly good, the lyrics aren't clearly about drugs, unless you search deep into them to find a greater meaning than the average person would upon first listen.
So, people on tdn who prefer aenima and earlier to lateralus, come forth and tell me your reasons....
I consider myself an "early" TOOL fan and I couldn't disagree more with your classmate. I think that Lateralus is the greatest TOOL album yet. That's not to say I don't like the others. I love all of their albums. I think that Lateralus is a little more "In your face" as far as making you think about the lyrics. Their other albums have done the same thing, but musically they have allowed the listener to think that they were just listening to a metal band. I've come to find over the years that many people don't want to think about what their listening to....
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opiate undertow and aenima are incredible but they are also negative these albums heal people that are negative, Lateralus has only one song that is not warm, conforting, and/or healing. Who wouldn't like the song Reflection, it gives me chills and when I listen to it I can make the night sky change colors
I think some people like Tool's earlier albums because they being ignorant, like the angry, nu metalish "fuck you" surface appearance of songs like hooker with a penis, AEnema, and Eulogy. These people didn't like the lack of anger and profanity that Lateralus brought. They don't want to celebrate life, but to instead condemn others. They only made it so far in the journey that is Tool.
this is really interesting, because i would argue that a perfect circles new one is in the similar vein as lateralus . . .
its a lot more complex and a little harder to get in to, just like lateralus was . . .
remember, too, that most fans were expecting another aenima, or at least an extension of it . . . a lot of people (and id actually argue most people) were expecting the same thing with thirteenth step . . .
people dont like lateralus because its not what the expected, or what they like about TOOLs previous albums . . . the same applies to thirteenth step . . .
its either that, or these same people simply have no fucking taste or class what-so-ever . . .
what i dont get it is, how most people trash on bands that dont change up there sound, such as every album stays the same, and i know a lot of bands that the first album i loved, and the second one came out and all the songs kinda blended together and you couldnt really distinguish them from any other song on the album, i credit this usually to asshole producers who tell bands what to sound like to sale, and what tool is done is come out everytime and throw something never really done before and change up everything, and no tool song sounds like another, its amazing what they've done in my opinion, but still a lot of people trash on them for changing to much, im beggining to think you can't make the average person happy anymore
I think some people like Tool's earlier albums because they being ignorant, like the angry, nu metalish "fuck you" surface appearance of songs like hooker with a penis, AEnema, and Eulogy. These people didn't like the lack of anger and profanity that Lateralus brought. They don't want to celebrate life, but to instead condemn others.
You're generalising - and condemning others as you do it.
Personally, I prefer Aenima. Not just a little, either - I genuinely think Aenima is hugely more impressive than Lateralus. That's just personal opinion.
Am I a metal head?
I don't know. Tool is the only metal band I've ever actually listened to properly.
Was I expecting another Aenima?
Probably not, because Lateralus was my first Tool album.
And, it was great, originally. Lateralus really kicked my ass and opened me up to music in a whole new way (and enlightened me to the fact that metal isn't the retarded genre I always took it for).
Aenima, on the other hand, I absolutely loathed first time I heard it. Harsh, aggressive, dark industrial noise was what it sounded like.
Maybe that's why I prefer it now - it took me weeks, months of repeatedly playing Aenima before I started to appreaciate it. And even now, well over a year on, I'm still making sense of all of it - it grew on me like you wouldn't believe.
My love for Lateralus, on the other hand, diminished with repeated playings, despite the technical superiority of it all - it just didn't, in my opinion, have the depth of Aenima. Or the raw, spiritual emotion.
Now, it's still a great album, but it wouldn't even make my top five (while Aenima would definately be number one).
And, you asked, "why?"
Sorry. There's no accounting for taste, is there?
Aenima is why I love Tool. It's a fucking masterpiece. Lateralus, in my opinion, is just a great album. The Kid A to Aenima's OK Computer, if you will.
I don't know why that particular opinion would make me ignorant in any way.
what i dont get it is, how most people trash on bands that dont change up there sound, such as every album stays the same, and i know a lot of bands that the first album i loved, and the second one came out and all the songs kinda blended together and you couldnt really distinguish them from any other song on the album, i credit this usually to asshole producers who tell bands what to sound like to sale, and what tool is done is come out everytime and throw something never really done before and change up everything, and no tool song sounds like another, its amazing what they've done in my opinion, but still a lot of people trash on them for changing to much, im beggining to think you can't make the average person happy anymore
Hmm I would actually object to that, at first, 5 of Ænimas songs sound the same, Forty Six & Two, H. and Jimmy sound very much alike upon first hearing, and so does Stinkfist and Eulogy
Me...I Love Them both, Ænima seems to be a really good album all around but Lateralus had some really good songs that I really took fondly to
I consider myself an "early" TOOL fan and I couldn't disagree more with your classmate. I think that Lateralus is the greatest TOOL album yet. That's not to say I don't like the others. I love all of their albums. I think that Lateralus is a little more "In your face" as far as making you think about the lyrics. Their other albums have done the same thing, but musically they have allowed the listener to think that they were just listening to a metal band. I've come to find over the years that many people don't want to think about what their listening to....
I'm one to listen to lateralus damn near religiously sometimes, but in my opinion aenima is the better of the two albums souly because you can kind of hear maynards involvement with it. The band wrote lateralus while maynard was still into touring with APC, so the music was sort of detatched frmo the lyrics. Not to say the lyrics in Lateralus dont fit, but aenima has a certian flow to it thats a little deeper then lateralus'. The argument towards lateralus may be that it is a more positive album, and its flow is a little more apparent(possibly having to do wth the entire album being in D) but in my mind Aenima stops right where the human psyche should kick in. The negativity in aenima(hooker, aenema, eulogy...etc.) should actually intice the listener to make up their own little lateralus in their minds. They provide the first half of the emotions and I think they left it up to the listener to find their own resolution to some of the problems. Lateralus to me is more what the band had in mind for the extention of Aenima. Some may think this is a little too much to ask from the average rocker, but Maynard does put a lot of trust in the fans.
The band wrote lateralus while maynard was still into touring with APC, so the music was sort of detatched frmo the lyrics
I had heard an interview with Maynard and I thought I remember him saying somthing about how he writes all the lyrics after all the must is written. He said something about how "It's all about the music", and the lyrics are just an extension of the emotions brought out by the instruments.
yeah, but maynard's presence has to have some influence over the final product of the album, just because he doesnt "play" an instrument doesnt mean he doesnt give input to the instrumentals. I dont mean to say that the other three are useless without him, but his not being there might have had something to do with it.
The argument towards lateralus may be that it is a more positive album, and its flow is a little more apparent(possibly having to do wth the entire album being in D)
Wrong there ... Parabol/a is played with both the E and A strings dropped an entire fifth. Lateralus probably feels like it flows more because three songs are divided into numerous tracks (Eon Blue, The Patient ... Parabol, Parabola ... Disposition, Reflection, Triad). Once you cut through the tracks and remove the noise ... it leaves you with The Grudge, The Patient, Schism, Parabola, Ticks and Leeches, Lateralus, and D/R/T. That's only six different "songs." Even though each track to the multitracked songs has a completely different air to it ... I still can't listen to Reflection without Disposition and the same goes for the rest.
The album still has an apparent progression to it ... but I still find Aenima to be my favorite of the two. No reason behind it ... I just get chillier listening to it.
__________________ I must persuade you another way
true, but many keys are sorta interchangable, but the thing about the multiple tracks is quite true, but to me the album does link itself quite well. I do agree with out about Ænima, its my favorite of the two.
I've read things and some fans of early tool say lateralus is 'hippy music' and aenima is way better. let me ask you, how is lateralus 'hippy' music'?
Maybe they meant HAPPY music. What I saw to some early reactions, because the content was much more geared towards being you know, in a positive mental state, that those who were still forged in the fires of depression just couldn't accept it.
I don't think one should really compare the two albums without recognizing the 5 year gap. In that five years, they evolved. Matured. There's no way one sane person can continue in that dark passion without burning ones self out. Imagine, being them, pushing as hard as they did with AEnima. No matter how hard you worship them, they felt those things and they did those things and none of us did. After all that, I can understand why Lateralus was so melow.
Personally, I prefer Lateralus simply for The Patient. It's the simple wisdom that won me over.
__________________ Fire lives only to consume.
Darkness lives only to consume.
If you wish to live, then die.
Lateralus is sometimes confusing and about new age stuff. Aenema's lyrics are about desensitization, divorce (i think), frustration with society. Aenema is also funnier. The hippy music coments were probably about the new age stuff as well as, the bass. Personally my preference differs depending on my mood. Right now i feel like listening to "Opiate" and just driving around. Bye.
The thing about Lateralus compared to Aenima, Undertow, or Opiate.... is that the songs have a direct link. The earlier three are many great songs put on an album. Lateralus is more than that. Lateralus not only has meaning in the songs themselves, but also in the order of the songs and simply that these songs are together. Tool seems to be giving us directions towards this transformative process. Almost a recipe to be a good person. Using the six main songs mentioned before, The Grudge: Getting rid of the Grudges is getting rid of all the blatant, unnecessary anger. The Patient is getting rid of the more subtle mental flaws in, along with the grudge, calming the body and mind. Schism is the reparation of or the maintining of Good Relationship... something we all need. Parabol and Parabola are looking towards optimism. Ticks and Leeches, well, that anger is the alternative. Lateralis: More of an intangible spiritual transformation. Disposition seems to be saying "If you listen and heed what the first part of the album has said.... watch the weather change"... the weather seems to be an indicator of mood. If you follow this recipe... you're life will change for the better. Reflection is once this overall transformation has happened.... the further pursuit of a much more spiritual life. Something like this has never been done before. We should keep them in our prayers for giving us such a gift.
i read somewhere, maybe an interview, i don't remember, but the point is maynard said something along the lines of you can only be angry and scream for so long.
tool grew, that's all, and i belive it's a good thing for any band. they decided to learn something new. if you look at all tools albums there are changes between all of them, especialy opiate and undertow. i can understand that not everyone happens to like what tool learned ro grew into, but if they don't appreciate it they can shove a large cactus up their ass. everyone and everything grows in some way, you just have to learn to accept it.
personaly, i think lateralus is amazing.
__________________ "In the long run it is far more dangerous to adhere to illusion than to face what the actual fact is."
-David Bohm
Also.... Lateralus takes rhythm past another level into another dimension. It's so condusive to visionary experiences that a lump grows in my throat when I speak of it.
TOOL is the best band in the history of mandkind...and any true fan would like TOOL no matter what, or how they produce their music.
__________________ l don't want to be alone again today...
Hold me close and together we'll pray
That this moment never fades away...
Fade away, fade away, like any other day.
How about you fuck off? This is an opinion site, where l can express whatever l wish. How short or long my opinion is, is irrelevant. l could say the same thing to you as well, when all you said was "Stop postpumping" You say a total of 2 words, what the fuck do you call that?
__________________ l don't want to be alone again today...
Hold me close and together we'll pray
That this moment never fades away...
Fade away, fade away, like any other day.
Sorry...that was harsh, l'm not in a good mood. :/...
Next time l will try to post something longer, rather than just saying some totally opinionated comment, instead of something useful.
__________________ l don't want to be alone again today...
Hold me close and together we'll pray
That this moment never fades away...
Fade away, fade away, like any other day.
hey people! all of us are Tool Fans, right? if we are a truly fan of Tool, lets try to understand the feeling that the band is triying to give us.
Well i think that this is the most spiritual album of the band. if you read the lyrics of Lateralus while listening the album, then you will find out that this is the most beatifull album of the band and i think this is the best alum is the history of the music (only comparable with "The Dark Side of the Moon" by the gods of Pink Floyd). I think that it is, in fact, the best album of Tool (but the best SONG, not alum, of Tool is clearly Pushit live from Salival)
I think that many of you have excellent opinions and we're starting to progress a lot, now we're having comments like "we are all Tool fans, we should appreciate them for what they do" which i think is dead on, where previously we had the whole "lets see in black and white, its good, no it sucks ass" i think seeing in colour [an idea introduced by the song Lateralus, no less] is an interesting thing here because i believe that in saying that each album appeals to people differently because of our differences in mood, religion and belief etc. is more accurate than saying it is either good or bad, whatever our differences at least we are all bound in one sense, Tool are absoloutely awesome. period.
Sorry...that was harsh, l'm not in a good mood. :/...
Next time l will try to post something longer, rather than just saying some totally opinionated comment, instead of something useful.
yeah I guess I was in a bad mood too, i just said that because I saw you had just posted a lot of times in a row in a million different forum sections...
Each album is an outgrowth of the previous album, people who dont like Lateralus in all likelyhood are simply not ready for it yet, Opiate identifies societial bs and is probably their most traditional rock album. Undertow confronts the realities someone would face in breaking from the "Opiates", Aenima explores how one can look inside and personally grow out or and beyond the depths of Undertow, concluding with Lateralus which explores the interpersonal application of the freed mind via riding spirals (communication networks). Lateralus haters are probably still stuggling with the in between more than some others, if you have learned anything from tool you ought to talk to them about it.
I feel lateralus is a "hopeful" statement. Bands and artists may tend to grow out of earlier periods of cynicism. Maybe, this optimisim has been present all along but not so much expressed in eairlier statements. In my opinion, The patient and lateralus are both songs that are full of "eventual" optimism for the future in the lyrics.
Lyrics aside, musically Lateralus is less eclectic than pervious albums. Sort of a flowing progression from begining to end. A dark Side of the Moon or Precence style album. Slighty static with a eventual balance.
Danny Carrey is superb. Carrey is a complete asset to ANY band. Without kissing the bands ass any further, that album is quiet a fine artistic statement.
zxz
the reason I cant imagine Tool's next album is because how can it be a step forward from lateralus? So I kind of think it might be a little step back, or a completely new direction that sounds very different from lateralus
For me, the first Tool CD I got was Lateralus. I didn't like it because of how long it was. I didn't appreciate the intensity of the screaming on "Track 8" I didn't like track 2, 4, or 6 because they had no vocals (and Parabol lasted too long for me). Reflection had just too long of an intro and... well, you get the drift. I didn't appreciate Tool's musical set-up. At that time I was listening to Korn, Linkin' Park, Green Day, Nirvana, System of a Down, and stuff like that (I still like the last three to an extent). I couldn't appreciate the set-up they'd do to put you in the mood for the music (sexual pun intended). I didn't hate the album, I just would listen to Ticks and Leeches (fast forwarding the slow part), Schism, Parabola, The Grudge, and Lateralus (fast forwarding the intro sometimes). Later, my friend let me borrow a copy of Opiate, and I fell in love with it! "Go fuck yourself, you piece of shit" and "Shoot you in your fucking head" were just awesome at that time. I then got Aenima and loved it, but couldn't appreciate Third Eye (of course I loved Hooker with a Penis). I never really liked Undertow and still don't to this day.
Basically, what I'm saying is that it took me a long time to appreciate what the length of a song can do. There's nothing wrong with Hooker with a Penis, Ticks and Leeches and Aenima, they are good, angry songs. But basically, it's hard for people to appreciate a positive apperance in such a "darker" band. They don't realize that there's light at the end of the tunnel in Aenima also. But my friend once said "Lateralus lyrics aren't as good." So, obviously, they miss the profane angry music.
Man, it took me that long to explain "they miss the profanity and anger" Oh well. My point still stays.
i agree with A Perfect Circle's Thirteenth Step and Tool's Lateralus having the same effect on the listeners of the earlier albums. However I think that in both bands Maynard is moving toward making an Album as opposed to making a song, however i believe that 90% of what is on any of his albums could "make it" as a song on its own.
As far as die hard fans of AEnima hating Lateralus, I think sometimes people spend too much time liking being angry, there is more to life than that. Dont get me wrong, I love AEnima, but it has its place, it is far from the end all be all of anything.
How many "angry" songs are there on Ænima? The only one I can think of is Hooker With A Penis, just like Ticks And Leeches on Lateralus. The only other track you people could be thinking of is Ænema - which actually has an ingenius, chaotic, apocalyptic vibe.
Listen to the music under, "Some say a comet will fall from the sky..."
Overall, Ænima is creepy rather than angry.
What annoys me here is all the fucking assumptions that are being made.
For example: If you like Lateralus better, you heard it first, and therefore, are not OGT, and therefore, are not entitled to an opinion.
Another example: If you like Ænima better, you like stupid angry bullshit.
I mean. Really.
Did some of you guys actually hear of taste?
I like Ænima better because of the dreamlike tones, the overall nightmarish acid-trip shit it realises so brilliantly. If you were to ask me of albums I consider to be similar to Ænima, I'd say Maxinquaye by Tricky and Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2, by Aphex Twin. Which is funny, because neither of them are metal albums, neither of them have much anger, and neither of them sound much like Ænima. But those three albums, to me, capture the essence of that feverish dream stage of a flu infection, man.
Lateralus actually might be my favourite, if it hadn't been for Ticks And Leeches and Parabola, which, while both being good songs, are not up the quality of the rest of the album. That's basically 17 minutes worth of less-than-truly-fucking-awesome material.
Furthermore, I consider the lyrics to be weaker on Lateralus because they're mostly based around simplified, universal themes which could apply to just about anything, wheras Ænima was more personal, emotional, and brilliantly layered with meaning. Disposition is fucking genius, however.
All this, and, my favourite Tool songs are H., jimmy, Pushit, and Third Eye. And they're all on Ænima.
Once again. For those in the back. I MOSTLY DO NOT LISTEN TO METAL. Man. Isn't that weird. Obviously, it means I was raised a catholic and have a lot of pent-up aggression, or something.
As for album flow - I consider Thirteenth Step to be far more cohesive than Lateralus. Thirteenth Step flows beautifully (and, in my opinion, is shockingly better than Mer De Noms).
So. To finish off. People's taste in art has no bearing on their perso... etc. etc. etc.
I swear. Some people think Requiem For A Dream is a good movie. Who the fuck knows how taste works.
I like Ænima better because of the overall nightmarish acid-trip shit it realises so brilliantly.
I love that definition. Lot's of aggressive but funny stuff on Aenima. Lateralus is more dreamy, contemplative...
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Originally Posted by dischordance
Lateralus actually might be my favourite, if it hadn't been for Ticks And Leeches and Parabola, which, while both being good songs, are not up the quality of the rest of the album. That's basically 17 minutes worth of less-than-truly-fucking-awesome material.
I don't agree with that... I thought the same thing when I first got Lateralus, but Parabola takes a totally different dimention with Parabol. On its own, it's a good but standard prog-rock song, but with parabol... it's a totally different thing. It swifts and goes through all different moods that it doesn't have when you only listen to parabola, especially the end of parabola which takes all its sense with parabol (the peace (parabol) - the big rock song with all its rhythm changes that leads progressively to this heavy rock riff - the peace again : beautiful).
Quote:
Originally Posted by dischordance
Furthermore, I consider the lyrics to be weaker on Lateralus because they're mostly based around simplified, universal themes which could apply to just about anything, wheras Ænima was more personal, emotional, and brilliantly layered with meaning. Disposition is fucking genius, however.
I don't agree with that statement... The themes on Lateralus are more universal for sure, but the way they are written is still very personnal. And I believe even if the general themes are easier to get on Lateralus, the details of the songs are very hard to interpret and deals with more complex ideas (The grudge is a good example... tons of metaphors and links between every verses). Lyricaly, Lateralus is way better than Aenima for me (especially The grudge, Lateralus, Schism and Reflection). Aenima have great songs too, but they sound more like standard rock song lyrics (the lyrics to pushit for example are great, but not particularly original in its themes and the way they are conveyed). The langage is far more advanced on Lateralus too, closer to poetry than just rock songs.
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Originally Posted by dischordance
So. To finish off. People's taste in art has no bearing on their perso... etc. etc. etc.
I swear. Some people think Requiem For A Dream is a good movie. Who the fuck knows how taste works.
Actually tastes are mostly cultural and psychological entities that deal with unconscious expectations and representations of the things that surrounds us... but hey that's another topic.
opiate undertow and aenima are incredible but they are also negative these albums heal people that are negative, Lateralus has only one song that is not warm, conforting, and/or healing. Who wouldn't like the song Reflection, it gives me chills and when I listen to it I can make the night sky change colors
Opiate was a very hard and negative album, undertoe wasnt as negative, but was more ore less about being down in the dumps (in the undertow), aenima was and Emina for his negativity, and lateralus is the new and improved self. its chronological growth in the band/Maynard.
I love that definition. Lot's of aggressive but funny stuff on Aenima. Lateralus is more dreamy, contemplative...
Disposition-Reflection-Triad, is, sure. The rest of the album, though, doesn't seem to have any cohesive feel or tone to it. That's probably why I prefer Ænima, come to think of it. I love atmosphere, and there didn't seem as much of it.
Take the title track. It's one of the best tracks on the album, sure, but it isn't big on atmosphere like jimmy or Eulogy. Perhaps I'm missing it.
I think Lateralus is more progressive album, more focused on instrumentation and songwriting than mood and tone. Ænima just seems like a soundtrack to the movie in my head.
Another thing I liked Ænima was the duality of it - it was hard and soft, dark and light at the exact same time. It's ugly and beautiful at the exact same time. Industrial and organic. It actually reminds me of a HR Giger painting in it's contradictions. Lateralus, on the other hand, was entirely based on light and beauty, which it creates wonderfully. For a supposed metal album, Lateralus is practically radiant. But it's just not as fascinating as that weird, ugly-ass semimechanical baby that is Ænima which can also be beautiful, when looked at the right way.
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I don't agree with that... I thought the same thing when I first got Lateralus, but Parabola takes a totally different dimention with Parabol. On its own, it's a good but standard prog-rock song, but with parabol... it's a totally different thing. It swifts and goes through all different moods that it doesn't have when you only listen to parabola, especially the end of parabola which takes all its sense with parabol (the peace (parabol) - the big rock song with all its rhythm changes that leads progressively to this heavy rock riff - the peace again : beautiful).
For a little clarification here, when I said "Parabola", I meant, "Parabol/a". I thought it would be assumed that I was referring to them as one track, because, really, who the fuck listens to them seperately.
I don't have anything against the way Parabol and Parabola compliment each other, Parabola, to me, just feels like a more mainstream, poppier song compared to the rest of Lateralus. Complete with catchy riffs and chorus.
Again, not saying it's not a GOOD song, it's just up to the level of the rest of Lateralus.
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The langage is far more advanced on Lateralus too, closer to poetry than just rock songs.
I'll agree with that (especially on Schism and Reflection), as well as everything else you said about the lyrics (except for Pushit. Mainly because Pushit is probably the only song on Ænima that I'm unable to connect to. I just don't get it.). I still think H. and Jimmy in particular have fantastic lyrics, and I just prefer that style over the broader, more expansive range of Lateralus. Again, it's taste, right?
I'm not even sure why I'm posting this - I'm just glad someone stopped saying: "People like Ænima better because it's more aggressive." Probably because I'm a hypocritical ass that thinks that everyone should agree with me when I say that Ænima was hypnotic and trippy.
Disposition-Reflection-Triad, is, sure. The rest of the album, though, doesn't seem to have any cohesive feel or tone to it. That's probably why I prefer Ænima, come to think of it. I love atmosphere, and there didn't seem as much of it.
I don't really agree with you here. I think there are different atmospheres on Lateralus and on Aenima... All D/R/T, the quiet parts of the grudge, the beginning of The patient, Parabol (isn't that pure atmosphere?), the bridge of Lateralus... the "harder" parts have also strong flavours (the end of Lateralus, the end of the grudge). atmosphere is what makes Tool great to me, and I find as much of it in Lateralus and Aenima... just different colors. I also feel that the lack of standard structure helps to set the moods for me (contrary to Aenima where the verse+chorus structure is often used - even if it's brilliantly use).
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Originally Posted by dischordance
Take the title track. It's one of the best tracks on the album, sure, but it isn't big on atmosphere like jimmy or Eulogy. Perhaps I'm missing it.
The bridge is colorful... I don't see any real difference between Lateralus and Eulogy... to me Lateralus is the closest song to Aenima. Maybe Lateralus (the album) is harsher, drier, more abstract.
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Originally Posted by dischordance
I think Lateralus is more progressive album, more focused on instrumentation and songwriting than mood and tone.
But there is still and even more place for mood... Parabol, Disposition, the first four minutes of Reflection, are just moods... there wasn't any of this kind of music on Aenima (except stuff like the beginning of Eulogy or 46 & 2, but they weren't as long).
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Originally Posted by dischordance
Another thing I liked Ænima was the duality of it - it was hard and soft, dark and light at the exact same time. It's ugly and beautiful at the exact same time. Industrial and organic. It actually reminds me of a HR Giger painting in it's contradictions. Lateralus, on the other hand, was entirely based on light and beauty, which it creates wonderfully.
Yep I totally agree with you on that one. That's why I like both of them... they are different, and in a sence, Lateralus wouldn't be as beautiful if Aenima, if this duality, this confrontation, hadn't exist before it. There is a sence of accomplishment on Lateralus that comes from Undertow and Aenima.
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Originally Posted by dischordance
But it's just not as fascinating as that weird, ugly-ass semimechanical baby that is Ænima which can also be beautiful, when looked at the right way.
Different kinds of beauty... both appealed me, even if as I'm growing older and more mature, I feel more connected to Lateralus. There is also on Lateralus a strong link with Asian music and philosophies (and Ethnic musics in general) which I love...
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Originally Posted by dischordance
I don't have anything against the way Parabol and Parabola compliment each other, Parabola, to me, just feels like a more mainstream, poppier song compared to the rest of Lateralus. Complete with catchy riffs and chorus.
Yep, but there was plenty of catchy riffs and chorus on Aenima... Stinkfist, 46 & 2, Eulogy, Aenima... Being in the middle of a 9 minute song, I don't really feel the "chorus" in Parabola. It's just another part of the journey (which is obviously "poppier" than the rest of Lateralus)... but Parabol, or the end of parabola with all these progressive riffs have nothing to do with pop music, and the structure of the song erase all the poppiest aspects of the song.
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Originally Posted by dischordance
Again, not saying it's not a GOOD song, it's just up to the level of the rest of Lateralus.
I thought the same for a long time, but now (since the video I guess) I believe it's one of the best songs on Lateralus. It swifts through a great variety of moods and rhythm... In live versions it takes all its dimension. But it's probably their most obviously prog-rock song (even if I'm not sure many prog-rock bands could write Parabol).
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Originally Posted by dischordance
I still think H. and Jimmy in particular have fantastic lyrics, and
H. and Jimmy were hints to what Maynard would write on Lateralus... same style of writing. They are my favorite lyrics on Aenima.
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Originally Posted by dischordance
I'm not even sure why I'm posting this - I'm just glad someone stopped saying: "People like Ænima better because it's more aggressive." Probably because I'm a hypocritical ass that thinks that everyone should agree with me when I say that Ænima was hypnotic and trippy.
Of because it's always fun to talk about this great band? Lateralus and Aenima are both masterpieces anyway.
The first tool CD I got was Undertow. I fell in love with it right away. I liked the hard aggressive sound. Then when I got their second album, I really liked the slower more caotic sounds. Laturalus, umm I was like WTF is this the first time I listened to it. The second time I laided down by myself, and said omg this album is jus beautiful.
