I really see Flood as the true ending of the album. The progression, from the sound of the diver's air turning off at the start of Intolerance, to the "cleansing and purging" of all the negativity that the narrator once knew in Flood, works really well. It's similar to Undertow, but instead of focusing on the drowning, Flood is about realizing that you have to start over. The instrumental at the beginning is a lot like waves of water hitting the shoreline, or perhaps pulling a swimmer under.
I think it leads into Aenima effectively, too.
The theme of water as cleansing is used in the song Aenema too. I think it's interesting that there is a lot of focus on facing the darkness and overcoming it, or washing it all away.
__________________ Curiosity is compassion
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -- Gandhi
I like your take, Sublimity. Especially when you say that you feel this song is very much about the process of renewal and starting over. Save for the album ending with this song, I would agree with most of what you said. I also think this song is a perfect showcase of the way Tool's music has a tendency to visually manifest itself (intentionally, no doubt) to the listener. In your case, the intro conjuring images of a rhythmic tide coming ashore.
For me, this song invokes images of a bathtub, or perhaps a reservoir, filling up with water. The water rising up gradually and intensifying as it reaches its capacity until the song reaches it's inevitable climax and the water dramatically spills out and over the sides.
"Soon the water will come and claim what is mine. I must leave it behind, and climb to a new place now," to me, expresses a point in ones life (originally Maynard's) where their fundamental beliefs and or ideals are significantly shaken due to personal revelation. Choosing to survive, and not to stay and drown, comes at the cost of the ground upon which one has stood thus far. "This ground is not the rock I thought it to be." So I think this song is about (but is not limited to) the necessity of personal sacrifice for the sake of survival.
Fortunately, this band doesn't give their fans parameters when it comes to the music by telling us what each song is specifically about. Just one of the many reasons I will continue to enjoy listening to this song, and all the others, time and time again.
p.s. ~ this song was incredible both times I saw it performed live. making it a personal favorite of the collection.
__________________ "Don't just call me pessimistic, try and read between the lines." ~ MJK (AEnema)
Last edited by PessimisticOptimist; 07-28-2010 at 02:23 AM..
To me the intro puts images in my head of something like a dam that (as the intro progresses) begins to crack and once the heavy guitar comes in the water seeps through and then bursts through. As the water rolls through the plains i start to think of one's emotions. Emotion's can affect the soul by making you do disastrous things to your mind... But can also cleanse the soul. As it cleanses you, you begin to put things in perspective... sometimes overthinking and eventually destroying yourself... But sometimes you learn to let go of it all. This song is probably about the fear of letting it all go. We dont want to, but we know that if we do we will be cleansed of our hatred and love of those things. Once we do we are happy that we have been purged in the water. Transforming our view on things and making our mind clear.
PS: This probably makes NO sense at all. Im very very tired and not really thinking clearly lol. so sorry if i didnt spell something right or contradicted myself at one point
