I understand the frustation that Tool feels with their fans.
As an example heres a joke!
Q:What do Jesus and Tool have in common!?
A: They've both spawned dumbfuck followers who don't understand their leaders..

These guys are deep into crowleys work, its obvious to anyone who has a strong grasp of the western mystery tradition, its OBVIOUS. Count Blairs comments referring to crowley and Kenneth Grants works, if you want to understand this album, understand Tool, understand 11:11, or why Blair puts E.V. after every damn date (E.V. marks the date from which Liber Al was recieved by Aliester Crowley in Egypt), or even the Terrible Secret concerning Rosetta Stoned.
there is one place to begin and that is
LIBER AL VEL LEGIS. (chapter 3 typifies this albums spirit)
http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/engccxx.html
Download it, print it off, read it.
There is little you will understand initially, but if you PUSHIT a little further..
here are the commentaries:
http://www.hermetic.com/220/motta-comment-1.html
http://www.hermetic.com/220/motta-comment-2.html
http://www.hermetic.com/220/motta-comment-3.html

its maddening to hear what some of you have to say, as im sure the band has expressed this as well (read their interview in revolver)..
I may sound opinionated but fuck it, IM RIGHT.
Read the above and grasp it you may just in fact hate yourself and your fellow man for suddenly appearing so damn fucking STUPID.

Thanks for the links, I've read into this stuff a bit, but have always wanted to know more. Cool..

Give me a break. Tool rocks. Period. I don't have to understand the significance of 11:11 to enjoy their music. Tool isn't my "leader."

I agree with this, you don't need to know it to like Tool, but Tool aside, it's pretty interesting anyways....crazy stuff.

Actually, it's been well referenced that it's really just Danny and Blair who are into Crowleyana and Magick. The other members only have a superficial knowledge of the subject.

I'm sure it is interesting, but the OP was implying that you can't truly understand and enjoy Tool's music without learning about that stuff. It's an obnoxious and silly stance on his part.

If only your avatar was the official logo...

I really don't care about understanding the band members themselves. They're not my leaders, and I don't sit around 24/7 thinking about what they are into and what they are doing at a given moment. I don't give a shit what political party they're part of, if they like sugar with their coffee, if they prefer to sleep upside down, or if they care about Crowley. They make good music. That's all I want to know.

The referenced Crowley passage had nothing to do with this album that I could ascertain other than the fact that they both use the word "Vicarious". I'm aware of Tool's affiliation, but I just think you're way overreading this one.

Either that, or you provided us a link to a whole chapter with no commentary, and if you really had a point you should have been just a slight bit clearer.

Is there a condensed version of this, or an overall meaning sort of thing?

...

yeah its called read and and stop being lazy.

No!

http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib2.html is a start.

Q:What do Jesus and Crowley have in common!?
A: They've both spawned dumbfuck followers who don't understand their leaders.

If there's really anything really important to be learned from Crowley it's to see that there is something out there worth searching for, and it's up to you to find your own way through the wasteland. Realizing that is the difference between practicing Crowleyanity and Thelema.

As far as the other members of the band aside from Danny having anything deeper than a superficial knowledge of the occult and Thelema, the Parabol/Parabola video is very telling. Those who have the eyes to see already know what I'm talking about. And yes, I realize that's a very pretentious statement.

Knowledge breeds appreciation.

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
The study of this Book is forbidden. It is wise to destroy this copy after the first reading.
Whosever disregards this does so at his own risk and peril. These are most dire.
Those who discuss the contents of this Book are to be shunned by all, as centres of pestilence.
All questions of the Law are to be decided only by appeal to my writings, each for himself.
There is no law beyond Do what thou wilt.
Love is the law, love under will.
The priest of the princes,
Ankh-F-N-Khonsu "


Kind of scares me away from reading 'The Law'

Elitist!

Then you shouldn't read it. Just try to forget you ever heard of it and walk away.

The Gospel according to Tool,

Does this mean the study of the book is forbidden and should not be discussed because of the social ramifcations or because it is dangerous in a spiritual or Magickal way?

-edit-
sorry for my ignorance of the subject

The most likely reason is because Crowley didn't want alot of dogma built up around the book. Cutting off discussion of it allows the reader to form their own opinion.

Other say he added that part on to get people to not ask him so many questions about it.

Don't apologize for ignorance. I've never met someone who's read TBotL that didn't have a similar reaction to The Tunis Comment. If you didn't have any questions about it that would be something to worry about.

I dont care what the meanings are behind the lyrics and music. Thats whats great about it, their music is vague enough that it relates to each individual. Hell, read the little quote by Maynard at the front of the Opinion forum. That says it all.

That was the best comment of the bunch

This album really isn't vague though.

You don't sound opinionated at all; you sound more like you have a narcissistic personality disorder. Cognitive therapy can help a bit, you might look into it. In the mean time, coping strategies such as relaxation training can work to help you face and accept criticism which should keep the onsets of depression to a minimum.

haha..oh my gods.

FUCKING IDIOTS.
Its so hilarious how people can have the blatant truth right in their fucking face and not even recognize it, instead resorting to witty asides..

Adieu dumbfucks!

BNNHKDSH 9=2 O.'.A.'.

It's time for us to let you go.

Thanks for enlightening us, you great Magus, you. Could've at least stuck around and told us why you thought it connected so much to what Crowley channeled, but nope, you'd rather call us dumbfucks instead.

May Horus open your eyes. ;D

may horus tear out your eyes.

It probably doesnt have any significance. I'm betting they did it as a joke.

It's so hilarious how people can hold the blatant truth right in their fucking hands and not even be able to articulate it, instead resorting to obscure asides...

Good riddance moron

Well, since you've called everyone here dumbfucks, and said goodbye, I guess it wont matter if your account is rendered unusable.

SPOT ON!!

FUCK INTERPRETATION AND MEANING..
START ENJOYING!!

There will be a loud Rosetta session tonight.

Maynard even says that the fans miss out almost entirely on the humor aspect. That is very evident from reading most of these threads.