Tool

Undertow has that rage son. They got more complex musically but I love the vitriol.

Again though, has something to do with age. I’m guessing you’re a little younger than me and heard Lateralus first. At least that’s the case with my Lateralus>Undertow buddy

 

I’m 36 and knew Maynard personally when he was in Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty. I’m the OG’s OG.

 

I remember there was like a week or two where you seemed to be completely engrossed in Pneuma

 

Much prefer Ænima and Undertow to the later three albums.

 

I listen to stuff from Undertow waaaaaaaay more often than Lateralus. The Patient is the only one off Lateralus that is still regularly on my playlists. I suppose the Grudge too.

 

Yes, I was most immediately gripped by the music on that track. The opening is as classic Tool as it gets. I also connected with the lyrics "We are born of one breath, one word. We are all one spark, sun becoming." That part really kicks ass. Ask electronic what he thinks of Adam's "chugging" tone.

I like Alex Grey's art and I read his book "The Mission Of Art" and I feel like this track connects really well with that.

Only part that's maybe a little overkill/cheesy is the full band accents at the end. They beat you over the head with open D chords a little bit. Still impressive to hear the full band in sync hitting accents, esp in live context.

 

Parabola kicks ass.

Ticks and Leeches really kicks ass. "Blood sucking parasitic little TICK, sucking parasitic little BLOOD, sucking parasitic little TICK, take what you want and then go" ooh that part gets daddy hype baby

 

I’ve shared this hot take before, but Ticks and Leeches is one of my least favorite Tool songs. It’s in the bottom 5-10 for me.

 

Me and CuckFinn used to get off work in HS and go sit every night on a dirt road playing Undertow and Aenima. That was the genesis of my Tool fandom.

Actually it all started with "H." and the Aenima cassette tape. Friend let me hold it so I could listen to H. Eventually I got into "46 & 2" as well since it's next on the album. After that I found myself getting into the whole first side, with "Stinkfist" and "Pushit", eventually "Hooker With A Penis" and "Jimmy." Then I developed the taste for Side 2 and it was all over.

Someone let me borrow Undertow and it quickly rose up the ranks to be just behind, but Aenima was always tops.

 

I think Pneuma is their best live song and in the conversation for their best song period.

 

I really got into Pneuma after the drum cam came out and then watched all the reaction videos.

 

Having older siblings meant MTV was on quite a bit growing up so I remember seeing the Sober video several times but it wasn't until I stayed home sick from school one day in like 5th grade and saw the video for Stinkfist & was mesmerized. I remember being blown away by the title and then so confused when I saw the video again a few days later and MTV had changed the title to "Track 1". Because I was a fucking idiot I couldn't figure out when they had done 2 different videos for 2 different songs in such a similar way. Either way I was hooked and pleaded with my older sister to drive me to the mall so I could house 2 giant pieces of Sbarro at the food court and then go and grab that album (and an XXL sized black "ZERO" t-shirt that Billy Corgan made popular around the time Mellon Collie released because that was the last one they had). Great memories.

 

Great story. SP was a favorite of mine in that era as well. We had a field trip in 7th grade and I got the teacher to let us listen to Mellon Collie on the bus tape player when it first came out

 

I also prefer 10K Days to Fear Inoculum, though I do enjoy FI.

Aenima is my number one with a bullet. It depends on the day after that.

 

Aenima is easily their best imo. It is 1a/1b with Dark Side of the Moon for my favorite album ever. After that, it is mood dependent. I probably listen to 10k Days and Lateralus more than other albums.

 

Lateralus is the sweet spot for me

 

I wish I remembered the first time I heard Parabol into Parabola.

They played it the first time I saw Tool and it was as good as I hoped.

 

Stinkfist, Eulogy, H, 46&2, and Hooker with a Penis is about as strong of a start to an album as it gets, obviously not counting the interludes

 

Jimmy, Pushit, Aenema, & Third Eye is about as strong of an ending as it gets too

 

Overall favorite song is H.

1. Aenima

2. Lateralus


3. Undertow
4. Fear Inoculum
5. Opiate



6. 10,000 Days. Title track so disappointing for me, way too much filler as well

 

Descending is an unbelievably amazing song. The ebbs, flows, crescendos, etc. really make it a roller coaster of emotions. If it is playing when I get to where I’m going, I will sit in my car and turn it up until it’s over. Then I will get out of the car.

 

I laugh when I hear Descending, cause just one time I want ESPN to run the NBA headline: "Warriors Struggling To Remain Relevant"

 

that’s Stinkfist

 

When they release their next album and they're all pushing 70

 

Was running today and Parabola popped up

 

I believe I have listened to Fear Inoculum enough to now rank it within my greater Tool song rankings.

Third Eye
Prison Sex
Eulogy
Undertow
Forty Six & 2
Ænema
Opiate
The Grudge
Wings
Lateralus
Jerk Off
7empest
Flood
The Patient
Pneuma
Hooker with a Penis
Invincible
4°
Cold and Ugly
H.
Jambi
Stinkfist
Swamp Song
Descending
Sweat
Jimmy
Vicarious
Intolerance
Push it
Parabola
Right in Two
Crawl Away
Schism
Bottom
Rosetta Stoned
The Pot
Culling Voices
Part of Me
Sober
Ticks and Leeches
Fear Inoculum
Hush

 

I disagree with some of these choices but I respect you doing a top to bottom. Third eye is a worthy #1

 

I know I am the only person on the planet who doesn’t like Ticks. Ha.

 

I have no idea how I would rank every song, but I don't think Ænema will ever not be my #1. That one still blows me away pretty much every time I listen to it.

Also, I feel like I enjoy The Pot more than most Tool fans.

 

Yeah, T&L is probably an easy top 10 Tool song for me without really thinking about it.

 

Pot is great. electronic has foot in mouth and head up asshole

 

Whatcha talkin bout?

 

He must have been so high.

 

Nah but for real how is H middle of the pack. Or pushit bottom tier

 

this list is quite the take...also you listed Eulogy twice

at first glance Ticks, Culling Voices, Pushit, Intolerance, H., Descending, Stinkfist & Lateralus are notably too low and Wings, 7empest, 4°, Swamp Song too high

 

I also enjoy Jimmy way more than my pal eho apparently

 

Yeah that is an incredibly difficult task. Props to you for taking it on. I couldn’t imagine how long it would take me to make a list that I had to set in stone. Except for maybe the top and bottom, I’d say most songs are fluid for me and could change up and down. Third Eye is definitely a good choice for number one tho. Hard to argue that. Forty Six & 2 and Right in Two would be up there for me since both of those had a big impact on me when I first heard them. Also, would rank Jambi higher only based on the fact we named one of our dogs that, and that makes me unfairly like it more than I would otherwise.

But it would definitely be a good time to get in a room with a bunch of other Tool fans, an incredible sound system, some drinks and/or bud, and try to come up with a consensus list.

 

Jimmy is so badass. I may have that too low. It’s a lot better than Vicarious.

 

I like that you left out interlude tracks in the ranking. Jimmy has to get a boost for the carnival lead in though. Perfection

 

Third Eye is great but I have a hard time accepting anything other than 46 & 2 or Lateralus as their magnum opus though I would entertain arguments on behalf of Eulogy

 

Yep, I can never listen to Jimmy without the Interlude lead in.

 

I love Vicarious too fwiw

 

I will die on the hill that Eulogy has the greatest yell in the history of rock music at the end.

 

The intro to Stinkfist (had to start at 0:16) was my walk-up song in college for two of the three years I played baseball.

 

Agree with most of this except Swamp Song. You’re a stupid belligerent fucker

 

46&2 is my favorite, Pneuma has closed the gap though.

Pneuma is their best live song.

 

7empest being so high is something

 

7empest is a pretty elite guitar song