Tool – Undertow (2-LP Vinyl)
Product Details
Released in 1993, Undertow marked the moment Tool graduated from the underground metal scene into something far more unsettling and ambitious. Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Paul D'Amour, and Danny Carey built a record rooted as much in psychological tension as in sonic heaviness, drawing on influences from King Crimson to Killing Joke while remaining entirely their own.
Arguably their finest album, this follow-up to Opiate showcases Tool at their best, assisted by clean, crisp production, without the muddiness of Aenima. Edgy guitar riffs are complemented by spitting, heavy bass, especially on "Sober" and "Crawl Away". Lyrically, Tool are at their vitriolic best, targeting religious hypocrisy ("Intolerance," "Sober"; always a popular theme), the loss of innocence and its consequences ("Prison Sex"), and deliberate ignorance ("Swamp Song"). Henry Rollins makes a guest appearance on "Bottom," which, along with "4 Degrees," deals with questions of identity. Undertow is also Tool's most musically adventurous album, lacking the occasionally numbing sameness of Aenima, and with considerably more sophistication than their previous work.
Tracklist:
- Intolerance
- Prison Sex
- Sober
- Bottom
- Crawl Away
- Swamp Song
- Undertow
- 4 Degrees
- Flood
- Disgustipated
UPC: 614223105215
Label: Volcano
Release Date: 9.17.96
Format: LP Vinyl