page: 1
 title: L.A. quartet's brand of metallurgy strikes it hot
author: Lenny Stoute

    This kind of Tool time would terrify Tim and Al.  Sure, the TV 
twosome are into heavy metal and big pounding and bashing but bets are 
they would down tools and glee in the gave of the L.A.-based quartet's 
brand of metallurgy.
    The sold-out audience Tool pulled in Saturday at The Warehouse 
will probably grow up into middle-aged grease guys, but not yet.  To 
say Tool is at the height of its powers with Aenima is begging the 
question, since they've only  the Opiate EP and Undertow albums behind 
them.
    Instead, the point was made by the audience response.
    Usually, the unfamiliar material takes some time and considerable 
video exposure to set, for most new bands.  Come the live show, the 
best response unfailingly is saved for the older, familiar tunes.  Not 
so in this case; these punters came well versed in Tool's latest 
cookie, Aenima, and primed for frontman Maynard James Keenan's try at 
selling it in the flesh.  As if aware of the album's immediate impact, 
early hit single "Sober" was speeded up a clip and beefed up all 
around.
    And sell the tunes Maynard did.  Theatrical, charismatic and with 
a well-modulated vocal range, he quickly set the tone of rigorous 
enjoyment by way of a few barked greetings.  Kind of like a drill 
sergeant's "have a good time or else".
    Stylewise, Keenan comes down somewhere between Eddie Vedder and 
Glenn Danzig, a very cool combination for the mainly boyz night out 
crowd.  Exactly right for a band involved with reinventing prog metal 
for the new millenium.
    Much of that load falls on the shoulders of axeman Adam Jones, who 
tempered the swift riffing with soft and tension-filled modals.
    There was nothing to fear from the venue's notoriously 
debilitating acoustics, so overwhelming was the volume.  Loud and 
clean, with an especially rich mix on the bass bins and drums.

Posted to t.d.n: 05/12/97 15:40:52