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 title: Lateralus Review
author: Genevieve Williams 

Everything about Tool's fourth album is an experience, 
starting with the packaging, which consists of liner credits 
printed on a translucent plastic sleeve over the CD and a 
booklet that layers anatomical representations atop one 
another--the first page pictures musculature and blood 
vessels; the next, bones; the third, internal organs; and so 
on. It's worth describing the packaging of Lateralus because 
it says much about the astonishing music within. Maynard 
James Keenan and company understand the expectations 
riding on this much-anticipated release and they've delivered 
the goods! While it remains in the Tool tradition of trance-
inducing progressive metal, Lateralus is tighter, clearer, 
crisper, and all around a notch above their admirable 
previous releases. Aenima was marred by muddy production 
and a certain predictability. Undertow had a cleaner sound but 
wasn't as confident or adventurous. With Lateralus, Tool have 
raised an already lofty bar still higher by coming up with a 
collection that kicks major ass. 
Posted to t.d.n: 09/15/01 14:56:01