Publication: SLAMM
Date: November, 1996
Transcribed by
Jeremy (shift619@aol.com)
Jeremy (shift619@aol.com)
page: title: "Aenima" review author: Lora Watters When they aren't busy trying to freak us out with non-musical "hey, pay attention to how bizarre we can be" tracks on their second record, Tool rocks! But the problem with "Aenima" is that nearly every other song is some noise-laden, barely-definable-as-music number, no doubt loaded with subliminal messages telling us to be Satan-worshipping heathens or something. For example, "Useful Idiot" is a useless half-minute of static noises which progressively becomes louder, while "Message to Harry Manback" is a distorted Italian voice talking over the sound of sea gulls and a piano. "Intermission" could be more appropriately titled "56 Seconds of Goofy Organ Music." And let's not forget "Die Eier Von Satan," which features industrial machine noises and some dude angrily spitting forth German statements before a crowd. Lovely. There is, in contrast, actual music on "Aenima"--the tools of Tool's trade, if you will--hard-rocking tales of obscurity, rage and treachery found in songs like "Stinkfist," "Eulogy," and of course, "Hooker with a Penis." Mellower numbers such as "H." and "jimmy" also find their way onto the CD; but overall, you wish Tool would place more emphasis on the music and a lot less on the weirdness.
Posted to t.d.n: 05/10/97 17:10:28