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A TOOL-Related Article

Publication: Beat Magazine

Date: October 16 1996

Transcribed by Dan Steadman (flood@zx.net)




Tool - Aenima

Where do my superlatives begin? How abut Aenima is the best album of all
time. I'm almost serious. Why do you say? Admittedly, in their singularity,
some of the songs are not that special. Then again, there are also classic
Tool songs like Stinkfist and 46 & 2 which blow the ears to Rex Hunt's
Scheiseinhausen. However, where this album is far superior to it's
predecessor, Undertow, is in the overall experience. Songs move rapidly from
one extreme to another, clashing in unique (disregarding the Black Sabbath
riff in Hooker With A Penis) and always powerful ways. Never before have I
actually felt my heartbeat quickening, indeed my entire body pulsating, as
it did on Aenema and the stunning epic Third Eye. There are also many more
quiet moments than in Undertow and two of the songs reflecting this, Eulogy
and H, are among the best tracks on the album. Check out Maynard James
Keenan's new-found sensitivity as he proclaims "I could have cried" to the
balladic and distinctly unTool-like refrains of H. However, one really does
the album a disservice by separating songs since this masterpiece requires
uninterrupted listening, preferably in a dark room. Indeed, several tracks
could probably not be justifiably called songs, but in terms of the overall
sensory effect, they are infinitely important and give the album a feeling
of not dissimilar to the genius of a bizarre arthouse movie. The eventual
end of the CD also reminded me of the sensation you get when you leave an
amazing movie: it takes a fair amouont of time to adjust to the mundanity of
ordinary existence. My City Of The Lost Children experience actually comes
to mind. And like City Of The Lost Children, you may not necessarily like
Aenima, but you cannot help but appreciate it's technical and creative
brilliance. Forgive my film references but in Aenima, Tool have created an
experience that has never been approached through sound alone. How many
bands can claim that? (9.5 / 10) - Jack Reynolds


kabir/akhtar | kabir@t.d.n