Released 15th May, Volcano Records
I’ve chosen this album because of its pure resilience. No matter how many times I play Lateralus, it never gets old. Each and every time, new sounds, lyrics, emotions seep across to me. This is more than music, this is philosophy, this is theology, this is art. This is truly lateral.
Tool fans had to wait five years of silence between Aenima and Lateralus. It takes way more than five years to get your head around the complexities of Aenima, so fans were safely distracted. Then Lateralus came out and the enigma of Tool just got tighter.
This album is a chocolate box of mystery. There are so many possible meanings, everyone interprets it differently. Every ‘song meaning’ website, the toolnavy forum, everywhere there’s Tool fans there’s a mass of debate, arguments, discussions about what these songs mean to people. These debates will not sleep; they have been raging since the album arrived. Every time I listen to these songs I read something new into them. So I’m going to avoid giving out my opinion on what the meaning of the songs are; because I will only get shot down by a bunch of people with their own differing interpretation.
'The Grudge' spins the album into life, opening with the classic heavy riffs. With references to alchemy, astronomy, mythology, The Scarlet Letter and more, the song seems to pulsate, so powerful and gripping; it demands your attention.
From here on in it’s all ups and downs; punctuated with instrumentals that quiver, gently releasing the built up energy from the powerful epic main tracks, settling you down again before you are built back up.
I listened to 'The Patient' constantly whilst I was working my first real job. I was thinking about where I sit in the world; what does it all mean? This rat race, so tedious, so vacuous, so wasteful. I was trying to figure out reasons for me to stay. I find this song to be really edgy, a real mixture of a song, going back and forth between quiet gentle almost melodic lyrics, and rough guitar riffs and heavy beats, ending almost cacophonously.
The word schism is my favourite word. It can mean so many things, in a similar way to a Tool song. I think this song is the definitive Tool song, at least it is for me. A schism is something that causes a rift, a split or tear to form in something that was previously harmonious or complete. This shift from harmony into disharmony, and the precise point at which harmony turns to disharmony is interesting. I just cannot get over this song. The lyrics, that riff that goes on throughout, the time signature changes; it’s all so perfect.
The transition between 'Parabol' into 'Parabola' has got to be one of the very best transitions from one song to another I have ever heard. This almost beats 'Boys Noize'. It tingles down my spine and slams from the passivity, the poetry and beauty of parabol into the heaviness, the urgency of parabola. I’d say Parabola is one of the most spiritual songs on the album.
Lateralus is musically and lyrically sagacious, with the use of the Fibonacci sequence to form spiralling time signatures, and the lyrics so poetic and true. This song reminds hat there’s no need to worry about the supposed meaning behind anything, not even what this album or song means. Because everything is meaningless, and you have to just take your own path.
Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines.
'Reflection' seems to be a continuation of 'Aenima', with very Jungian undertones and a watery, beautiful sound. 'Triad' is the song I always listen to when I need some downtime. Just try sitting still, taking deep breathes, clearing your mind and listening to this track on repeat. The silence at the end of it is enough to hold the trance that the song puts you into, opening your mind out and letting the ego wash away.
There is nothing more to say. Words are pale and misleading by comparison. Go listen to the album, and if you haven’t already got it, buy a CD, don’t search itunes for it. You can’t download it. The physical CD case and artwork is not just packaging. It is an integral part of the album.
Posted In Classic Albums, Aug 31 2009.
Words - Jennifer