Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer: All Albums Ranked
Why do we do it to ourselves? As if ranking all Tool albums wasn’t hard enough, we decided to combine all of Maynard James Keenan’s main works into one list, combining Puscifer, A Perfect Circle and, of course, Tool. This isn’t to diminish the essential involvement of Danny, Justin, Adam, Billy, Carina, Mat and everyone else who plays a role in the different projects, but purely as a fun experiment to look across everything that has been blessed with Maynard’s voice. Check out this playlist of fan favourites and have your say in the comments!
‘Money $hot’ is far from a bad album, and many would disagree with it being the bottom of this list. It certainly has its highlights, including the lush vocals and dynamics of ‘Agostina’, the huge atmospherics of ‘Grand Canyon’ (Maynard was quoted as saying this was his favourite Puscifer song), and the furious punk assault of ‘Money $hot’.
Unfortunately, the first half is far superior to the second, with the final 5 songs becoming an unmemorable blur. The production is fantastic and warm throughout, and the record sounds great, but overall ‘Money $hot’ has something of an identity crisis.
For a more cohesive listening experience, check out the remix album ‘Money $hot Your Re-Load’ which takes some of the elemental ideas and puts them through a glitchy electronic filter, and is arguably the best of Puscifer’s remix albums.
Standout Tracks: ‘Agostina’, ‘Grand Canyon’
The world was in a weird, confusing place in the early 2000s, with America seemingly using the aftermath of 9/11 to justify war and ‘regime change’ in the Middle East. Musicians across many different genres used this as fuel to create impassioned expressions of rebellion and protest, including the excellent ‘Rock Against Bush’ compilations with contributions from Green Day, Foo Fighters, Rise Against, Bad Religion and many others.
Also enraged by America’s warmongering were A Perfect Circle, and the result was ‘eMOTIVe’, a collection of covers relating to the state of the world, plus two originals. Rather than out-and-out fury, ‘eMOTVEe’ was overall a more subdued offering, even if the underlying message was still angry. It is a patchy listen, with some moments of absolute genius, and others that are a bit of a slog.
John Lennon’s classic ‘Imagine’ is transformed into a minor key dirge, and is one of A Perfect Circle’s finest moments. Moving it from major to minor has a stark effect on the lyrics, which were once hopeful and now sound laced with despair. Led Zepellin’s ‘When The Levee Breaks’ becomes a gorgeous, crystalline ballad with a delicate vocal performance. The original (alongside an intriguing industrial reworking of ‘Pet’ in the form of ‘Counting Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums’) is ‘Passive’, a stunning grower that started life in the abandoned ‘Tapeworm’ project with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. And Joni Mitchell’s ‘Fiddle and the Drum’ is turned into a multi-layered acapella Maynard extravaganza, simultaneously inspiring and devastating.
Unfortunately, the rest of ‘eMOTIVe’ becomes tedious, especially in the 4-track run of ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme’, ‘People are People’, ‘Freedom of Choice’ and ‘Let’s Have a War’. It is a shame, because the concept of ‘eMOTIVe’ was laudable.
Standout Tracks: ‘Imagine’, ‘Fiddle and the Drum’, ‘Passive’
And the award for most pointless cover version of all time goes to… ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Given how creative A Perfect Circle and Tool (and Puscifer themselves, with an 80s disco take of Accept’s heavy metal classic ‘Balls to the Wall’) have been with cover versions, re-inventing other people’s songs in their own style, it was a surprise to hear how much ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ sounds just like the Queen original. Only, too sterile, and Maynard’s vocals are mixed so that the lower harmony is more prominent in the important bits. Freddie Mercury is just too sacred, even for someone like Maynard to cover. It was a shame this opened the ‘Donkey Punch the Night’ EP, because the other songs here are superb.
‘Dear Brother’ has a similar quality to ‘Mama Said’ in how it combines lyrical poignancy with an earworm melody and propulsive (yet not intrusive) beat. ‘Breathe’ is dark and brooding, and the aforementioned ‘Balls to the Wall’ sounds like it could have been a hit single in an alternate universe.
The rest of the EP is padded out with some inessential remixes, making ‘Donkey Punch the Night’ a curious hodgepodge of a collection.
Standout Tracks: ‘Breathe’, ‘Dear Brother’, ‘Balls to the Wall’
The 13-year gap between ‘10,000 Days’ and ‘Fear Inoculum’ was significantly longer than the 5 years between ‘Ænima’ and ‘Lateralus’. However, the difference back in the late 90s was that there was nothing outside of Tool.
After what felt like an eternity after Tool’s 1996 masterpiece ‘Ænima’, along came A Perfect Circle with their brilliant debut record ‘Mer De Noms’ in May 2000. In hindsight, ‘Salival’ may have been released in order to show the world that Tool was still alive and well, and that A Perfect Circle was a separate entity for Maynard, not a replacement.
Salival is a live, outtake, and video album, released as a limited edition box in CD/VHS/book and CD/DVD/book formats in December 2000. It is curious listen, with a few live tracks (the best of which are ‘Third Eye’, with a different intro to the album version, and an updated version of ‘Pushit’ which is arguably even better than the original), some studio outtakes, and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s ‘No Quarter’.
Frustratingly, ‘Salival’ cannot be found on streaming services. If you can find a copy, then it makes for a very intriguing experience, even if it is somewhat patchy.
Standout tracks: ‘Third Eye (live)’, ‘Pushit (live)’
During the period from 2007 to 2020, Puscifer had evolved from a Maynard James Keenan solo project to a full band, led more-or-less equally by the creative trio of Maynard, Carina Round and Mat Mitchell. 2015’s ‘Money $hot’ felt more band-like than the earlier albums, and ‘Existential Reckoning’ took it a step forward, feeling very much like 3 people (and the supporting players) each bringing their own ideas to the table.
It is all the more impressive, then, that ‘Existential Reckoning’ feels so cohesive. The songs all have similar qualities, underpinned by a consistent semi-distorted electric guitar sound, propulsive beats, analogue synths and layer upon layer of harmonised vocals. This is both the album’s main strength, and also its biggest weakness - because it is very difficult to listen to the whole thing in one sitting.
Is there a hidden genius here that reveals itself more and more with multiple listens? Well, it is definitely a grower. But the overwhelming impression that ‘Existential Reckoning’ leaves is that it was more fun for Puscifer to create than it is for us to listen to. It is an art project which feels like a piecing-together of clever ideas, more than a set of songs that will get stuck in your head. There is nothing (except perhaps for ‘Personal Prometheus’) that elicits feelings in the listener like ‘Oceans’, ‘Momma Said’, ‘The Humbling River’, ‘Agostina’, ‘Dear Brother’ or other Puscifer classics, and as such it is more of a cerebral than an emotional album - but if you are in the right mood, it is well worth exploring.
Standout Tracks: ‘Bullet Train to Iowa’, ‘The Underwhelming’, ‘Bedlamite’
Tool’s early live performances, backed by their original ‘72826’ demo, have become something of legend. The energy levels were high, Maynard was in fully confrontational mode, and their songs at the time were shorter, leaner and more aggressive than the majority of Tool songs that have come since.
‘Opiate’ was Tool’s first official release, a 6-track EP in 1992 that preceded their full-length debut ‘Undertow’ by a year. While raw and a little rough around the edges, ‘Opiate’ was a great showcase of Tool’s power and precision, as well as their sense of humour (the censorship-baiting video for ‘Hush’, the between-song live banter, and the trippy bonus track ‘The Gaping Lotus Experience’).
Opener ‘Sweat’ sets the tone, and feels like a more primitive version of the following year’s ‘Intolerance’. ‘Jerk-off’, which only exists in a live form and not a studio recording (other than in the original ‘72826’ demo), is a fantastically brutal take-down of an enemy. And best of the bunch is the title track ‘Opiate’, with lyrics that are as relevant today as they were in the early 90s. The re-recorded version, ‘Opiate2’, released in 2022, is even better than the original because it includes the extended 4-minute middle section that Tool gradually began to incorporate into their live performances.
Standout Tracks: ‘Opiate2’, ‘Sweat’, ‘Cold and Ugly (live)’
On its release, ‘V is for Vagina’ felt like a joke that no-one really understood. With its rude title and wacky, cartoonish artwork, especially coming after Puscifer’s debut single ‘Country Boner’, was it all a big piss-take? Was ‘V is for Vagina’ meant to be funny?
The music itself has little, if any, laugh-out-loud humour. Some of the lyrics raise an eyebrow (particularly the crude suggestions in opener ‘Queen B’, and the sarcastic delivery of religious fanaticism in ‘Sour Grapes’), but this record is far more serious than the album art would have you believe. Largely self-recorded by Maynard while on the road with Tool and A Perfect Circle, Puscifer’s debut was much more of a solo project than the work of a full band. As such, it can feel a little one-dimensional and demo-like at times and can be a slog to listen to in one go.
Some of the songs have evolved significantly since the release of ‘V is for Vagina’. ‘Momma Said’, in particular, exists in a live form on the ‘C is for…’ EP which is almost completely different, and utterly brilliant. The version here, with snappy beats under the acoustic guitar, is still strong, but nowhere what it became later. ‘DoZo’ and ‘Vagina Mine’ have also evolved significantly over the years. Elsewhere, ‘Drunk with Power’, ‘Trekka’ and ‘The Undertaker' are unlikely to get many repeated spins. Best of the bunch here is ‘Indigo children’, with masterful earworm vocal layering and pulsing electronics.
The subsequent remix album ‘V is for Viagra’ is a curious companion, but still lacking the sophisication that came with Puscifer’s other albums.
Standout Tracks: ‘Momma Said’, ‘Indigo Children’, ‘Queen B’
By the time ‘Conditions of My Parole’, Puscifer’s sophomore full-length album, came about, we had already been treated to 2 remix albums (quantity over quality?), the entertaining and insightful wine-making film ‘Blood into Wine’, and the ‘C is for..’ EP. In other words, it was clear that Maynard had so much more to offer the world than Tool and A Perfect Circle alone. Though the dry sense of humour was a constant throughout, Maynard wasn’t messing around.
Aside from the playful title track, and the ridiculous cover art (which was also at the centre of the ‘What is Puscifer?’ live DVD, featuring Maynard as ‘Billy D’, a redneck with questionable morals), ‘Conditions of My Parole’ is a serious album. It features some of Maynard’s purest-sounding vocal performances, especially in the mysterious ‘Horizons’, the country-inflected ‘Green Valley’ and beautifully understated closer ‘Tumbleweed’.
‘Conditions of My Parole’ is, to date, the most complete Puscifer album. It is more varied than ‘Existential Reckoning’, more fully formed than ‘V is for Vagina’ and more consistent than ‘Money $hot’. In fact, the two relative low points are the heavier two songs ‘Telling Ghosts’ and ‘Toma’ - not because they aren’t good songs, but because they either needed to lean into the heaviness a little more or instead to be kept back for ‘Money $hot’, as they don’t have the same impact here as songs like ‘Tiny Monster’, ‘Oceans’ and ‘The Weaver’.
If you were making a ‘best-of’ compilation across all of Puscifer’s discography, around two thirds of ‘Conditions of My Parole’ could make the cut. A triumph.
Standout Tracks: ‘Horizons’, ‘Oceans’, ‘Conditions of My Parole’
Following hot on the heels of their debut EP ‘Opiate’, Tool’s first full-length record was one hell of a statement of intent. Some of the songs on the Sylvia Massey-produced debut dated back to the first demo in 1991, including ‘Crawl Away’ and ‘Sober’ (which itself pre-dated Tool, having been performed initially by Maynard’s first band Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty).
But, even though these were some of the very first songs that Tool wrote, they were already leaps and bounds ahead of where most bands are when they make their first album. Unconventional time signatures made an appearance at the very start of opener ‘Intolerance’, and even though much of ‘Undertow’ is relatively more straightforward than Tool’s polyrhythmic future compositions (‘Pneuma’, ‘Jambi’, ‘The Grudge’, ‘Jimmy’ and many, many others), there was still a lot of advanced musicianship on display, particularly in Danny Carey’s inventive drumming.
There are no bad songs here, and every track has its own merits. However, ‘Undertow’ can become a bit of a slog to listen all the way through in one go, given the relative lack of sonic variation. There are plenty of dynamic shifts, such as the spoken word section featuring Henry Rollins in ‘Bottom’ and the atmosphere-building intro to ‘Flood’, but musically things get a little same-y at times, especially with a somewhat thin mix that lacks the lower-end punch of the other albums. Still, when a record has tracks as powerful (musically, lyrically and conceptually) as ‘Prison Sex’ and ‘Sober’, and yet these aren’t even the best songs, you know you have something special.
Standout Tracks: ‘Flood’, ‘Crawl Away’, ‘Swamp Song’
It may be more piano-based than their first 3 records, but in some ways ‘Eat the Elephant’ is A Perfect Circle’s heaviest offering to date - if not sonically, then at least thematically.
In this long-awaited rebirth of the creative partnership between Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howardel (which was celebrated by combining their images, in a scarily natural-looking way, on the cover), neither party wanted to make a retread of ‘Mer De Noms’ or ‘Thirteenth Step’. Interviews with Billy and Maynard in 2018 showed just how well they work in collaboration together, and how much respect they have for each other. In the years since ‘eMOTIVEe’, Billy had had a foray into solo work with ‘Ashes Divide’ (and in more recent years, a further 2022 album under his own name which is well worth a listen), and Maynard had amassed a huge discography with Puscifer, as well as touring extensively with Tool in support of ‘10,000 Days’. As such, what role did A Perfect Circle have to play in 2018?
It turns that they had a lot to say together, underpinned with something of a lament for modern-day society. ‘Disillusioned’ has moments where Maynard almost sounds in tears when singing about the damaging effect that smart phones have had on humanity in the 21st century. ‘TalkTalk’ also addresses a failure to communicate, while ‘So Long and Thanks For All The Fish’ eulogises the prominent figures who have sadly passed away in recent years (Gene Wilder, David Bowie, Carrie Fisher, Prince and more), with a plea not to waste time on trivialities. The guitar is tasteful throughout, only reaching full-on heavy mode at points in ‘The Doomed’, ‘Delicious’ and ‘Hourglass’, and otherwise acting as a wonderful complement to the piano and lush orchestration throughout.
Closer ‘Get The Lead Out’ is a curious track, a comparative low-point on an otherwise sublime record, and if it had ended with the brilliant ‘Feathers’, and perhaps lost the unnecessary ‘DLB’, then ‘Eat The Elephant’, in a more concise form, could have a claim to a higher spot on this list. What a comeback.
Standout Tracks: ‘Disillusioned’, ‘So Long and Thanks For All The Fish’, ‘The Contrarian’
This 6-track EP is solid gold from start to finish. Sitting between Puscifer’s debut ‘V is for Vagina’ and the follow-up ‘Conditions of My Parole’, ‘C if for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE)’ showcases some of Maynard’s very best solo songwriting, with 4 incredible new songs (‘Polar Bear’, ‘Potions’, ‘The Humbling River’, ‘The Mission’) and 2 astounding live re-imaginings of tracks from the debut record.
In particular, ‘Momma Said’, which was already a stand-out track from ‘V is for Vagina’, stands out the most. It has an emotional impact akin to Tool’s majestic ‘Wings For Marie / 10,000 Days’, which may not come as a surprise given that Maynard’s mother is the subject matter of them both. There is an enigmatic quality to the vocals, leaving it open to interpretation whether Maynard’s mothers words of advice (‘Wake up son of mine, Momma’s got something to tell you / Change is come, keep your dignity. Take the high road, take it like a man / Momma said ‘Like the rain, like a kidney stone, it’s just a broken heart son, this too will pass away’) were received fondly or not. Either way, it is a glorious tearjerker of a track, and one of Maynard’s very best.
Another highlight is the duet with Milla Jovovich, ‘The Mission’, which could have been a hit single with more intentional promotion, and the wonderful building of ‘The Humbling River’, which is deceptively complex rhythmically and becomes something of a Puscifer anthem by its multi-layered crescendo.
Standout Tracks: ‘Polar Bear’, ‘Momma Said (live)’, ‘The Humbling River’
When A Perfect Circle emerged in 2000, appearing fully-formed and established with the release of first single ‘Judith’ and a smattering of live shows supporting Nine Inch Nails, the whole rock world took note. They sounded mature, restrained, brutal, beautiful and powerful in equal measure, and Tool fans were understandably worried about what this meant for the future of Tool (little did we know at the time that ‘Salival’ and ‘Lateralus’ were only months away).
Maynard appeared in a long wig, hiding in the shadows, wanting A Perfect Circle to be Billy’s band, and not to be the centre of attention himself. Billy had originally intended for the band to have a female singer, but was won over by Maynard’s voice when he adopted a less aggressive tone than he used in Tool, arguably embracing a more feminine, and certainly more vulnerable, sound.
The songs on ‘Mer De Noms’ are utterly majestic, breaking far beyond the conventions of a typical 4-or-5-piece rock band. Subtle electronics, well-considered orchestration and a tremendous sense of atmosphere that was both warm and devastating (as evidenced best in ‘Magdalena’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’). When they wanted to rock, they absolutely could (‘Judith’, ‘Thinking of You’, ‘Thomas’). When they wanted to make beautiful ballads, we were gifted with ‘3 Libras’ (one of Maynard’s all-time best vocal performances), ‘Orestes’ and ‘Brena’. And if they wanted to embrace avant-garde, glitchy electronics, it resulted in ‘Rose’ and ‘Renholdër’. What a debut.
Standout Tracks: ‘Thinking of You’, ‘3 Libras’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’
Yes, a lot was made at the time of the lengthy gap after ‘10,000 Days’, but now that ‘Fear Inoculum’ has been out for a few years itself it can now, rightly, be judged on its own merits, free from the shackles of being ‘Tool’s long-awaited comeback album’. Indeed, when Tool play live now, their set still features a few tracks from ‘Fear Inoculum’, and these are met with just as much fervour as the classics from the earlier records.
Firstly, the production is MASSIVE, and immaculate, with Danny Carey’s best-ever drum sound (that snare!), and huge, lengthy atmosphere-building (the best example being the lead-in to ‘Descending’). ‘Fear Inoculum’ demands patience and time, and yet it never feels like a slog. It is essentially 6 long songs, interspersed with 3 interludes and a cheeky drum solo.
It may not have quite the same rhythmic complexity as ‘Lateralus’ or ‘10,000 Days’ (most songs are either in 4/4 or 7/8, with the exception of epic closer ‘7empest’ which has the how-the-hell-are-they-playing-that quality that we love), but there is a great amount of depth, and more twists and turns than might be apparent in the first listen. Top of the pile is ‘Pneuma’, which has a similar quality to ‘Jambi’ and is an instant classic. ‘Invincible’ and ‘Descending’, both of which were played live before the album was released, are like mini-movies in their own right. The aforementioned ‘7empest’ is insane, and largely a vehicle for Adam Jones to show his inventiveness on the guitar for over 15 minutes.
‘Chocolate Chip Trip’ is a clever drum solo that uses triggers to create a melody. It is enjoyable, though not essential. ‘Culling Voices’ is arguably the most disposable tracks, though it still plays a significant part, even if its riffs sound like they have been lifted from other Tool songs. These aside, the bulk of ‘Fear Inoculum’ stands shoulder to shoulder with Tool’s very best work.
Standout Tracks: ‘Pneuma’, ‘7empest’, ‘Invincible’
Let’s face it. No matter how good a record by A Perfect Circle gets, it is unlikely to ever get in the top 3 of this list, given how untouchable Tool are. But that doesn’t mean that ‘Thirteenth Step’ isn’t superb - it really is.
‘Mer De Noms’ introduced a sound that was refreshing different in the rock world at the turn of the century. There were echoes of Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure and others, but the combination of controlled instrumentation (both delicate and heavy as hell) with Maynard’s impassioned vocals made them utterly unique.
‘Thirteenth Step’ took it a step further, with singles that were catchier, progressive moments that were proggy-er, and an overall impression that was even more majestic and curious than its predecessor. With a new line-up that included Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha on guitar (for live performances, not studio recording) and Jeordie White (aka Twiggy Ramirez from Marilyn Manson) replacing Paz Lenchantin on bass, the collaborative approach to A Perfect Circle’s sophomore record was noticeably different to the debut, which had been more of a Billy Howardel solo project until Maynard joined.
There are so many brilliant songs here. ‘Weak and Powerless’ and ‘The Outsider’ are the obvious choices for singles, yet neither is formulaic or predictable. ‘The Noose’, ‘Vanishing’, ‘A Stranger’ and ‘Gravity’ are beautifully structured, textured creations; and the transition between the charming cover of Failure’s ‘The Nurse Who Loved Me’ and the brutal ‘Pet’ is a stunning moment of contrast. ‘Thirteenth Step’ is a record to admire as much as to adore, and it is one of the best alternative rock albums of the 00s.
Standout Tracks: ‘The Noose’, ‘Vanishing’, ‘Pet’
For many, Lateralus is THE Tool album - and, honestly, the top 3 in this list are all interchangeable. Indeed, if ‘Ænima’ was one of the best albums of the 90s, then ‘Lateralus’ is easily one of the best records of the 00s.
The album artwork alone was masterful - a booklet of layers of acetate, with each page turn revealing something deeper about the man in question. Given that so much of the album is about improving communication, connection and understanding between human beings, the artwork by Alex Gray was the perfect accompaniment to Tool’s first record in 5 years.
Opening ‘Lateralus’ is the 5/4 tour de force that is ‘The Grudge’, and a whole essay could be written about the different components of this song. In comparison to Ænima’s sludgy, monochrome darkness, ‘The Grudge’ shows immediately that Tool’s 3rd full-length record was going to be a very different beast - a multimedia experience with astounding sonic clarity and massive dynamic range, encased in complex, ever-changing time signatures.
‘Schism’ achieves the incredible feat of being accessible and single-worthy despite having multiple time changes, no discernible chorus, and a lengthy ambient mid-section. The title track has beguiled fans for over 25 years, making masterful use of the Fibonacci sequence to illustrate its themes of ‘spiralling out’. ‘Ticks and Leeches’ is arguably Tool’s heaviest song, with monstrous screams. The 2-part ‘Parabol/Parabola’ is a masterclass in restraint, then explosion.
So why isn’t ‘Lateralus’ top of our list? Partly, it is because ‘Ænima’ and ‘10,000 Days’ are simply SO good. And partly because there can be the temptation to skip certain tracks, such as ‘The Patient’; and the final trilogy of ‘Disposition’ / ‘Reflection’ / ‘Triad’ is certainly impressive but is trumped by other closers such as ‘7empest’ and ‘Third Eye’.
Standout Tracks: ‘The Grudge’, ‘Schism’, ‘Parabol/Parabola’
‘Ænima’ was arguably the best album of 1996, which is no mean feat given that this was a year that also gave us Marilyn Manson’s ‘Antichrist Superstar’, Weezer’s ‘Pinkerton’, Eels’ ‘Beautiful Freak’, Korn’s ‘Life is Peachy’, Metallica’s ‘Load’ and Soundgarden’s ‘Down on the Upside’, among many others. It certainly has a case for being Number 1 in this list, and only falls into 2nd place because ‘10,000 Days’ is so utterly brilliant.
A unique sonic experience, ‘Ænima’ showcased Tool’s artful approach to their craft, producing detailed, considered and lengthy compositions. With Justin Chancellor replacing Paul D'Amour on bass in the early phases of the recording sessions, the new dynamic of Danny, Adam, Maynard and Justin was born, and with it a further step forward in multi-layered, polyrhythmic experimentation.
Production-wise, the overall sound is very unique, even muddy at times, but ‘muddy’ in a more grimy sense rather than unclear. Maynard is sometimes barely audible, but his one-of-a-kind voice still cuts through. Guitars are generally panned centrally, and only occasionally are they panned left and right. As such, the record often feels more mono than stereo, meaning that when the full audio spectrum is used it tends to have a significant impact. Songs like ‘Third Eye’ are given an extra dimension by the very intentional, deliberate positioning of the instruments in the stereo field.
And the songs themselves? Well, they are spellbinding. ‘Stinkfist’, ‘Ænima’ and ‘Forty Six & 2’ are the obvious highlights, and they remain staples of the live set 30 years on. Deeper cuts ‘Jimmy’, ‘Eulogy’ and ‘Pushit’ are generally slower and more textured, melding the sludgy riffs of Black Sabbath with Pink Floyd’s sense of atmosphere. ‘Hooker with a Penis’ is the heaviest track, with hilariousy cutting lyrics that throw back accusations of being a ‘sell out’. Also hugely important to the record are the various interludes (‘Useful Idiot’, ‘Message to Harry Manback’, ‘Intermission’, ‘Die Eier von Satan’, ‘Cesaro Summability’ and ‘(-) Ions’) which add an extra layer of variety, complexity and structure to this absolute behemoth of a record. If you aren’t already familiar with the genius of ‘Ænima’, you owe it to yourself to block out 1h 17min, turn off the lights, pour a glass of wine and let yourself be immersed in a dark world of wonder.
Standout Tracks: ‘Third Eye’, ‘Forty Six & 2’, ‘Pushit’
This may be a controversial choice, given how revered ‘Ænima’ and ‘Lateralus’ are. But, in our opinion, ‘10,000 Days’ is the perfect distillation of everything we love about Tool. Every element just works, and the endlessly weaving layers of drums, bass and guitar embrace polyrhythms and counter-melodies are second to none.
One of the hallmarks of great records is their ability to reveal more with every listen. 20 years on, ‘10,000 Days’ still shows new elements every time, whether you hone in on Danny Carey’s incredible, organic drumming (arguably his finest album-wide performance), Justin Chancellor’s tasteful bass (which sometimes takes the lead and sometimes provides understated power), Adam Jones’ guitar (which isn’t always the most technically impressive but is full of texture and precision), or Maynard’s stunning vocals.
Lyrically, ‘10,000 Days’ covers a range of topics, some tongue-in-cheek (‘Rosetta Stoned’ features the ramblings of Blare, a friend of the band who had an enlightening moment during an acid trip near Area 51, but forgot the life-changing secrets that aliens told him because he forgot his pen and couldn’t write them down), some poignant but laced with sarcasm (‘Vicarious’ covers humans’ fascination with other people’s chaos and tragedy), and others deeply personal. The centrepiece of ‘Wings for Marie’ and ‘10,000 Days’ is truly breathtaking, Maynard lamenting the loss of his mother after a lengthy period of disability, all the while the rest of the band conjure up a huge, undulating and moving symphony of hypnotic beats and dynamic shifts amidst the sound of a distant storm. There is nothing else like it.
Elsewhere, ‘The Pot’ is arguably Tool’s most radio-friendly moment since ‘Sober’ and is incredibly catchy. ‘Jambi’ is possibly Tool’s most rhythmically complex song (it can take years of listening to understand the verses alone). ‘Intension’ feels meandering and throwaway at first, but eventually becomes essential. And ‘Right in Two’ builds to a crushing crescendo that brings this masterpiece of an album to a close. ‘10,000 Days’ is utterly spellbinding.
Standout Tracks: ‘Jambi, ‘Wings for Marie / 10,000 Days’, ‘Lost Keys (Blame Hofman / Rosetta Stoned’
