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September 3rd 2001 Sounding like nothing else out there, Lateralus
finds Tool an older, wiser, and more reflective band for sure -- but it
still bears the trademarks that have made Tool one of the most popular
heavy rock acts of the last 10 years. Like Radiohead (to whom this band
could arguably be considered the hard-rock counterpart), Tool has made
an album that's undeniably its own, yet one which adds layers of subtlety,
texture, and meaning that move its sound forward into complex new territory.
A fine line of tension runs through the first half of the album, culminating in its fastest, heaviest tracks -- "Parabola" and "Ticks and Leeches," both of which come the closest to the raw aggression of the band's earlier albums. But even within those songs, there are brooding, quieter moments that set the tone for the album's even moodier second half. Singer Maynard James Keenan has clearly been influenced by his stint in A Perfect Circle: His vocals here display an even greater range of melody than on previous Tool records, and he runs an emotional gamut that extends beyond anger and cynicism. Guitarist Adam Jones provides a constant barrage of serpentine riffs, while the aforementioned Carey and bassist Justin Chancellor ride the material's labyrinthine arrangements with ease and power. Eastern and even aboriginal strains run through the album, although there's nary a hint of the electronic overload that many current hard-rock albums are drenched in. With most of its songs over six minutes in length (the title track reaches nine, while "Reflection" weighs in at over 11), there are moments when Lateralus drags, or when the often-repetitive arrangements seem self-consciously arty -- though this may be less the fault of Tool, and more of the hit-driven, music-by-marketing-team culture in which the band finds itself. Don Kaye
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