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Five bloody years since 'Aenima'. Five years we had to wait on the follow-up. All of the legal hustling and bustling is over, as far as the listener is concerned (Look it up on one of their pages, if you don't know what I'm referring to.), and to say I was eagerly anticipating this album is the understatement of this still young century. I'm sure I'm not the only one when it comes to this. Over the last few years I often wondered why Tool still had such a great amount of credit, considering that they regularly fucked around with their fans' minds in sometimes very childish jokes, also not putting out any new music for five whole years. All the sheep followed, myself included. Now my wondering is over, because the new album explains it once and for all: It's because of the music. No other band makes this kind of music right now, not in this era. I'm not saying they're doing things we haven't heard before - a topic that is real food for discussion anyway, because what new music is completely orginal? - but they combine influences and genres that hadn't been combined before. Take opening track 'The Grudge': I for one have never before encountered a blend like this Massive Attack ('Protection'-era) meets King Crimson ('Larks' Tongues in Aspic'-era) meets tribal drums in an uneven time signature. Amazing song, and still not even close to being one of 'Lateralus'' highlights. At first I didn't think I would be able to mention this, since this isn't a record that takes you instantly by the proverbial balls, but after listening to it quite some times (read: a whole lot), I can only say they've topped 'Aenima'. Tool takes all the elements from the first three records, adds some new spices, and takes it somewhere further and deeper than I ever could imagine. More intense, more subtle, better playing, better production that is nothing less than perfect - I still have to hear a record that sounds better than 'Lateralus'. One thing that really stands out are Maynard James Keenan's vocals: Not only does he sound better than ever, the fact that he's created some dubbed vocal lines really adds something special to Tool. And I'm not even gonna mention Danny Carey's drumming, because you'll only believe me when you've heard his playing yourself. True stand-outs are really hard to find, but I'll give it a try anyway. The inseparable 'Parabol/Parabola' begins very meditative and sensitive ('Parabol') and then suddenly emerges in something that sounds like Tool meets Kyuss ('Parabola'). The latter is the most direct song on the album, which is filled with long, ambitious progrock-inspired epics. They saved the best song for last: 'Disposition', 'Reflection', and 'Triad' together form an hypnotic 20-plus-minute suite of Eastern and Indian influences (some beautiful tablas and tribal drums), combined with amazing guitar- and vocal melodies. Those first two parts are... add any superlative you want here, I can't seem to find an appropriate one anymore. But, is 'Lateralus' all we wanted? Is it all I wanted? Tool asks this themselves in 'Ticks and Leeches', the most aggressive Tool song to date and a real vulgar display of power. They definitely show all the nu-metallers how it really has to be done, but I can't say it really adds something refreshing. The same goes for some just a bit too cliche power chords and double-bass patterns, but this is just my subjective mind speaking; I can imagine many people liking the kick in the teeth that is 'Ticks and Leeches' the best. But enough rambling, go and buy it yourself. And I dare you to find anything better this year.
http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/tool/lateralus/290/
Meer Tool op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/tool
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