It's always the same with Tool: new album comes out, people criticize the album because it's not the same/as good as their past albums, then years go by and people suddenly start declaring it a masterpiece and one of their best. I've been a Tool fan since Aenima, so I've seen this exact thing happen with Lateralus and 10,000 Days. Tool's albums, in general, are slow burns. They take multiple listens to sink in. They change just enough with each album that it takes people time to adjust to what's new and different. I always come back to them and find myself appreciating new songs, or new sections of other songs, that I haven't before. As for the new album, I must say that, on first listen, 7empest is the song that immediately hit me, but Pneuma has really grown on me, and it's pretty close for my favorite on the album. So often the secret with Tool is just getting into the right meditative headspace to let the music take you where it wants to go, rather than being disappointed that it doesn't go where you want it to. Perhaps the thing that takes them longer to sink in is because, perhaps more than any other band, they're carried by their drummer. A song progresses and evolves as much according to Carey's drumming as anything else; but because most people focus on the guitars or vocals and expect them to lead the song they miss the brilliance of his drumwork on the first several listens. I think that's why the drum cam version of this song has become so popular, because it really puts the focus on where it should be.

@tailsbooddah

4 жыл бұрын

thank you, I was just gonna say that, and was thinking hard how to write it, LOL! ^^

@jonathanhenderson9422

4 жыл бұрын

@@tailsbooddah You're welcome. :)

@LetsGetHighOnMorris

4 жыл бұрын

This is great input man! I would also add as a case for pnuema; it’s known as the vital spirit of a human. Creative energy. The taoists would call it chi and for the Hindus it would be named kundalini. Practices to build this energy always involves breathing. Maynard once was asked if he believed in some higher power. He didn’t give a straight answer but proclaimed to be a believer in “breath” The part in the middle section of the song where the synths kick in feels like the beginning of drawing energy up, and the end of the song feels like all the energy raised to the crown. I appreciate that about tool. Not every song is progressive in the sense that the composition is all over the place. I often wish more bands spent more time on certain sections of the song. And I get that from tool. That being said, someone like you should start off with lateralus or 10,000 days. I think you’d appreciate how Rosetta stoned progresses, and The grudge with some of its unexpected turns. Hope that was interesting lol.

@ckokomo808

4 жыл бұрын

Tool is a band I haven’t gotten into. For some reason, I have a hesitation to get into them. Maybe it’s because I know how much time they “require” to start understanding and enjoying the music (??). I love reading about the music, the band at the time, their influences, and the state of the music during their releases. I think they all play into a group’s sound. It helps me gain a better understanding and appreciation for what they’ve created. Do you have any recommendations on how to begin the tool journey??

@krazzybastard

4 жыл бұрын

Jonathan Henderson tool is not a one time listen and omg that’s the best thing ever. I been a fan since 93 and I still get things out of even their older music. To me the more you listen the better it gets and now to me Tool is the best band I’ve ever heard.

Completely rational first impression. As you listen more to Tool you will understand more what they are going for. Go listen to The Grudge, Lateralus, Pushit live from Salival and Schism as a start if you like progressive music. Sober, Prison Sex, Stinkfist, Ænima and Vicarious if you want to hear something more immidiate. 46 & 2 bridges the gap between immidiate and experimental, being based on one of the coolest repeating bass-riffs of the whole 90's, so you should probably start there with an open mind. To "get" what they are doing on this new album it helps to throw expectations of rock music out the window and realize it is much closer to how a lot of atmospheric electronic music is written. Nobody does expanding and contracting time signatures better in a band setting imho. You will find that these guys have always been true masters of texture and letting a composition breathe. Minimalist virtuosity. Danny Carey is totally unique, he uses homemade samples on self-designed pads and everything you heard drums and percussionwise in this song is played live by him in one take without a click when recording. They are truly non compromising, with the result that it doesn't sound like most other more "polished" bands do today. It's a completely different approach. When live music starts being a thing again go see them, you will gain massive respect for their entire package. The lyrics, tone and timing of Maynards singing. The textures, hypnotic riffs and ambience from both Adam and Justin, sometimes the guitar does rhythm and the bass lead. Dannys rock steady drumming and limitless experimentation with both rhythms and sounds. This is quite the unique bunch. So come on, down the rabbithole you go mate.

I would suggest Lateralus or The Pot (older) and Invincible or 7empest (newer) Cheers

@sp00g37

4 жыл бұрын

the pot has been my jam for years.

@americanhwyflower

4 жыл бұрын

Jambi or The Grudge too

@moonbubbles3046

4 жыл бұрын

Carmen of the Village Most certainly Jambi!

@luker.6967

4 жыл бұрын

I second all of those.

@robertoducloux6693

4 жыл бұрын

Agree 100%

While a lot of the comments indicate that Fear Inoculum/"Pneuma" might not have been the best starting point, I do think many of the characteristics you pointed out in this song permeate Tool's entire catalog: long buildups, layering, permutations that are re-introduced with new elements later in the song, different instruments playing off each other with juxtaposing accents, and basic song structures extended to 7 minute lengths. That is simply what they do, though they've executed it with varying degrees of success across their discography. I don't think it's totally baseless that many respectable metalheads/prog rock fans consider Tool boring, repetitive, and overhyped. But, as another commenter stated, the reason why they're one of the most commercially successful modern prog bands in the world (if not the most?) is because of the way they make people feel. Though each band member is incredibly talented in his own right, with respective examples of mastery shining at different moments in the discography (except for Carey, who is an otherworldly percussive force from start to finish), the big appeal is the gestalt of their layered ideas, which is something like: poetic, atmospheric, spiritual but not religious, meditative, trancelike, tribal, primordial. And they've displayed such a wide and very cool spectrum of emotion across their discography, from acerbic contempt ("Opiate," "Aenima") to empowering, nirvanic transcendence ("Lateralus," "Pneuma," "Fear Inoculum"). If you can't dig that, then Tool might not be for you. As others have said, "Lateralus" is probably Tool par excellence. However, it is structured ABABCD, and Adam Jones' (guitarist) solo is skillful because it is so tasteful and well-executed, not because it's technically impressive (compared to, I guess, any guitar solo from a random Dream Theater song). The drums are a standout, as always, but not as complex as what's found on "Pneuma." The vocals stick to more or less the same range. But the layering, polyrythm, message, and sheer power of this song are immense, and by the time the gong-crashing outro comes in, we hope in tandem with the band that there is something beyond, that there is something kind of poetic and spiritual about the nature of consciousness and our mortality. Tool is one of the only bands that can make me feel this way, and maybe the only prog rock band that does so.

Danny Carey is a God among drummers

Not sure I can take anyone seriously who says Danny's drumming is pretty standard and nothing complex...

@MrFreeGman

4 жыл бұрын

He's a great drummer, one of the best in metal for sure. But his playing is only complex compared to other rock/metal drummers. In the jazz/avant-garde world his playing is pretty standard (and that's a compliment)

@bcherry8953

4 жыл бұрын

@@MrFreeGman You can always try to find something more extreme. If you have 100 songs from different genres he would be on the more complex side every time. We do not say boiling water isnt hot because lava is much hotter. If you have to compare the complexity to other music that is considered more complex then it isn't hard to see.

@mattyone78

4 жыл бұрын

@@MrFreeGman I think he is capable of playing much more complex pieces, but he has musicality in spades, so he does what complements the song, rather than stroke his ego.

@tee4222

4 жыл бұрын

MrFreeGman nonsense. I’ve drummed in a number of jazz bands myself and it’s very rare to see anything like what Danny puts out there. Sure, plenty of jazz drummers hodge podge together the most complex arrangement they can muster while forgetting subtlety and nuance. Obviously there are exceptions but to act like Danny would be average in the jazz scene is crazy. He get extremely complex at times, but he always does so tastefully and makes sure to accentuate and compliment the musical development of the song.

@Josiah-ve6su

4 жыл бұрын

That's what I thought until I tried to learn it

I think, if you've never really heard Tool before, and you're running on the word of die-hard fans (and as one myself, I can say some of us are a bit over-the-top), and somehow the expectation of "prog-rock" is created at some point (and, you're right, clearly they aren't that), I think it's going to be impossible to not have a mismatch in expectations. Tool get tossed the prog-rock label, I think, because A.) They do play around with fairly complex time-signatures and B.) It's really hard to classify their sound to begin with. It would probably be better to start with what they're NOT. They're not particularly "flashy" musicians (in the traditional sense). So you're generally not going to see a bunch of shreddy, virtuoso bravado. I'm not saying there isn't any great playing (their drummer is lauded as one of the best out there). But that's just not generally what they're about. I'd almost say in terms of what they're trying to do as musicians.....it's maybe at the polar opposite end of the music spectrum from, say, a Joe Satriani (no disrespect to Joe...). I think the most unique thing about Tool, and probably the thing most responsible for them sounding and doing things so differently than their peers, is their writing process. The guitarist and bass guitarist grind out countless hours of different riff ideas, sort through them, see which ones interact in interesting ways, and then lay out the basic string composition. The drummer comes in as almost a complete afterthought and figures out how to tie the various parts together (which can be interesting when the string parts don't overlap in traditional ways....hence some of the odd time signatures). The vocals are the absolute last part....when the song is pretty much 99.8% finished. He listens, gets an emotional impression, and starts figuring out how his vocals can weave in and out of what's going on. More emphasis seems to be placed on that, often, than the lyrics themselves. That process, as it's been kind of expanded over the years, tends to turn out songs that are much more about mood and aesthetic than being flashy, or even catchy. The songs tend to be long. I honestly don't think they go out of their way to do that. They tend to just let the song go wherever it takes them. Because of that, some parts definitely feel stretched out and trance-like if you're not used to it. That, on top of the non-traditional percussive elements has led their music to be described as "tribal"...which is probably the best adjective I can think of. Do they have the best singer in the world, who can sing the highest highs and the lowest lows? Nope. The best bassist? No way. Guitarist? Not even close. But no one sounds anything like what these guys do when all their parts meet in the middle. And when you see them in concert, you're generally not going to see pyrotechnics, or band members running from one side of the stage to the other and jumping around, or a drum solo inside of a spinning cage. Not that there's anything wrong with those things. It's just not what they're about. One last thing I will say, in case this already-essay hasn't been enough, is to keep giving them a shot, and have a little patience. I do think they were a bit more "accessible" earlier on. So I'm not saying there aren't tracks that will grab you right away (there definitely are). But it's often said that listening to this band is a very "interactive" process. It's not something you just throw on for background music. It demands your attention. It tries your attention span. And I can speak as a die-hard fan when I tell you that there are very few Tool songs that I've just loved on first listen. In fact, there's quite a few where I've wondered what the hell was going on in the writing room. However, the songs do grow on you. While most music tends to get boring or repetitive on multiple listens, Tool's music tends to reward it. I've seen plenty of people (here on YT and elsewhere) who totally don't get the hype on first listen, only to be totally hooked after multiple listens days and weeks later. At the very least, it's worth another shot! But I really enjoyed this reaction/critique anyways. Thanks for taking the time to create content for people. I'll definitely be back around to check out some of your other videos. Peace.

@coreyames9923

4 жыл бұрын

Ryan Wills I agree with this completely.

@barrybarry8564

4 жыл бұрын

I tend to like bands that have at least 1 virtuoso in them and have something unique about them. My other favorite bands are RATM and Primus, Primus for the weird songs/awesome bass/sweet pounding drums and Rage for the insane blend of hip hop and rock, awesome beats and Morellos Solos. For Tool, the virtuoso is obviously Danny and the 'weird' thing I like about them is that they're kind of....'upside down' compared to nearly every other band out there. What I mean by 'upside down' is something that you touched on. Instead of the vocalist and guitarist leading the way with in your face melodies, Tool is flipped upside down with the rhythm section being shoved to the forefront. It's all about those atmospheric feels, the crazy time signatures, the tribal drumming, those crazy drum fills and the guitar and vocals are usually there to help fill in the blanks.

@phobiacide9143

4 жыл бұрын

"There are very few Tool songs that I've just loved on first listen."

@joshuacanipe7688

4 жыл бұрын

What this guy said. Nailed it. Tool songs grow on you. Its uncanny how they do.

@AM-ko4pi

4 жыл бұрын

Man, you really nailed it.

I feel you- my first listen was similar reaction- but then the third, fourth, fifth time/ I started hearing different things and finding more details- for instance- how the bass and drum are on a different time signature than the guitar- but notice the guitar perfectly fills the space between the drums and bass. You can find more and more every time- don’t settle for the first listen as the basis for your opinion. And yes- Lateralus and the Grudge are where you want to be to start.

BTW, if you want to see why Tool fans love them so much, go watch Lost in Vegas's reaction to Pneuma. I think you get from their reaction to that song the way that Tool makes so many people feel. It's something that goes beyond breaking down the form/structure or individual instruments. I mean, I absolutely love the way you break down this stuff from an intellectual, reductionist standpoint. For one, it's precisely the way I used to listen to music, and still do at times, and for another you're pretty much the only reaction channel on KZread that does this; but over time I've also come to realize that sometimes it's the simplest ideas that work best and hit hardest. So in this song, eg, it's the way that when the guitar comes back in ~ 12:30 it's playing the same notes as in the verse, but now it's adding chugging on top of it, or the way that, immediately after that, it changes it up again with a new riff that plays with the established rhythm. Part of Tool's magic is the way they create expectation through repetition, but when they bring back an idea there's a variation, so that there's nice mix of expectation AND surprise, and then they'll throw in a brand new part after that. Often times it isn't anything musically or technically flashy, but I think from a songwriting perspective it's very effective. Tangentially, this is actually what's caused me in the past year or so to come back to pop music after years exploring jazz, classical, prog, metal, etc., because I started to realize that the ability for pop songwriters to create immediately catchy hooks/beats is a skill in itself, but one that's hard to parse on a purely intellectual level. The how's and why's of what makes something catchy and ear-grabbing, and why/how some songwriters/artists seem to have a knack for doing that song after song, is something I don't feel is well-understood. With complex music it's easy to point to various things--technical virtuosity, harmonic richness, structural concepts, etc.--as easy justifications for why it's good; but understanding why a song catches our ears, or hits us in the feels, or, in the case of Tool, makes so many people feel like they're encountering the "pneuma" (defined as: "the vital spirit, soul, or creative force of a person.") is often ineffable.

@CriticalReactions

4 жыл бұрын

Really great reply here. While this channel has somehow veered hard into the metal category it isn't what I tend to listen to most of the time. To be completely honest, most of the songs that I have stuck in my head these days are from the soundtracks for Frozen 2 and the Descendants films. Part of that is because I'm a parent and and I'm forced to listen to those songs so often but another part is that the songs are just really catchy. Metal fans in general seem to disregard catchiness as something bad or easy to pull off but, as I've stated in a few of these videos, I actually really like strong hooks. And I'd like to see people attempt to make a catchy pop song, it's a lot harder than it appears; mostly because of what you touched on where it isn't something taught in music theory. There isn't a compositional technique to create catchy music, it just kinda happens. With that said, I plan on giving Pneuma a few more listens on my own time and I'm contemplating revisiting the song on the channel if it opens up to me.

@jonathanhenderson9422

4 жыл бұрын

@@CriticalReactions Thanks so much! It was actually XTC that got me back into pop. I remember vividly listening to them, and I think it was on the song The Mayor of Simpleton where I thought to myself: "this is pop music, and I love it; I wonder what else I've been missing out on?" So last year I took to exploring the last ~20 years of pop. Of course, there's lots of mediocre crap out there, but that's true of any genre; but I also found many pleasant surprises. I was perhaps most shocked by how much I ended up loving Taylor Swift! Now my playlists are filled with everyone from Kylie Minogue to Ulcerate to Hiromi Uehara to Olivier Messiaen. Variety is the spice of life and all that! As for Tool, be prepared for a flood of suggestions for what to do next. My personal suggestion would be The Pot. I think it's impossible not to groove to that song! Not their most complex, or most spiritual, or emotional, but that bass line would cause a stone to head bob!

@Tritoness

4 жыл бұрын

@@jonathanhenderson9422 i completely agree and get what you mean. Lost In Vegas are such cool dudes. I loved watching their reaction to Pneuma. They just feel real and that is what i like about them. As for the song, Pneuma is a top 5 Tool song for me.

@digitolsoul

4 жыл бұрын

@@Tritoness I've watched Lost in Vegas reaction to Pneuma at least 4 times since it came out lol

@tyef572

4 жыл бұрын

@@CriticalReactions react to the drum cam version of danny Carey playing this. Pretty sure that alone will change your mind.

Tool is it's own genre🤷‍♂️

You lost me at "the drummer...he wasn't really complex. He was just solid". Care to call out the timings? You looked lost when he started. Watch the drum cam version and tell me he is just being "solid".

@Douglas_I

4 жыл бұрын

Right? I could understand a lot of his comments since he's new to Tool but that comment made me think he's new to drums and time signatures and basically everything that makes Danny one of the best to ever pick up the sticks.

@myname5918

4 жыл бұрын

I mean wow. I didn’t even know what to say to this. Unbelievable.

@adamfreiwald5118

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah this guy has no idea what he's talking about. At least I know not to watch anymore of his vids though, so that's a plus.

@mattyone78

4 жыл бұрын

To be fair, that is one of Danny's talents, he can make a complex poly rhythm sound almost standard.

@citrus7115

4 жыл бұрын

All of you are toxic, all tool fans are so stuck up their own ass. Danny carrey is very cool though.

I don’t really think prog is the right word for Tool, especially by itself. Tool to me is more tribal like, kind of organic and breathing, perhaps even trance inducing in a way. But what I think of as Prog, I don’t really see Tool in a category like that. They really have their own thing going on, and it’s better to go on open minded rather than to think you’re getting a ”prog experience”. Some of their material is slow building, almost like they are jamming, but it is so well executed that it’s beautiful.. You can close your eyes and drift off, the music paints a beautiful picture. It somehow manages to tap into your emotions a little. They do have lots of different material tho, shorter, straight to the point kind of songs, long songs about DMT trips and everything in between. I personally feel that Ænima and Lateralus are their finest work, maybe consider checking something out of those? I’d recommend: -TheGrudge -Parabol/Parabola (together) -Hooker With A Penis -Pushit -46&2 -Lateralus I don’t know if you keep lyrics pulled up usually, but in a lot of these songs the vocals are often mixed very low and kinda hard to make out. There’s some great writing across their whole catalog. Some of the stuff is just straight up poetry. Also, whether I agree with all of your points or not, I enjoy seeing someone breaking stuff down and discussing it so thanks for the vid! Hoping to see some more Btw, The Drummer has a huge drum set with normal drums and also several electronic pads with his own samples in them, and he plays everything live at once, and they perform and record without a click. So all the drumming and all the Percussion on this track is done live by him. It really is quite technically advanced stuff. There’s an official drum cam of this one live, it’s pretty interesting stuff. This song is really, really challenging to play on drums.

@johnpendergrass9191

3 жыл бұрын

I heard somebody else describe Tool’s genre as “Euphoric Metal”.

Lateralus would have probably been the best one to start with.

@nwebster2012

4 жыл бұрын

I would stay away from the new album completely until you're way more familiar with their work.

@shr00mhead

4 жыл бұрын

Let him work his way to Lateralus.

@nwebster2012

4 жыл бұрын

@@shr00mhead Normally I would say that, but I just get the impression he would like that more than their other stuff. At least that album in general. I always start at the beginning to see how the band progresses from album to album, but he might not have time for that.

@losdog13

4 жыл бұрын

You say that because lateralus was probably the first album you heard by them. Just like people who heard Undertow for the first time. That album was so unique in 93. Then they come out with this. It matters what album you hear first sometimes.

@shr00mhead

4 жыл бұрын

@@losdog13 I dunno man. I heard Ænima first but my fave is probably 10,000 days.

Vic Firth recently posted a video of Danney Carey, the drummer, playing Pneuma live. It is incredible. He is often considered one of the modern "Greats". You should look it up. Personally, I love Pneuma, the buildup is fantastic. I disagree somewhat that you think there's nothing complex going on, but to each his own I guess. I think my favourite song on the new album is Descending. Gives me Pink Floyd vibes, without being pink Floyd. If you want something more intense, there's plenty of that with Tool. Vicarious is a good, popular example, among many, many others.

Tool fan here. Found you in my recommend section. I'm going to subscribe with the hope you'll give Tool some more chances with songs that have been recommended in the comments here. Keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂

Tool isn’t “prog” in the vein of King Crimson, early Genesis, Yes, Rush, ELP etc with a number of very different movements in a long piece. Tool is proggy in their use of polyrhythms, poly meters, and a lot of subtle variations in recurring musical themes. A lot of other good comments have already been made about what Tool is and is not. If you want to get a clearer picture of the insane drum part on Pneuma, you should watch the Danny Carey drum cam video by Vic Firth. It sounds much more simple listening than actually watching how incredible his four way independence play that middle section and you see the construction of that part and how it evolves using different drums and percussion around the drum kit.

@wadsmitter511

4 жыл бұрын

That is very King Crimson. Their track "Discipline" is essantially musical themes made of polyrhytms and polymeters, with a lot of subtle variations. Same with "The talking drum", "Fracture", and "Easy Money", as well as the entire middle section of Starless.

You should watch Danny carey pneuma live version my friend if you want to see his real complexity

Buddy, what you want is The Grudge or Vicarious.

Really?? I LOVED this CD right from first listen. And It was my first time listening to tool... I was blown away by the drummer and I find their compositions complex, elegant and very tight

4:26 to 4:40 - the look of a man who's just encountered a Tool time signature.

I’m so curious to know what kind of music you listen to on a regular basis!! I know in the Reptile video you mentioned you’re a huge Periphery fan. How have you listened to Periphery but haven’t heard of/ listened to so many of the bands you react to on the channel? Do you just listen to the same few bands on repeat and not branch out much? (I’m always guilty of that!!)

@CriticalReactions

4 жыл бұрын

I am very guilty of not branching out much, especially this past decade. That's more or less why I created this little channel, to force myself to listen to new stuff (though I wasn't expecting to get pigeonholed into a "metal reactor") Back in my teen years I feel like I was learning about new music all of the time but the 20s was more about listening to what I knew. I don't have any local Metal radio stations and the one rock station we have pretty much plays the same 60 or so songs so I stopped listening to the radio a long time ago as well.

@lizzieturbett7444

4 жыл бұрын

Critical Reactions I definitely think you could branch out a lot more! Instrumental week showed us that your subs like more than just metal! We were so happy that you reacted to plini & chon!!

It took me a long time to get to this video on your channel, Brian, but you won me with it. Your critique got me back into the mindset in which I was before I started listening to Tool. I re-listened this song as if I never heard the Tool songs before. And it was really cool to find out that with their music it's simply not enough to listen to it to find what's in it that I adore. To find what I adore in this band. I hope someday I will also find out what makes Tool fans in general such a toxic hateful community. I'm glad that behaving like them isn't necessary to appreciate this music.

this whole album is a slow-burn in a sense, on first listen only one song resonated with me and the rest felt a bit lackluster as you noted, but as i listened to it over and over it has this trance like chill quality to it and you peel back layers of complexity, its still tool, it still has their signature sound but its a different record than their previous work, in the end i really dig it

Tool make great albums, as opposed to individual tracks. Shame you didn't mention the time signatures or polyrhythms. If you want more progressive and more from the other band members, try Rosetta Stoned (with Lost Keys beforehand) or Lateralus.

@thewhorocks515

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah I'd second those two suggestions. Rosetta Stoned might be my personal favorite Tool song.

@munkhammer1880

4 жыл бұрын

I think that’s quite the leap.. I wouldn’t really suggest that one for a second reaction. Having said that, that one especially needs lyrics to go. Cant understand half of it without.

@toughy9450

4 жыл бұрын

Given he doesn't seem to delve into the lyrics, does he really need them?

@barrybarry8564

4 жыл бұрын

@@thewhorocks515 I think thats a song that long time tool fans love but would probably leave a newcomer scratching their head hahaha

You earned a subscriber, I'll keep watching your videos.

Lateralus, no kidding, was a revelation for me. It got me hooked to Tool in the first place and it was a gateway to appreciating metal in general. Still one of my favorite songs of all time. And yet... took me a few listens before I would come to love it. Definitely give it a shot! Love the videos, keep 'em coming!

Solid Drummer.......lmao

@u.v.s.5583

4 жыл бұрын

Today he called Jordan Rudess 'some kind of keyboard player'.

@zoniekat

4 жыл бұрын

I know, right?! Lol

@matthewd6306

4 жыл бұрын

@@u.v.s.5583 Yea he's a moron.

@garrettshirley3823

4 жыл бұрын

I can understand the vocals bit (Maynard is old as fuck and isn't hitting the high notes of Undertow)… and the guitar work isn't the best Adam Jones has ever done … but the drummer bit … lol … fuck this guy.

@matthewd6306

3 жыл бұрын

@Johnny Dong Not Ruddess. Critical Reactions, the guy who made the video. "Some kind of keyboard player" on Jordan Ruddess. "He's a solid drummer" on Danny Carey.

Over time you might discover that every single Tool song gets requested, because they haven't made a bad song.

Tool has an “unusual” song writing process - the rest of the band writes the music, record it, and then send the tracks to Maynard - he writes the lyrics based on the music, rather than building the music based on the lyrics, or writing them together. I’d suggest watching the drum cam version of this song - it’s really a showcase of what the drummer can do, if you want something with more lyrical content and variety, checked out “The Pot”

A boiling pot of water has tons of movement. It just depends how closely you prefer to look into things.

These guys are in their late 50's/early 60's. To me, this was more of a vibe song. You should check out The Grudge and Vicarious, songs they made when they were at their zenith.

“The song did not impress.” What. The. Hell.

@TylerSampson51

4 жыл бұрын

It didn't for me on my first listen either. Now its easily my favorite on the album.

@chrisdallaire2668

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, he needs about 15 more listens and he'll start jizzing everywhere compulsively.... it's like clockwork

@tidalcliff2202

4 жыл бұрын

@@chrisdallaire2668 the dudes at lost in vegas know a good song when they hear it clearly.

@rafanj824

4 жыл бұрын

@@tidalcliff2202Yes, I loved it on the first listening. "Invincible", for me, demanded 3 listenings!

@Heatwave9000

Жыл бұрын

It could literally be 4 minutes without the boring filler

Try The Grudge, Lateralus. May be you'll see something that you were talking about there

This album is their masterpiece, no question asked.

Try Lateralus, The Pot or Schism. They're pretty different so it should give you a good idea of Tool

I'd be extremely curious to see what you think of Microdeath Softstar by Phideaux. That song is packed with interesting motifs given that is the actual end of an album, but it also stands on it's own as a great song.

Also very important: Tool have lots of songs that are made up of two or three different tracks, it’s essential listening to them in full.

Older Tool that is a precursor to where the album Fear Inoculum explored would be Pushit and Third Eye from Aenima. Think you might enjoy the overall effort put into those songs. And then pretty much anything from Lateralus. The 10,000 Days album imo was like a study of the concepts in Fear Inoculum. On Fear Inoculum I would say Invincible is great as far as layers and lyrics go and similarly with Descending. I think the Fear Inoculum track is a dark horse, almost a preamble to the album in general providing a synopsis of the themes in the tracks that make up the album.

Start with the Aenima or Lateralus albuns... Based on your comments, i would recommend The Grudge, from Lateralus

First time I heard this song I was blown away.

Absolutely listen to some of their older stuff next. Lateralus and Ænima are their best albums in my opinion. They don’t have a bad album.

You should check out the drum cam of this song of Danny Carey!So you can see the kit he is using....yes you have to get use to the sound of Tool....it grows on you....check out the older stuff if you want to know how far they have came.....Tool-The Pot....or Tool-Lateralus

Just keep doing more Tool songs. It's common to not like them at first, especially anything off of FI. Personally I'd suggest Sober because it's shorter, catchier, and has some of Maynard's best vocals and lyrics.

If you ever give TOOL another go, check out "Rosetta Stoned" with the intro track "Lost Keys (Blame Hoffman)", it's a song that isn't reviewed all that often, but it's arguably their most complex song.

Jambi, Vicarious, Eulogy, Forty Six & Two, 7empest, Rosetta Stoned, Lateralus are some good examples of their prog stuff. Most of Fear Inoculum is more soundscape

long time crazy tool fan, i have to agree with everything said here in relation to the new album.. it's more like the jam session before they do pre-production

If you’re looking for a complex song, Rosetta Stoned has a 8/8, 5/4, 8/8, 5/4, 8/8, 10/4, 9/8, 6/8, 11/4, 12/8, 15/8, 12/8, 5/4, 3/8, 6/8, 3/8, 5/4 for the bass. The song Lateralus is a Fibonacci sequence. Most of the older albums are more complex than Fear Inoculum is.

Part of me wants to rag on ya for your thoughts on this, but thinking back, listening to my first tool songs back in 2006 (parabola, schism, eulogy) i actually kind of had similar opinions. But over time this band grew on me. These days, they are my favorite thing by far. Also, i love how every time you said "i'm waiting on the next part" and at that exact moment, the next part happened. :D In that regard they are "perfect" imo. It's very much about enjoying the journey, the here and now, not wondering what's next. Pneuma is definitely in my top 3 tool songs tho.

@Heatwave9000

Жыл бұрын

Its a snoozefest be real

Prog week!!! How about some Borknagar? The song ‘thunderous’ comes to mind as a fave tune. Proggy as heck! Great work

Awesome reaction. Would love to see another Ne Obliviscaris reaction since they’re in the prog genre. ‘Devour me Colossus’ please!!!

@13:25 It's not a variation on the verse, its the Chorus(which is played 3x total in the song) with altered bass effects(delay off, Flanger on). Drummer wasn't complex?? Did you listen to the breakdown and buildup before the bridge? Maybe you should watch the drumcam Vic Firth did and watch the 4 limb independence, poly-rhythms, and poly-meters. Tool's best songs imo are Schism, The Grudge, Aenema, and The Pot.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on The Unlocking by Dødheimsgard, an avante-garde black metal band

The thing with tool is that they are not really a band you can put in a defined genre, they are pretty much a genre on their own. They have their own recongizable sound, but all their song are very unique in the way they are built, in the way they sound, their timing and you never know were they'r going. Maybe you would like Lateralus, forthy six and two, the pot, the grudge or an other of their song

You dropped the ball BIG time on this one, especially when it comes to the drums. Listen to the drumming on the verse again. REALLY listen to it. If what he's playing there isn't complex then I'm braindead. That takes a TON of limb Independence to play that. It's an extremely complex rhythm. smh, I am disappoint.

I like this song, especially powerful listening to it while driving, those crunchy riffs hit hard. But as much as I appreciate Tool, they always leave me with something left wanting. Their songs never really go anywhere. Vocally also there ain’t much dynamics like you said. I actually like Maynard’s vocals the best on this song, compared to all other songs. Just love way he says the word ‘Pneuma’. The lyrics are good on this track too. 7empest is the best song on this album in terms of song structure and development and progression, I think you may like that much better.

Bryan, try a song like The Pot. Another would be "46 & 2", or Vicarious.

Have you listened to any of Tesseract? I think you'd like them. I'd suggest Deception or Nocturne to start with.

@CriticalReactions

4 жыл бұрын

I checked out Of Matter but KZread blocked it. I really enjoyed it though and really want to check out the rest of their stuff.

12:53 "Okay"... ah yes, the sound of a new Tool fan being born.

Definitely check some of the older stuff

To each their own, but no comment on the alternating 14/8 & 19/8 time signature? How is that not "unique"?

You say your 100th review.......after I watched your The Mars Volta vid.......I click subscribe.....

Danny Carey; solid drummer.

Oh man, if you're going to check out more Tool I have to say that Lateralus is probably my favorite song of all time

if youre doing some prog, id love to see some protest the hero. their discography is amazing, but i would suggest anything off the volition cd. had chris adler from land of god do drums and it honestly shows.

You should definitely be checking out more Tool. It would grow on you for sure.

Nooooooo * goes back to Lost in Vegas to listen to their reaction *

I think you should try reacting to the live Danny Carey drum cam? It's very interesting to see him actually do it live. Pretty mind blowing for someone who can't even move 2 limbs independently :p

Can you do Tool’s “Wings for Marie” (parts 1 & 2, at least part 2) 🙏

Hey try band VOLTO!, song BHP. (There's a in-studio sort of live recording by the band playing) It has Danny Carey on drums too, and good prog vibes.

My recommendation will be to listen to more of TOOL, is very complex, they build up their material like no other band. I am also a jazz musician, so as you can imagine I don’t get impressed easily, Tool impressed me. Check out Lateralus, Pot, 46&2, Invincible, 7empest, Grudge and Schism.

This is quite a unique Tool reaction

To name a few... Lateralus, Rosetta Stoned, The Grudge, The Pot, Third Eye... all great songs to maybe try

Tool - Vicarious, The grudge, schism

The Pot is a must, I think it’s personally the best song for people who have never listened to the band before. The vocals are insane

@Isaiah_McIntosh

4 жыл бұрын

I relistened to the pot yesterday due to the comments on this video recommending it. I don't know if I'm crazy but while it's definitely more interesting than pneuma it also got pretty boring. I haven't relistened to it in a while but I remember liking schism when I was younger like a lot. With every tool song relisten to though I feel like I've overrated them in the past.

@jpthemusicenjoyer

4 жыл бұрын

Isaiah Mc Intosh personally I’ve always loved them and always will. I think Ænima, Lateralus and 10,000 days are all timeless, I guess I’ll just have to wait and see with this newest album 🤷🏻‍♂️

Gotta watch the master at work with the Danny Carey drum cam live video

it is a perfect song

The grudge, lateratlus, ticks and leaches, jambi , invisible

The thing with tool is, they try to appeal patient people and i think their philosophy is kinda that way aswell, criticising overstimulation, that everything has to be extreme and quick these days to be entertaining without giving room to breathe and when you said "i just kinda want the next part to come up" that kinda nailed it. They dont want to appeal to people who listen 3 minute long songs as background noise. They are kinda trying to be like an audio experience you gotta focus on and sit back and relax too, but thats just my take on them. Dont get me wrong, im not saying youre a guy who listens to 3 minute songs, but lets take Bands like Meshugga for example who are also the progressive type - but they are full blown in your face stuff. I think you get what i mean

@CriticalReactions

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I get what you're saying; Tool is going for a very, very different experience than other traditional prog stuff. In fact, you could say it's the opposite end of the prog spectrum -- where stuff like Between the Buried and Me and Meshuggah exist on one end and Tool is on the other.

Hi, it would be cool if you reacted/analyzed Wilderun's The Tyranny of Imagination. It's a Opeth/Dream Theater like progmetal song from 2019 from a concept album called Veil of Imagination.

“Suppers’ Ready” Prog week request

Watch this song through the drummer, Vic Firth (Pneuma) this song is a masterpiece.

You should have did the live one with drum cam.

@CriticalReactions

3 жыл бұрын

Check my other vids, I did that one about a month later.

Please check out The Disposition-Reflection Triad off their La-te-ra-l_us album

I wouldn't put Tool anywhere near prog music or metal. I don't think odd time signatures and extended tracks make something prog, though I do recognise this is common. There are common note choices I hear in prog that I don't hear in Tool. Also, their song structures and riffs appear to be based on rock. I would call them hard rock with a few metal influences (on their latest album in particular).

Please dude make the vicarious! It blows your mind

"Like, just the letter H." Lol!

Mastodon - The Czar, or The Last Baron, would be great tracks for prog week!

Please, please, please!!! Listen to some more tool

Check out the grudge or parabol/parabola

Time to slap some Protest The Hero recommendations in for prog week let's go dude For newer stuff: Drumhead Trial, A Life Embossed or Ragged Tooth For older stuff: Limb From Limb, Hair Trigger, Tandem

I think what most people miss out on when listening to tool is the fact that their albums were designed as one piece and were meant to be listened to from start to finish. Thats why tool refused to sell individual tracks on iTunes and other platforms for a long time. I think this is a good song individually but its as if you've taken it out of context. When you listen to the album it fits right in and becomes a great song. Tool is an experience and they can take you on a journey. This album is the culmination of tool work and is meant to highlight their progression as a band to seeking further enlightenment. Maynard's own experiences in life influence his music and its been fascinating watching his journey and struggles come through the music.

Tool isn't the sort of band you necessarily understand your first listen, much less love. But they're the sort of band that keeps luring you back until you do. With that said, and as a fan for 19 years, I think this was their weakest album since Undertow ('94). Their MO used to be building tension and releasing it at just the right time, in just the right way. On Fear Inoculum they just build and build and build into nothing. I feel like Maynard threw in the towel on some of the songs. He doesn't even contribute anything in many of the "orgasmic" moments of release. If you want to hear some peak Tool that almost all fans alike will agree is amazing, try any of: Lateralus, Eulogy, Pushit, Aenima, Third Eye, Reflection, Schism, Right In Two

Lateralus or Schism would be good ones. They have always been about the build up and the climax. Early on in their career, in an interview with the vocalist Maynard James Keenan, he characterized their art as masturbation.

Amazing song. Drumming is next level.

I like tool alot, favorite band, but no one's perfect. I definitely enjoy pneuma, but it's not even close to my favorite of their work. Check out jambi, disposition/reflection/triad, or pushit: live, salival. Sober live, the video with the onesie and a mullat hawk, or h, demonstrate why people talk about his vocals so much. No flak at all, good video, and fair. Looking forward to another visit to the shed

Check out Danny Carey Pneuma drum live.. you could do a reaction.. one of greatest drummers of all time.. also the song Invincible from this same album you may find it more interesting

Best song ever written and FI best album in music history!!!!

I enjoyed this. Bryan could benefit from a bit more exposure to this bands musical language. That's all. Long live Bryan. Long live Tool. Long live the fans of this band.

This is Prog, just in a different form. Elongated songs with many structures. The usage of Odd Times; polyrhythms and mixtures of genres etc the Big Tribal influences going on. Danny Carey is one of the best in the genre. He makes it seem easy because he’s flawless and smooth as fuck as also keeping the intensity alive. Prog is not all about flashiness or concept records. Concept records are cool though. But being flashy and overly complex just for the sake of it all the time. Yes it’s cool; but I want to feel something in the music also.

@Heatwave9000

Жыл бұрын

Its not prog, the point of progressive music is to push boundaries in the genre and to develop your sound not rehash riffs from old albums and recycle content. This is literally the classic tool sound that they have on every other album. Just because you have complex rhythms and odd time signatures does not make it prog. This just sounds like they are comfortable with their sound because they know the fans like it.

this needed to be The Pot y'all Tool fans are so dumb sometime also stop hyping them as this perfect godly band all the time, you're planting unrealistic expectations in people's minds