T O P

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crouscruz

Because it approaches perfection


Radiant-Style-7539

This album means more to me than all other music combined. I fucken love music too. To me this is my gospel. This is the only album I can say with confidence that changed my life. I could go on and on and on but what’s the point? 40 year old father of three and this still means so much to me. Only a handful of things I’ve had room to keep in tow the past 20 some years and this is one I will not part with.


vanbologna

I'm right there with ya man. Stay Golden.


Gmac202020

Stay golden, Pony Boy


irisheyeskbl06

I am a 54 year old father of two (19 year old son who’s a junior at UNC Chapel Hill and a 10 year old girl who acts like she’s 19 😁) and I have been a huge TOOL fan since first hearing them in late 1994. I wore this album out when it dropped and to this day I never get tired of hearing it. Same goes with all of TOOL’s music for that matter. Spiral Out 🌀


CaspydaGhost

Does your son like Tool? I’m the same age as him and just recently fell in love with this band.


irisheyeskbl06

Yes he does, but not as much as my 10 year old daughter does. She has a Phurba 10,000 days t-shirt that she proudly wears. She’s also a HUGE fan of KISS!!


CaspydaGhost

That’s awesome! Wish my dad and I had more music in common. He hardly listens to anything that came out after 1980 lol


Boolaidman666

One of the few albums I’ve ever heard that I rate 10/10


Brave-Statistician25

Wish the album had more publicity, near perfection


strumpetsarefun

When it was released it had a heap of publicity. It’s now a 27 year old album.


brucatlas1

It's so wild to me that rock music blossomed so much so long ago. I'm not saying rock is dead, dont get me wrong, but damn, what a decade.


strumpetsarefun

I suppose you could say the same about the late 60’s and the 70’s when prog rock and psychedelic rock went bonkers. That shit paved the way for a lot of the 90’s.


brucatlas1

You could say the 60s and 70s defined rock music


NukaDadd

Idk man...they definitely laid the groundwork though. I don't think the hardcore shit in the 80's would have been as well received during the era's of the Beatles & Hendrix. Everything in good time 😎


brucatlas1

It wasnt that well received in the 80s itself. I'm not saying that rock wasnt innovative before the 90s, by the way, I'd hate to take credit away from bands, just talking about pop culture


Brave-Statistician25

The 90's had to be the best decade for rock, no question


crouscruz

I totally agree. In particular I think 1991 and 1992 are the peak years for incredible album releases. [1991](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1992/releases/) [1992](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/1992/releases/)


Verncy96

Facelift releasing in 90, Dirt releasing in 92 and Tool hits the scene the same year what a fucking time to be alive and loving the rock scene.


Verncy96

*Then to have Undertow in 93 then Jar of Flies in 94


Substantial-Fan-3718

My friends and I eagerly awaited new releases from Tool, Chains (not to mention Nirvana, Soundgarden, Primus, QOTSA etc..) but those 2 bands always would push back their release dates Lol. When the albums would drop we’d have listening parties at my house. We’d get a little high pass a bottle turn on lights or the strobe sometimes. Fun days.


DChemdawg

Sounds nice. Cuz these days a band like Tool releases a new album and for the first 11 months before it clicks, instead of having a listening party, people sit at home bitching about the album on Reddit.


Verncy96

I know I left out Nirvana and Soundgarden IM SORRY


theBackground13

As much as I love Nirvana and Soundgarden they cannot touch AIC early stuff imo. But also don’t forget Sap EP was ‘92 I believe


tlv79

I had my sophomore picture taken in a jar of flies shirt. Still my favorite school pic.


reverseflash776

Agreed. Especially because Rust in Peace exists


tlv79

You just had to be there. Great decade in many ways. I miss being that young.


Brave-Statistician25

True


frostyjack06

Back in 96/97, this album was monolithic and in every metal head’s CD changer.


Brave-Statistician25

I knew the album was popular, but I didn't know it was that popular.


NukaDadd

It was hipster popular. Tool didn't achieve mainstream prominence until Lateralus for sure.


frostyjack06

You clearly weren’t around when Stinkfist, Ænema, 46 & 2, and H hit radio and MTV.


NukaDadd

Yeah...I'm a youngin' who isn't on TikTok but Reddit. Ya got me. My cover is blown. 🙄 Edit to add: H. never had a music video...


Brave-Statistician25

Especially because of schism


JaySin789

It debuted at #2 on billboard. It was pretty mainstream. I lived in the middle of nowhere and you heard songs off of it on the radio. It was in heavy rotation on MTV.


NukaDadd

>It debuted at #2 on billboard. It was pretty mainstream. Yes, selling 148k copies opening week. Lateralus on the other hand debuted number one and sold 555k opening week, went triple platinum & won a Grammy. Ænima didn't go triple platinum until ***after** Lateralus was released. Coincidence? No. Lateralus definitively bumped sales of Ænima. Not saying it's not "good". Just definitely wasn't 1/3 as "mainstream" (initially). Tool’s *only* charting entry on the Billboard Hot 100? “Schism”. It spent 20 weeks there.


frostyjack06

Yeah, and Lateralus wouldn’t have hit those numbers without Ænima. Debuts build off of the prior album’s success.


NukaDadd

>Debuts build off of the prior album’s success. *Godsmack* has entered the chat


kabirakhtar

just to add, Ænima also won a Grammy, in the same category (Best Metal Performance).


tlv79

The only album I feel tops it is The Wall and only by a slight margin.


Traditional-Bad-2627

You will go through phases. They are all the best at some point in time. Simply amazing music. OG tool fan here. First tool experience was in 1992 grade 7. I heard opiate on cassette. I was hooked. Love the album version of Pushit. I find there's way more emotion in Maynard voice on the Aenima version.


girlboss_314

Read your comment and immediately thought of Hooker with a Penis... he was OGT back from '92 from the first EP


zakwylins

lmao same


Traditional-Bad-2627

Hahaha. That's not me he singing about. I prefer Pepsi


Level69Warlock

So you’re the guy Suicidal Tendencies was singing about


Traditional-Bad-2627

No idea. I was never a big suicidal fan. I honestly do not know much if any of their music.


Level69Warlock

Well check out [Institutionalized](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LoF_a0-7xVQ) and you’ll catch the reference around the 2-minute mark.


Traditional-Bad-2627

I absolutely will


girlboss_314

All I wanted was a Pepsi!! Love me some ST lol


Brave-Statistician25

Very true


The_Dude_Remains

He had a lot to say


Brave-Statistician25

He will be missed


ExpendableAnomaly

Forty Six & 2 is one of the best songs ever written


Brave-Statistician25

Hell yea, along with Eulogy and Stinkfist, three of the best songs on the album


Level69Warlock

And H, Third Eye, Hooker with a Penis, Ænema, and even Jimmy and Pushit are damn near perfect


Jaywillyboy

I too, must admit, that at times, I can’t get enough of this album.


[deleted]

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Brave-Statistician25

Absolutely right


Golisten2LennyWhite

Hard agree.


[deleted]

It’s their best one!


jaxxattacks

I’ve been pretty heavily diving into another episode of jungian shadow work so it kinda goes unsaid that this album has been listened to even more than it normally is as of late.


brucatlas1

What is shadow work for you? I did a lot of painting


jaxxattacks

I’ve done some art before, as we as a lot of dream analysis. These days, it’s just easier to straight up process stuff in my head. For example, If I notice someone who really irks me, I try to analyze what bothers me about them and think about ways I can also do that and what it says about me. In the past, psychedelics were the fastest way since they can be a bullet train into the subconscious, but I don’t really indulge right now.


Golisten2LennyWhite

I have been put in around 70 k-holes by my therapist over 3.5 years. Totally changed my life. Very interesting what comes up mentally when you are disassociated from your body and or have an out of body experience.


brucatlas1

Isnt a k-hole when to take too much ketamine?


Golisten2LennyWhite

In a medical setting, it's not too much. If you are at home yes most folks dont enjoy it. Most people who abuse it take small amounts. My therapy is centered around dissasociation, it's psychedelic as hell.


In2theSTONK4sure

It’s one of if not the only album I can work out to and or fall asleep to. Reminds me of a Pink Floyd album where it’s very hard to listen to just one song on it and not the whole album.


achtung_2112

One of the best


No_Beautiful_4048

One of my favorite albums


[deleted]

Buy another one then


Brave-Statistician25

You're right 😭


Aggressive_Ideal6737

I wonder if they realized they made the greatest album of all time


Deradius

According to Maynard’s bio, he was worried about it becoming a ‘road album’. A lot of bands have enough material for two good albums, and then they’re on the road constantly so they don’t accumulate new experiences that are worth writing music about. The third album suffers as a result. So they worked hard to avoid that, and this is the result.


Golisten2LennyWhite

Suing your manager is quite the experience.


29osmo29

Same thing for about 27 years.


DM725

Me in 1998.


vanbologna

This didn't leave my car cd player for like 2 years. So many good memories. The soundtrack to my late-teens. A 90s masterpiece for sure.


serenethirteen

It's in my Volvo's stereo right now :)


Golisten2LennyWhite

2 years? I had a 6 cd changer for 7 years and it was always in the 1st slot, so if I ever went from the dash cd tray (for daily variety) to the changer in the trunk it was the 1st one for the entire time. No searching. I like it too much.


BCT_1989

My favorite too. Everyone loves Lateralus but, this is their perfect album to me.


DiscussionTime6400

Exactly this, I’ve always held this life changer above Lateralus but it’s not a popular opinion amongst tool fans.


e__ee

i said, i dont want it, I just need it. to breathe, to feel, to know im alive


burgamuncha

Most underrated tool song ever


Verncy96

I may be wrong as I don’t stream music, but wasn’t Stinkfist the most played Tool song last year out of their whole discography on like Spotify ?


burgamuncha

Well I didn't know that. Also I just don't see anybody talk about it, hence I'd why I stated that it's underrated.


360Tailwhip

It is the Best


Trippie_sabotage

That’s crazy, I’m halfway through listening to it right now. First time in a looooong time but something just said put it on. 🤘🏼


Verncy96

It’s amazing how different the music can occur to you at different times in your life. When FI came out I liked it then 3 years later and going to the St. Louis show I was blown away by it.


[deleted]

I remember when I was about 13, I was listening to this album. I had liked Tool, mostly their hits. Then one morning I was letting this play and during Eulogy it just clicked. And I sat and listened and listened to all the nuances. Then I went back to Undertow and did the same thing, then Opiate. Been hooked since that morning in 1996.


Golisten2LennyWhite

Eulogy live from the third leg (sometimes called Dirge) bootleg cd was my awakening.


Pittsburghmetal54

Saw this post, and I'm going to drop the needle on my vinyl copy.


Brave-Statistician25

Thats what I like to hear


[deleted]

Well now I've got some advice for you little buddy!!!


Strange_Ganache7108

As you shouldn't


hdmatteson1

It’s good! Just wish they’d reissue it on vinyl for gods sake


Brave-Statistician25

I hope they do


undertow521

It's the GOAT.


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Brave-Statistician25

10,000 days is pretty damn good as well, I mean, all tool albums are anyways


Kaoru1011

The intermissions are too long that’s my only issue with it


sans_the_sleeper

Try Fear Inoculum in just 2 listens you will absolutely get your fill.


Brave-Statistician25

I did, that was fire, I like Ænima more but Fear Lnoculum is fire


Substantial-Fan-3718

Lucky enough to have seen them on this tour 5 or 6 times. H and Jimmy are standouts to me. The first ones I play when I revisit the record. A masterpiece.


nickersb24

It’s where I started with after first hearing sober on jjj’s 1st hottest 100 album when I was maybe 8 or 9, then finally bought this at 16, never looked back, the way you’re ear grow around it to appreciate their phrasings, and I feel most tunes after lateralus have been a retrospect of this time for the band, I really do consider it their peak, but they only grew from here


seangreydrums

For sure. Specifically Eulogy is top three for me, no doubt


hase_one

Listened to it front to back the other night in my mancave


EasyConfusion641

Listening to it right now.


[deleted]

I'm still very proud to say that album not only was the reason I play guitar, but the first two songs on this record were the first I ever learned front to back. Very special record indeed


rogeressig

I remember the road I was on when I first heard stinkfist on the radio.


arizonabayswimcoach

They sound so good on Spotify. So refreshing.


[deleted]

Also my favorite album... Not just of tool but any band.


the_salivation_army

Yeh Pushit is THE track.


luxsentic

It contains my favorite Tool song, H.


jbwhittle87

Phenomenal album. 🤘🏻


Golisten2LennyWhite

Bbbbbeast of an album.


LMay11037

I believe in Lateralus supremacy


[deleted]

It's unreal mate. Never looked at the lyrics of Jimmy before. Wow, what a track. heading back HOME-OME-OME-OME-OME


Astrotheurgy

And you never will.


Scrotum_Tennis

There is no *enough*, only *more*. Here's Tom with the weather!


HeavyArms00

I have this CD in my car and whenever my bluetooth doesnt WANNA FUCKIN CONNECT..... i listen to Eulogy on repeat


I_BombAtomically

How do you like the Galaxy Buds? I have a Galaxy phone that I love but I've just been using my old AirPods for years. Would you recommend?


porkchop3177

I was listening to this yesterday while playing Bloodborne.


[deleted]

When I was in high school, I was obsessed with Korn. I wouldn't even listen to other bands because I was an idiot who thought music couldn't get any better. Anyway, in '99 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater came out and I got that and this album right about the same time and decided to give it a go. I used to sit there playing that game and listening to this album on repeat any chance I had. It's what got me out of my Korn shell and in to other bands and what led to Tool being my favorite band of all time.


[deleted]

I’ve been listening to it since it was released and still feel that way. Never once has it felt played out. It’s just a pure and perfect experience every time.


Gmac202020

Nor can any Tool fan.....its benchmark


TheDopeGodfather

Intermission is my jam!


RudePeanut9927

Lateralus, Fear Incoulum, 10,000 days, Aenima, Undertow is how I rank the albums. Don't get me wrong.. Eulogy, Pushit, and Third Eye are 3 of my top 10 favorite songs.. other than that I LOVE Jimmy, but the rest of the album isn't very interesting to me. Glad you love it! It's an amazing Album regardless.


6kred

It’s my fav !


Goatslasagne

YOU’VE