[wakeride74]

This may sound like a dumb question but give me chance to explain. After listening to the teaser of the new album I found myself going all the way back to Opiate and listening to random songs from all their albums. Once I was ready to move and listen to something else I found myself hopelessly searching my library with no choice but moving to another genre so the change was so drastic I could not compare. Unless it was something complex it just sounded dull by comparison.

So my question is, since Tool is so creative, original and so unlike anything else from the rock/metal (or whatever genre they are) do you find other music from similar genres a bit uninteresting after listening to Tool? I'm not saying I dislike the other stuff but it sure is hard not to compare. Dredg and Mudvayne are a couple other favorites and I find them to be pretty original and interesting but placing Tool in the same world is like trying to imagine Obiwan Kenobi in Raiders of the Lost Ark or something.

Anyways - thoughts?

 

[sethsez]

You need to listen to more rock and metal. Tool is a very good band, and they certain stand head and shoulders above just about everyone else getting mainstream airplay, but they're far from the be-all, end-all.

 

[philodox]

Am I the only one that thinks Tool sucks? Maybe I should give them another chance as that is quite the endorsement... any album recommendations?

 

[canloader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Am I the only one that thinks Tool sucks? Maybe I should give them another chance as that is quite the endorsement... any album recommendations?

Yikes ~ !
Give Undertow a spin.. proper volume levels are needed.

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethsez You need to listen to more rock and metal. Tool is a very good band, and they certain stand head and shoulders above just about everyone else getting mainstream airplay, but they're far from the be-all, end-all.

I'm open to recommendations

I don't know that I think they are the be all end all but they are so unique I don't know that there is anyone else on the same level IMO.

philodox - yes, try Undertow... or start forward and go back, get the new album on May 2nd and spend some time with it. Tool can be an aquired taste.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 This may sound like a dumb question but give me chance to explain. After listening to the teaser of the new album I found myself going all the way back to Opiate and listening to random songs from all their albums. Once I was ready to move and listen to something else I found myself hopelessly searching my library with no choice but moving to another genre so the change was so drastic I could not compare. Unless it was something complex it just sounded dull by comparison. So my question is, since Tool is so creative, original and so unlike anything else from the rock/metal (or whatever genre they are) do you find other music from similar genres a bit uninteresting after listening to Tool? I'm not saying I dislike the other stuff but it sure is hard not to compare. Dredg and Mudvayne are a couple other favorites and I find them to be pretty original and interesting but placing Tool in the same world is like trying to imagine Obiwan Kenobi in Raiders of the Lost Ark or something. Anyways - thoughts?

Tool are one delicious flavor among many other flavors. A really excellent Chocolate Brownie does not in any way ruin my appreciation of a very good Caramel Fudge. If all your finding is bad brownies after listening to Tool, then you need to listen to more music. The musical world is full of bad brownies. Find the good ones, of all flavors, and listen to them. I don't listen to many of the bands that strive to be like Tool. I just listen to other genres. I think a big problem with people is that they stick to one genre too much. I was like this in high school, if it was metal then I bought it. Well I ended up buying a lot of CRAP. (Who wants my Helix albums? I got a few Grim Reaper albums too! hahah).. Anyway, the point is, if you let Tool ruin other hard rock for you, then you need to keep looking. The good stuff is out there. Try some of the music that influenced Tool like King Crimson. Try some of the bands that Tool is known to like and play with. Yes, they'll be different, but they might just bring something to the table that you'll like.

I've learned over the years of listening to scrape the best off the top. I listen to the Deftones, but I don't have time for the dozens of other bands that pretty much sound like them. But hey, that's just how I look at it. If music bores you because of what Tool is doing, then it probably wasn't that good in the first place. Don't feel bad about leaving the bad brownies behind.

-jar

 

[titaniumx3]

There are definitely more creative and talented bands than Tool, but what makes Tool special is they present their work in a much more direct, or shall I say digestable package whilst still retaining all the creativity and progressiveness. Its sort of like the 'musicality' aspect of headphones; if Tool were a headphone they'd excel in this area.

Tool have are very addictive sound that simply leaves you craving for more after each listen; probably the reason why its runining everything else for you. The best thing to do is to explore new music. For me Maudlin of the Wall is the new FOTM.

EDIT: OOPs Its supposed to be "Maudlin Of The Well"

 

[jonnywolfet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 This may sound like a dumb question but give me chance to explain. After listening to the teaser of the new album I found myself going all the way back to Opiate and listening to random songs from all their albums. Once I was ready to move and listen to something else I found myself hopelessly searching my library with no choice but moving to another genre so the change was so drastic I could not compare. Unless it was something complex it just sounded dull by comparison. So my question is, since Tool is so creative, original and so unlike anything else from the rock/metal (or whatever genre they are) do you find other music from similar genres a bit uninteresting after listening to Tool? I'm not saying I dislike the other stuff but it sure is hard not to compare. Dredg and Mudvayne are a couple other favorites and I find them to be pretty original and interesting but placing Tool in the same world is like trying to imagine Obiwan Kenobi in Raiders of the Lost Ark or something. Anyways - thoughts?

dude, you clearly need better albums.

what about,
Opeth, ISIS, Neurosis, Meshuggah, Old Man Gloom, The Ocean, Cult Of Luna, Mastodon, kyuss,A Perfect Circle, Burst, Pelican, Red Sparowes, Converge, Dream Theatre, and more i cant remember right now.

all have masterpiece albums, which are in the same league as tool ((imho) and im not saying better)

 

[Alu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox Am I the only one that thinks Tool sucks? Maybe I should give them another chance as that is quite the endorsement... any album recommendations?

I never found Undertow to be the best Tool album. My favourite has always been AENIMA. Might wanna try that one.

 

[wakeride74]

Jar - I guess my gripe is more about what the similar genres spit out today. I will always go back and listen to Stabbing Westward, KMFDM, NIN, Beck, RHCP, Incubus, SOAD, etc. but the scene today seems to be more punk with the Greenday high pitched vocals and boring song format or the Nickelback/Staind crap. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough!

My tastes are pretty diverse... Latin/Salsa, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Metal, Country, Classical, Opera, World, Cabaret, Bluegrass, Reggae, Ska, R&B, Folk, Electronic... blah blah blah. I have plenty of great music I just wish there was more originality and innovation in the rock scene today.

titaniumx3 - I'll check out Maudlin of the Wall, thanks!

jonnywolfet - Kyuss is the only one from that list that I thought was anything special and they are old news. I know Meshuggah and Opeth are favorites around here but the vocals kill any chance they'd have for my tastes... no growling for me =)

 

[sethsez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 Jar - I guess my gripe is more about what the similar genres spit out today. I will always go back and listen to Stabbing Westward, KMFDM, NIN, Beck, RHCP, Incubus, SOAD, etc. but the scene today seems to be more punk with the Greenday high pitched vocals and boring song format or the Nickelback/Staind crap. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough!

You definitely seem to be focusing mostly on what's heavily marketing on TV and on the radio. There are many, many bands out there, and you're missing most of them by limiting yourself to the popular ones.

Give Opeth a shot (start with Blackwater Park), Neurosis (Through Silver In Blood for their best heavy stuff, The Eye Of Every Storm for their best mellower stuff), King Crimson (a heavy influence on Tool, check out Red), Maudlin of the Well (Bath and Leaving Your Body Map), Godspeed You Black Emperor (Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven) and Kyuss (Blues For The Red Sun).

That should get you started.

Edit: Aww, no growls? Pfft.

 

[Masonjar]

Do you have MEANTIME by Helmet? Tool definately took a page (haha) or two from the Helmet book early on.. and while we're at it, you might want to dig out LIAR by the Jesus Lizard. Again, same organic pool that spawned Tool (at least, IMHO)..

They also used to tour with Quicksand. Though not as technical as Tool, they did rock quite a bit.

Another 90's band you'll want to check out is Drive Like Jehu. Technically right up there with Tool, though not as dark and ominous. Their album YANK CRIME is a math rock classic.

Ever heard Appleseed Cast? They're often called Emo, but they're not the whiny kind, these guys can play and they add a lot of really cool atmospheric stuff into their music as well. Check out LOW LEVEL OWL Vol. 1 if you get a chance.

Oh and give Mastodon a try. They don't growl so much as sing loud.. hehe. I don't think normal "sung" vocals could stand up to their music..


-jar

 

[fierce_freak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnywolfet dude, you clearly need better albums. what about, Opeth, ISIS, Neurosis, Meshuggah, Old Man Gloom, The Ocean, Cult Of Luna, Mastodon, kyuss,A Perfect Circle, Burst, Pelican, Red Sparowes, Converge, Dream Theatre, and more i cant remember right now. all have masterpiece albums, which are in the same league as tool ((imho) and im not saying better)

I'm seconding this (except for DT, sorry

)...Tool is definitely one of my absolute favorite bands, but they certainly don't make the rest un-needed.

 

[lmilhan]

There is plenty of stuff out there (new and old) that is as good/complex and even better than Tool, but sadly in a lot of cases you have to look outside of the U.S. to find it.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

wakeride74 - at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I strongly urge you to try the Australian band "Virgin Black" out. To me, they are like Tool in the sense that I have never heard anything like them. They are part metal, part opera, and part I guess prog. Very sombre (no pun intended as the first album is called "Sombre Romantic") stuff. They sound best when played nice and loud as it is dynamic music. www.virginblack.com They are releasing three albums simultaneously (hopefully soon), I predict them to be the best albums of the year, IMO.

For the record, I did not like Opeth's vocals as well at first, and now they are my favorite band

Europe and to a certain extent Australia make America look really bad in terms of music. We have a LOT of catching up to do.

As to your topic, I totally agree with you. When I first got into music, the first bands I got into were Ozzy/Sabbath, Rob/White Zombie, Godsmack, Cold, Fuel, and Staind. While, IMO, all of it is good music, I very rarely listen to any of it anymore except for Ozzy and Sabbath. Why? Because ever sice I got into Opeth, Virgin Black, The Gathering, Dream Theater, and other bands like them, I found much of what I usesd to listen to as way too standard, ordinary, structured, and boring. I very much like the wandering, complex, and long songs that take the time to evolve and buold upon a main idea. Far too many songs of the first group are almost the same in terms of structure. It gets old. With the less "popular" bands, they buck the "popular" trend and wrote songs that bring a new experience with each listen.

Bottom line: Tool are not bad for metal, rather, they are living proof that a band can thumb their nose to the mainstream and focus on complexity, originality, evolution, and longer songs which are a journey and not a four minute radio slot.