From age ten or so, Tool was one of my favorite bands. They seem to occupy a space between man and god for me. These four dudes did everything different from any other band I’ve checked out. They’ve managed to get enormously popular while also doing the opposite of what ever other major act does. It does upset me that in the time most bands have broken up and reunited they haven’t released an album, but you can’t really complain when each successive album is vastly different from the previous effort.

10. Push It, Aenima : Early in my life, when I was less aware that bands had considerably long songs, listening to a nearly ten minute song blew my mind. Now that I’m older, and have been able to properly understand the concept of time, lengthier songs don’t bother me at all. This was one of those first songs that properly made me comprehend the journey of long songs. While Tool don’t even have the longest songs in general ( Sunn O))), Godspeed You Black Emperor, Motion Sickness of Time Travel come to mind), their songs truly are journey’s of interstellar proportions. For people unfamiliar with this band ( I’m assuming those exist ), these aren’t nearly just long songs. The band has said many times how they meticulously go about searching every rabbit hole, and exploring the boundaries before they decide that’s where this road is taking them. Many bands rush to record, and you can tell because the end product suffers. Tool simply refuse to do this. As one of the lengthier, but also one of the stand out songs of their entire career, Push It serves as not only an excellent leap forward into more trippy landscapes, but also as a clear indicator as to where the band was heading next. In my opinion, the journey of this song is the tipping point for brilliance. From where I’m standing you can clearly see that not only were they pleased with the road this took them on, but that they could dive even deeper with subsequent releases.

9. Jambi, 10,000 Days : This is one of the song’s off the last album that instantly stuck out. I had purchased a ticket to the 2006 Coachella Festival, out in California. Tool was the headliner of the final day. About 6 days before, this album leaked. I knew I couldn’t wait to hear this songs live. For 6 days prior I consumed this album. While not as excellent as Lateralus, it still had plenty of what every Tool fan wants. The names on this album at first glance don’t make a lot of sense. But as with many things involving this band, you can’t ever be sure if they’re fucking with you or not. Why exactly was this song named after the genie from Pee Wee’s playhouse? I have no idea. But the song is as heavy as it is melodic. While the earlier albums are still very good compared to most other albums, the introduction of Justin Chancellor on the previous album really helped to bring their sound and experimentation to the next level. The bass is really crunchy, but he’s an excellent player. No disrespect to the former boss player, but Chancellor was the missing link that was needed. With the lyrics you can also tell Keenan’s choices had become even more cryptic, but also more meaningful. This album he discusses everything from the death of someone extremely close to him to being tripped out on drugs.

8. Right In Two, 10,000 Days : One of the most thought provoking songs for me. The great meaning of life is a main centerpiece of this song. The eternal question of an after life, and if there is a god is represented her. Is there a god? I have no idea, but I’m also don’t care either way. On one side of the song, you have angels baffled at the evolution of our world, and how we could chose to live such destructive lives. On the other side you have animal after animal tearing each other apart wondering what the purpose is. It’s an intensely thoughtful song. Maybe he’s trying to say everything has a purpose, or maybe he’s we’re all wasted afterthoughts. I’m stuck somewhere in the middle. The world is awesome to me for the bonds I’ve built, and the journey’s I’ve been on. But it’s also horrible for me because you see that overall people aren’t meant to be trusted. We steal, lie, treat others horribly, treat our planet horribly and consistently think we know more than every other creature on earth. The journey to the end of the song is classic Tool. Carey on drums is just a marvel to hear, and watch. The vocals coming in are also perfect. The high note at the end sounds almost like he’s pleading for someone to make him understand why all the bad things are needed, and why they must be apart of this world. To me though, we must know horrible pain and loss to experience amazing love and growth. The world is neither black or white. Everything is gray.

7.Schism, Lateralus : Now, more often than not, singles are not a truly fair representation of a band. They are meant to draw in people who otherwise would not go out and buy an album. As with everything, Tool also does this differently. It’s a really awesome song, and the video is both creepy and fascinating to watch. While making this album, the band was at a breaking point. It’s been documented that they just weren’t seeing eye to eye. Maynard Keenan went and wrote the lyrics for this song about this tension within the camp, and while I don’t know for sure if it was a turning point, anyone who has ever been through difficult situation can understand the tension, or the schism within the band. You see, a band isn’t just fun. Creating anything is difficult. Creating things with other creative beings is very difficult. Four people, four brains working differently, and four opinions that everyone else has to take into account. I imagine that can get messy. Keenan screaming at the end “ I know the pieces fit,” sounds negative, but it’s not. It’s a man trying to figure out why things that once worked before simply aren’t this time around. But in the end it works because making the best album of your career isn’t supposed to be easy going

6. Parabol(a), Lateralus : I wish they played this song more live, but they aren’t known for constantly changing set lists The slow bass creeping in under the vocals, while cymbals crash ominously around. Many Tool songs are just one big song, and this is a prime example. The first part of this song, Parabol, is just a beginning, or an intro to the build that comes with the second part of the song, Parabola. This is why Tool is amazing at taking you on journeys. Many songs in their history appear at first glance to be singular songs, but quite a few are just smaller pieces to bigger pictures. On this album, Keenan starts to get a little spiritual with the lyrics. The reason for this I can’t ever be sure of. In an interview years ago he spoke about the “ Saturn Return,” which happens from the ages of about 27 to 33. It’s meant to make you open up your eyes and see the error in your ways, and perhaps to make the forthcoming years, and the trials you’ll endure, to be a little bit easier to make it through.

5. Stinkfist, Aenima : Everything about this song is unsettling. The name, the ugliness of the lyrics, or just the aggressiveness. This album sees the band crafting a tighter sound, but also groovier. I’ve seen Tool twenty times live now, and this song is still a treat to see every time. While “ Sober” broke out and got the band recognition, I believe it was this song, and album that catapulted them to where they are. While many bands have tried to co opt the sound of this band, more or less they all do a laughable job. Chevelle anyone? Anyway, This song not only starts the album with an amazing, powerful start, but it shows you that the next 80 minutes are only going to get rougher.

4. Lost Keys/ Rosetta Stoned, 10,000 Days : Now this song has probably my favorite set of lyrics that Kennan has ever written, but I’ll get to that in a minute. Let me just say quickly, that while most believe, and I guess rightfully so, that this song is about a hippie on DMT who is hallucinating horrible things, I personally like to believe that not only is this song about a man who has seen unbelievable things, but also that the meaning of what he’s trying to tell everyone is of vast importance. Secondly, the conspiracy nut in me believes this song is loosely meant to be the aftermath of the final track off of Lateralus “ Faaip De Oiad.” That song see’s a man sprinting across the country from the forces he worked for at Area 51. It’s eternally creepy. I like to believe that “ Rosetta Stoned” is what happens after the man simply can’t make it another inch. Stumbling, murmuring nonsense he seeks help in the only place he thinks might be able to help him, a hospital. He may be dying, but the listener can’t be sure. The visuals in the song are just amazing from start to finish. Tool doesn’t always have such clear plots in their songs, but at least for me this creates the perfect view of what is happening, and has happened to this poor soul. Now, like I said, While the DMT drug story holds up, and much can be explained away because of that, for me it’s just more fun to imagine the limitless potential of the gift these Aliens have bestowed upon this high school dropout. In that respect its also a very sad, depressing song. Through the course of the song you are made to realize that this man believes he can’t communicate, or that the message he’s meant to present to the world isn’t presentable. This plot whole also doesn’t do anything for my theory, but I’m sticking to it dammit! Now let’s discuss those lyrics I love so dearly : “ Overwhelmed as one would be placed in my position, such a heavy burden now to be the one. Born to bear and read to all the details of our ending, write it for the whole wide world to see. But I forget my pen, Shit the bed again, typical.”

This for me is the emotional climax of the song. A man, given the gift to save the world from darkness, and bring the news of epic proportions to the eyes and ears of the world, but he’s unable to. He just can’t seem to escape his own mind. Perhaps the immense responsibility of the job he’s been enlisted for is just to great for him, and thus, the world changing secret will be kept quietly inside the fragile brain of this entrusted man.

3. Eon Blue Apocalypse/ the Patient, Lateralus : This song, and especially Lateralus as a whole is where Tool took on a much deeper, knowing sense of purpose. This song creeps, and builds upon itself. It’s an eye opening song, one where they transcend the stagnant waters of the modern rock radio they’ve been wrongly lumped into. This band doesn’t belong on those stations. In fact, I’m of the opinion they don’t belong on any station. For me, this song is like witnessing someone reach their true and best potential. The lyrics, the guitar, everything just works. The journey this song takes us on is a beautiful one, and once again, Keenan’s lyrics at the end of the song bring to a more spiritual, otherworldly place. For this song, words, simply aren’t enough

2. Third Eye ( live version), Salival : “ Think for yourself, question authority,” might be the motto of the band. While this song hasn’t been played a lot at the shows I’ve attended, I’ve heard that phrase quite a few times. The opening, provided by Tim Leary, basically sets the stage for the most epic, mind melting song in their catalog. This song has more loops and turns then an episode of “LOST.” It also happens to have a persistance that doesn’t quit for the entire 14 : 05 minutes of the song. Seeing this song live, and especially as the show opener is just insane. Most bands don’t have the nerve to open a two hour show with the longest song they plan to play that night, but Tool do it without missing a beat. Adam Jones’ guitars, to me at least, have always reminded me a little bit of something you’d hear in an Egyptian science fiction movie. Speaking on the topic of mixing, and making sure that every part is central is something no one except maybe Radiohead does better than Tool. They understand the lyrics are the not the overwhelming plot point of the song. Everything you hear is meant to induce emotions. Sure the lyric helps, but all parts are equally valuable. With more than five minutes left, the song takes yet another turn. It goes from ominous foreshadowing to the welcoming of a love thought lost perhaps. Then another turn down a spiraling rabbit hole. Imploring us to open our eyes may or may not have something to do with the opening dialogue on the track. Humans aren’t meant to be conditioned by rules. We are too great of a people. Life without boundaries is the most ultimate gift anyone can achieve, yet at times it’s those very rules of society that help us to stay safe. Then another, even uglier turn, this time with the intense drums of Carey while Keenan proclaims “ Prying open my third eye,” as the song comes to a final, full circle resting place.

1. Lateralus, Lateralus : This is easily the best Tool song ever made, and a perfect representation of the album. It has every awesome aspect of the album in one perfect, thought out space of time. The lyrics describe the opening of a world to a baby, or perhaps, a rebirth of an older soul. This is where the “ Saturn Return” comes into place again. But also, it’s described as the opening of a LSD trip, where bright colors slowly make themselves known. Now, we talked about the importance of Justin Chancellor earlier, but this is the song where he easily shines the most. Now, one of the most interesting things about this song is the time signatures. I’m no musician, but I think most hardcore music fans can recognize the brilliance. The weirdest thing about this song however, is how the signatures, and the lyrics were both thought of separately and without mutual knowledge from the two key participants. In an interview Keenan goes on to explain while he was writing the theme of spiral’s turning in on themselves stuck out and brought a clear focus not only to the song, but the band’s feelings at the time. Here’s where it gets really intriguing though. The original name of the song was 9-8-7, for the weird time signatures, but then the band realized that 987 was the 16th number in the Fibonacci sequence, which also shares interests with the “ Golden Spiral.” I hope that doesn’t confuse you. In other words, there are lyrical and musical reasons why this is the most important, and strongest Tool Song. The positivity of the song is worth noting. It’s imploring us to live every day to the fullest, and maybe, to always try to expand your knowledge, one way or another.