Lateralus

1	The Grudge
2	Eon Blue Apocalypse
3	The Patient
4	Mantra
5	Schism
6	Parabol
7	Parabola
8	Ticks and Leeches
9	Lateralus
10	Disposition
11	Reflection
12	Triad
13	Faaip De Oiad

Barnes & Noble

We've all heard bands take ages between releases, only to return with an album that could've been knocked off over a long weekend -- but that's most assuredly not the case with this long-awaited disc. Alternately challenging and frustrating, the wildly complex, 79-minute Lateralus sounds as if Maynard James Keenan and company spent the bulk of the five years since Aenima tweaking, deconstructing, and generally mucking about with the new disc's 12 pieces. Perhaps the most striking thing about Lateralus is its sheer density: "Parabola" wraps one of Keenan's most dissipated-sounding vocals in a haze of guitar fuzz thick enough to prompt a travel advisory, while its thematic doppelgänger, "Parabol," pins the melody down with layers of oppressive echo and creepy effects. Many of the album's songs seem long-winded at first, clocking in at seven, eight, even nine minutes, but few of them settle in one place long enough for ennui to set in. The purposefully ugly "Ticks and Leeches," for instance, gyrates madly, spewing caustic venom one moment and retreating into quiet, desperate moans the next; "Triad," on the other hand, flits from metallic stomp to neo-Arabic wail at the drop of a hat. Tool have paid lots of attention to space, with songs like "The Patient" and "Reflection" punctuated by drones and silences designed to subject the listener to a test -- or perhaps just offer an emotional rest. The sheer scope of Lateralus -- not to mention Keenan's unflaggingly confrontational presence -- makes the former scenario seem more likely, but as long as your attention span is in good working order, it's a test you'll want to repeat. David Sprague

All Music Guide

After an exhaustive five-year litigation battle between the band and their label management, Tool offer up the latest chapter in their musical self-discovery in Lateralus. Make no mistake, this is a prog rock record, reminiscent of King Crimson and Meddle-era Pink Floyd, with a hint of Rush mutated with Tool's signature sonic assault on the ears. Lateralus demands close listening from the first piece onward, as it becomes quickly apparent that this is not going to be an album one can listen to and accept at face value. Complex rhythm changes, haunting vocals, and an onslaught of changes in dynamics make this an album other so-called metal groups could learn from. While some compositions seem out of place, others fit together seamlessly, such as the 23-minute song cycle serving as the climax and resolution of the album. However, the album's most disturbing moment arrives at the end, with dissonant electronic noises placed randomly with a drum solo over a phone call to a talk show discussing the secrets behind Area 51, once again serving as a symbolic gesture from the band encouraging people not to take things at face value and to think for themselves. Overall, a solid, well-produced album from a band that never fails to deliver with each release. Rob Theakston

Blender

About the most punishing warm fuzzy you’ll get this year. Laura Sinagra