LATERALUS

Well here's an interesting album by a group of four extremely talented musicians. The lyrics are very interesting on this album, and the drumming has been rarely matched on any other albums that I have heard (apart from KC's Red possibly). The guitar work is very innovative and quite technical. The bass isn't amazing but good nonetheless.

Things kick off with 'The Grudge', a heavy track with a slight nu-metal feel, but is a thousand times more complex and sophisticated than anything in that genre. Maynard's 30 second long scream is amazing. 'Eon Blue Apocalypse' is a short interlude that provides as a segue between the grudge and 'The Patient', which although being relatively simple by Tool's standards (read 'this song is immensely comlex') it contains the album's second best lyrics. 'Mantra' leads us nicely into 'Schism' a more commercially oriented song by Tool's standards (read 'read daring and innovative with no commercial gain in mind'). 'Schism' has more brilliant lyrics and some great catchy refrains which make this song a highlight (along with 12 or so others) 'Parabol' is very soothing and leads straight into its heavier twin: 'Parabola'. This is a great song pair. Next we have the uber-heavy 'Ticks and Leeches' in which Maynard's screeches make this song quite inaccessible, but rewarding for the open minded. 'Lateralus' takes the throne here, being a masterpiece musically, lyrically and compositionally. Very progressive and played in an unusual time signature. Mind blowing stuff. Next up is the suite of 'Disposition', 'Reflection' and 'Triad'. The first is a soft, repetitive introduction preparing is for the psychedelic monster that is 'Reflection': a brilliant epic with some great drumming in the intro. A very Indian sound is predominant here. 'Triad closes the suite with an industrial sounding instrumental full of angular riffs and samples. The album closes with the experiment that is 'Faaip de Oiad'. This track has the ability to terrify when listened to in the dark.

Overall this album is brilliant but doesn't quite reach the masterpiece as I can imagine living without it. I recomend finding the yrics on the internet to accompany your listening experience. Four Stars