Tool - Progmetal ? Progrock ? What ?

[Bryant]

I thought about posting this to our off-topic sister forum, but I felt it was on-topic enough.

I like Tool in small doses, but I can't listen to a whole release. It feels like a bad acid trip or something when listening for long periods of time. I am curious though..... I consider Tool to be somewhere in between prog-rock and prog-metal. If I am wrong, please explain to me what you think they are because I really don't know any other classification for them. I have rarely, if ever seen them mentioned on this forum, and I would expect to see something about them from time to time.


Bryant

 

[GoRillaBoy76]

I have always considered them Progressive Metal. However I find it hard to group them with any of the bands that play at ProgPower.

 

[TribunalRecords]

for me their are progressive metal (simply being too heavy at times to be considered a rock band), but in all honesty there is no band out there like Tool. they pretty much are their own brand.

 

[Jasonic]

These questions are troublesome, and here is why.

Back whenever you first heard TOOL, terms like "progressive metal" were not as widely utilized to describe a band.

Back in the mid-90's, TOOL were simply an alternative band.

I agree with Tribunal. They are their own beast.
I also agree that this is a good band, but one I can only tolerate in small doses.

 

[TychoCelchu]

It's the case with me, also - Tool is an alternative rock band. They have a very unique sound which is great and it's cool that they have become so successful with a unique style. To me they exist outside of the paradigms of "prog rock" and "prog metal" - i.e. you might want to try and make them fit if you have a prog fan's perspective, but really they are a product of the alt-rock scene of the turn of the 90s (and a pretty idiosyncratic manifestation of that). My favorite album is Undertow. I usually listen to about a half an album per sitting.

 

[Bryant]

It's the case with me, also - Tool is an alternative rock band. They have a very unique sound which is great and it's cool that they have become so successful with a unique style. To me they exist outside of the paradigms of "prog rock" and "prog metal" - i.e. you might want to try and make them fit if you have a prog fan's perspective, but really they are a product of the alt-rock scene of the turn of the 90s (and a pretty idiosyncratic manifestation of that). My favorite album is Undertow. I usually listen to about a half an album per sitting.

So.... pretty much in Alabamian language, you have said that they ain't quite prog rock, nor prog-metal but they are kissin' cousins to Pearl Jam and Nirvana. Ha ha ha....

I tend to agree with you and disagree as well. I think Tool has very little to do with alternative rock. Tool is Tool and got lucky alt.rock fans picked up on them. They are what they are.


Bryant

 

[General Zod]

While Jason is correct, with regard to his historic perspective, I'd say that what Tool does in in fact Progressive, and straddles the fence between Rock and Metal. I tend to find myself at extremes with Tool; absolutely love some tracks, yet find others to be some of the most self-indulgent crap I've ever heard.

 

[No Username]

Until Maynard steps out from whatever screen he sings behind in the live shows and actually lets us watch him perform, Tool to me is a shadow band, the Milli Vanilli of alt rock.

That said, Aenima is still one of the best albums ever made IMO.

 

[Bryant]

I am sleepy as hell..... otherwise I could simply think of some reason to agree or disagree with you,,,,,,



Bryant

 

[Prog_Please]

My friend and I debate this every year. She considers tool an alternative / grunge band while I consider them a progressive metal band. I think the real point to be made is that their first few releases were alternative / grunge and their latest two releases are progressive metal. Obviously there are shades of gray in the middle.

My first live Tool concert will be in the upcoming month, so I can't speak if Maynard stands behind a screen at Tool shows, but I did go to the Puscifer concert and he actually did the opposite of stand behind a screen. He stood behind a magnifier so we could see his face better. It was actually really cool.

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Until Maynard steps out from whatever screen he sings behind in the live shows and actually lets us watch him perform, Tool to me is a shadow band, the Milli Vanilli of alt rock.

That said, Aenima is still one of the best albums ever made IMO.

I have seen Tool 3 times and Maynard doesnt stand behind a screen. He stands on his own lil mini stage.

 

[Dolamite S. Biffle]

Also dont call Tool, metal anything to their face since they hate being lumped in with metal. I am pretty sure one of them said somethign tot he effect of metal is for pirates and we are not pirates or something ridiculous.

 

[AirGuitarLoonhouse]

I also think they straddle the fence. Some of their material is too heavy for the prog rock fans, and other parts are too light for the metal fans.

I saw them with King Crimson at Cal-Berkley 6-7 years ago, and that was an interesting pairing. I read that Crimson is an influence of Tool's, so it makes sense that the prog-rock fans can appreciate the song stuctures and intricate passsages even if it was heavier at times. It seemed like there were enough "prog" fans that enjoyed both bands at that show. In a way their categorization is no different than a lot of progressive bands that are a bit rock and a bit metal. Hard to please fans on both sides of the fence.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I also agree with Tribunal. They are their own beast. I've always just classified them as experimental metal...not even prog. They don't have a lot in common with bands that are "prog", they're a whole lot more experimental to the point where they're like Avant-garde. I also find it intriguing just how popular they are considering how "out there" they are. I've never quite understood actually how they are as popular as they've been because of that. Not a knock on them at all, it's just considering some of the crap the mainstream listens to, I've just never been able to place how they got the popularity they got. The interesting thing about them is that they were lumped into the alternative category in their prime, but there really isn't much about them that is alternative rock so to speak except for maybe vocals. However, I do know a lot of people who really don't like metal, who listen to Tool. So yeah, to bring back to the beginning of this, they really are their own brand.

 

[TribunalRecords]

when i used to manage the CD store when Tool would release a new album we would sell 100+ on the first day. we were small indie store, but Tool brings EVERYONE out it's nuts.

but back to the discussion of them being lumped into the alternative genre is because METAL was a dying cause so the label didn't ever refer to them as metal but i sure as hell played them on my college metal radio show in 91. i mean they weren't necessarily metal, but Opiate was heavy for the time and the lyrics much more angry/controversial than Nirvana and Pearl Jam. but again, historically metal was dead when it was released.

 

[BABS]

I love TOOL, but the only thing that makes them progressive metal is the fact that it takes about 5 years for each new release (ha ha).

 

[TheLongshot]

While Jason is correct, with regard to his historic perspective, I'd say that what Tool does in in fact Progressive, and straddles the fence between Rock and Metal. I tend to find myself at extremes with Tool; absolutely love some tracks, yet find others to be some of the most self-indulgent crap I've ever heard.

Doesn't that describe most "progressive" music?

Personally, I like a lot of these bands who have progressive elements but aren't really defined by the genre. Bands like Radiohead, Muse, Coheed And Cambria and The Mars Volta make the genres they are associated with more interesting.

 

[War Ensemble]

Until Maynard steps out from whatever screen he sings behind in the live shows and actually lets us watch him perform, Tool to me is a shadow band, the Milli Vanilli of alt rock.

That said, Aenima is still one of the best albums ever made IMO.

I've seen Tool 4-5 times, A Perfect Circle 5 times, & Puscifer twice. I do not recall seeing Maynard sing behind a screen at any of those shows. He was behind a video monitor/magnifier at the one Puscifer show, but only when he was singing.

My first live Tool concert will be in the upcoming month, so I can't speak if Maynard stands behind a screen at Tool shows, but I did go to the Puscifer concert and he actually did the opposite of stand behind a screen. He stood behind a magnifier so we could see his face better. It was actually really cool.

I saw 2 nights of Puscifer. The first night was what you described. The second night was the "country show." Half the songs were changed to sound more like country music. Maynard was out front for that whole set.

I saw them with King Crimson at Cal-Berkley 6-7 years ago, and that was an interesting pairing. I read that Crimson is an influence of Tool's, so it makes sense that the prog-rock fans can appreciate the song stuctures and intricate passsages even if it was heavier at times. It seemed like there were enough "prog" fans that enjoyed both bands at that show. In a way their categorization is no different than a lot of progressive bands that are a bit rock and a bit metal. Hard to please fans on both sides of the fence.

I saw one of the Tool/King Crimson shows at Cal-Berkley in 2001. I thought it was a great show. The timing worked out even better with the Thrash Of The Titans/Chuck Billy tribute show in San Francisco the next night. A great pair of shows.

 

[ConnieOH]

The interesting thing about them is that they were lumped into the alternative category in their prime, but there really isn't much about them that is alternative rock so to speak except for maybe vocals. However, I do know a lot of people who really don't like metal, who listen to Tool. So yeah, to bring back to the beginning of this, they really are their own brand.

Tribunal hinted at this, but I think that a lot of their success is due to the way they were marketed. Some of the metal I listen to isn't all that stylistically different from mainstream rock, and if it had been marketed as rock rather than metal I think things would have gone very differently for those bands.

I just skimmed through a few Tool songs and to my ears it is grunge/alt with just a dash of prog. Check out the bands people who like Tool listen to - kinda interesting: http://www.music-map.com/tool.html

 

[BenMech]

I've always called 'em "Alternative progressive metal".

It is trve that Aenima is one of the greatest albums ever. Hell, it was my personal soundtrack in freshman year of college 96.