The american “progressive” band. Just like that, with quotes, because i’m not so sure. I won’t go into in-depth objective analysis of their music, just write down what i think now. Which may change eventually. I was listening to Tool‘s 2001 album Lateralus for a while now. I found it (if i remember correctly) while i was looking up info on Dream Theater‘s Count of Tuscany song. When i listened to my library in alphabetical order, of course i had Tool, and that is thirteen songs of Tool in line, in the list. It didn’t really catch my attention there, just after half an hour i got the feeling “haven’t i heard this song just a few minutes earlier” and then again and again. Lateralus feels as if all the songs were of the same template. The song starts with a rhythmic guitar riff, muted, later joined by drums. Then a more powerful version of the riff for a few seconds, back to the earlier, vocals. The vocals are more like spoken than sung. Chorus with more or less the same music, vocals resemble singing a bit more. Then a solo, which is as if it wasn’t even there, and end the song the same way as it started. The songs in themselves are good. Some could be even called outstanding. But thirteen piled up together, it’s as if you were walking around a statue of Brahma and you’d be surprised that it has a face on each side. I was wondering, is this really the future of “progressive”? Consider this a “first opinion”. Who knows, maybe i’ll get to like it, just how i fell in love with Gojira. Check back then.