Tool - Ænima ALBUM REVIEW

The 1996 sophomore effort by American rock band Tool. Tool's musical style is eclectic and difficult to categorize, usually being described as style-transcending. Ænima elaborates on the post-grunge sound characteristic of the early 90's alternative metal, employing psychedelic and industrial influences. There's a lot of atmospheric and spacey synths on this record, making it sound dreamlike. Usually the music is accompanied by elaborate artwork, and Ænima is no exception. The american CD release had a lenticular jewel case that made the artwork seem to move. The unique packaging was Grammy nominated.

 

Ænima burrows its sound from the musical landscape of the time, using the industrial and post-grunge influences on its sleeve, but curiously does so in an amazingly refreshing manner. I would say that I have yet to hear an album that sounds like Ænima. Tool have mastered the art of creating layered musical compositions, and I would say that is due to the level of dedication put into perfecting every aspect of each song. All the instruments seem to be in the spotlight at the same time. The guitar is crunchy and loud, having one of the tastiest tones I ever heard on a guitar. The bass has a lot of treble, and sounds very high because of this. It has abandoned the traditional role of bridging melody and percussion, being instead akin to a rhythm guitar. And finally, the drums are just great. Incredibly fast paced and unpredictable, with the tastiest fills filling out already filled up spaces. Sometimes they seem to be tribal inspired, sometimes they seem to be poly-rhythmic, and during all times they are kept interesting. The songs are almost always very exciting. The hard-rock facet is hard hitting, and makes one want to bang it out. There’s a nightmarish industrial vibe spread out over the record’s sound, a disconcerting contrast between premeditated machination and organic horror. Psychedelic/psychological elements present in the sound only enforce the nightmarish ambiance. Ænima is the musical equivalent of the Alien movie. And I absolutely love it.

 

Ænima is not without its flaws. The record clocks in at almost 1h:20 mins of duration, being perhaps a bit too long. Structurally it also has its weak points, such as the annoying “intermissions” that plague the latter half of the record. Musically speaking however, this album is amazing. With repeated listens I don’t find myself jumping over the annoying segues, because they actually help build the anticipation for the following song. And that’s how memorable the songs are, you end up looking forward to them! In the end, I have had trouble finding an album that makes me feel like Ænima does. It’s been 5 years since I first heard it, and no other album has filled that bizarre spot next to it. There is virtue in its uniqueness. Ænima is the quintessential neurotic record, and if you are half as neurotic as I am, you are gonna love it!

 

Verdict: TRUE AND KVLT