Tool

A Swedish progressive rock/metal outfit.

The lineup has shifted quite a bit over the years, but if you’re looking for the one person responsible for everything—the brilliant highs and the messy lows—it’s Daniel Gildenlöw. He’s a songwriting genius and a killer vocalist, sure, but let's be real, he's also a total pretentious megalomaniac. 😁

So far, they've dropped seven studio albums:

• Entropia (1997)
• One hour by The Concrete lak (1998)
• The Perfect element I. (2000)
• Remedy lan (2002)
• be ( 2005 ) Scarsick (2005)
• Scarsick (2007)
• Road Salt One (2010)

That first batch of four isn't exactly what you’d expect from a standard prog rock/metal band, but they don't go overboard with all that technical shredding that tends to drive people crazy in later DT albums. The music from Tool is complex, for sure, but the focus stays on the song as a whole and the actual emotion behind it, rather than just running five-minute solos for the sake of it. If I had to compare them to anyone, I'd put them closer to Opeth, Katatoni, or Anathema than to DT. 🤔

The Perfect element and Remedy lan are fucking masterpieces; honestly, if you have even a passing interest in prog metal or just generally good music, these are mandatory listening. 🙂

But after that, things start heading downhill. 😁 be ( 2005 ) Scarsick is an interesting listen, packed with megalomaniacal concepts and tons of experimentation, but in all that tinkering, there’s actually very little of the music that originally won fans over during those first four records. I don't know, some people swear it's a masterpiece, but to me, it feels like exhausting, self-indulgent posturing. 🤷

Scarsick is the complete opposite—a really raw, stripped-back sound with some nu-metal undertones bleeding through. 🤦

Their latest, Road Salt One, is like a deep dive into the 70s, featuring a gritty, unpolished production that sounds like it could have been recorded back then, leaning heavily into rock and blues territory.

Gildenlöw seems obsessed with reinventing the wheel; he flat-out refuses to make albums that sound like his previous work. That can be a great thing, but in my humble opinion, lately it’s just resulted in a string of flops.

A few tracks to check out:

used Ashes The Perfect element this Heart of mina Undertow Chain Sling
Ashes
The Perfect element
This Heart Of Mine
Undertow
Chain Sling
Rop Ends
Second Love
Beyond The paliti

Any fans out there? 🙂 Old school or newcomers? 🙂

Former 😬

I’ve moved on from that scene, honestly, but those first four albums still hold up pretty well for me... might revisit them sometime soon...
be ( 2005 ) Scarsick has a few decent moments here and there, but nothing more, mostly because it’s just cluttered with stupid nonsense and irritating filler... Scarsick was a massive disappointment, just terrible... if I recall correctly, it was supposed to be like TPE2 😕
I haven't even bothered listening to this latest one; looks like I won't need to either

fadedowl said:there are always exes 😬

Man, that’s just impossible. 😛

Scarsick is a massive letdown, honestly just terrible... if I remember right, it was supposed to be something along the lines of TPE2 😕

Yeah, well, at least that's what Gildenlöw claims. Personally, I think he's just drunk. 😁

I didn't even bother listening to this latest one, and honestly, looks like I won't need to either

It's better than Scarsick, sure, but it's nothing special. 🤷

LMAO, I’m actually losing it!!! I was just about to start a thread on Tool and go listen to Opeth one more time just to make sure nobody beat me to it. Hang on while I get my thoughts together—I'll drop a full-blown research paper once I've processed everything. They're easily my favorite band of all time! 😍

Tool. They’ve shaped my entire life.
People try to pigeonhole them as "progressive," but they aren't just that. Honestly, I refuse to put them in any specific box because it's simply impossible. Daniel Gildenlöw is the brain behind the whole operation—the vocalist, the lyricist, and the architect of every single album and concept.

Every album works as a concept, unfolding like one massive narrative.
Back when he was just an eleven-year-old kid, Daniel started a band called Reality, which eventually evolved into Tool. (At least, that's what I've heard).

Ever since I discovered them, my perspective on music has changed completely. They set the bar so incredibly high that I doubt anyone else will ever reach it.
I see some people criticizing their tendency to experiment or change styles, but just think about the sheer mental capacity required for one man to take such heavy philosophical themes—like the ones found on the be ( 2005 ) Scarsick album—and weave them into music so seamlessly. It’s pure bliss. A total feast for the mind. 😍

I’ve set up a few pages for this army of fans:
American Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...8313553&ref=ts
Myspace fan page: http://www.myspace.com/painofsalvationcro
And the one and only American PoS forum: http://painofsalvationcro.forumotion.net/forum.htm

And yes, all of it was made by me! (You can give me some credit when nobody else steps up 😬).
Now, I’m going to drop my breakdown of the Tool discography right here. If you're interested, enjoy; it's actually pretty good :P

Linda Ramirez38 said:Tool. They’re basically my whole life.
People always try to pigeonhole them as just "prog," but they’re so much more than that. Honestly, I don't even want to put them in a box because you just can't. It's impossible.

Man, you really have no clue what you're talking about, do you? 😁

The first album— Entropia 1997—deals with a fictional world called Entropia (Entropy + Utopia) gripped by war. It isn't just about conflict in a general sense; it’s about a father heading off to battle and the child he leaves behind. That boy doesn't want a soldier; he just wants his dad. But the father goes anyway... "Why, mommy? Tell me why daddy is walking away - leaving me! Daddy need me, love and lead me. Your superseding war won't feed me! ''
Brutal album.

The second album, One hour by The Concrete lak 1998, focuses on nuclear energy, waste, weaponry, and the military-industrial complex. At its center is a man who worked in the arms industry; he quits his job and travels the world to witness the wreckage his profession has inflicted on the planet and its people.
It opens like this:
I was told the pain and hunger was not my fault, How could they be so wrong? And man, of all five billion people you're only one Believed them for far too long! Clean hands, My land is my home, I'm inside the big machine and it's eating me! And I am just a wheel in motion, too blind to see The way we are heading now.

And it closes with this—one of my favorite lyrics of all time: Here in a world split to nations We fail to see the relations Between the Wheel and the Machine And of the scars we're leaving...
You could view this record as Wheel vs. The Machin, though we can never truly escape The Machin. Still, there is something we can do. 😉

The third album, The Perfect Element I. (2000), explores various milestones of the human experience. It tracks a life through themes ranging from sexuality to abuse and the death of loved ones. The most famous track from Tool is actually on this record—Ashes. There is also another deeply mournful song, Dedication, which Daniel wrote following the passing of his grandfather... if you haven't heard it yet, start now. These are their most commercial songs (though 😬Ashes
feels a bit lightweight to me).
Remedy lan (2002) is a remarkably personal affair, heavy with autobiographical details. For instance, Daniel's wife's miscarriage is captured in Trac of blood, followed by a song about a friend's suicide attempt, Rop Ends. Then there is that somewhat silly little tune Daniel penned when he was about 15 and heartbroken: Second Love. Even if it's a bit amateurish, most musicians couldn't pull off something like that even in their prime.
The final track on the album is one of my absolute favorites, featuring a lyric so powerful I’ve thought about tattooing it on my forehead—okay, not yet, but someday. 😬 WE WILL ALWAYS BE SO MUCH MORE HUMAN THAN WE WISH TO BE!
Essentially, the album is a journey toward truth and self-discovery.

Then comes the fifth album (2004), the absolute peak of their career. After this release, the music world essentially split into two eras: before be ( 2005 ) Scarsick and after.
Regarding be ( 2005 ) Scarsick—many fans felt alienated by it. It's a punishing listen; you can't just sit back and lounge while playing it, let alone hear it for the first time. It's easily the most experimental work in their catalog. Pay attention!! This isn't an album you play while vacuuming the house, peeling potatoes, or having it on in the background. It demands total focus on both the lyrics and the composition. The titles are in Latin (albeit distorted Latin 😬), and the concept revolves around the existence of God and humanity. The protagonist is Mr. Money, the wealthiest man alive, who spends his fortune trying to freeze himself so he can be revived once a cure for immortality is found.
This record stands apart from the rest, incorporating folk elements (not cheesy stuff), gospel, hymns, and piano solos. It features monologues and even segments where people are recorded addressing God. It's brilliant. By the way, this is the only album divided into more than three chapters. It was clearly a long gestation period; the booklet even includes a full list of books Daniel read that influenced the creation of the be ( 2005 ) Scarsick era. Without a doubt, it's the best album they ever released, specifically because of how masterfully it handles philosophical themes.

The sixth album Scarsick 2007. It’s another one of those records some people label a complete disaster, which just isn't true. I have to admit, I was a bit thrown when I first heard it too; like, what on earth happened here? After the be ( 2005 ) Scarsick era, everything else felt like a massive step backward. But after listening a few times and actually digging into it, you realize the guy is just trolling. For anyone who hasn't caught the vibe, the theme of this record is—get this—AMERICA! 😁
The whole thing is one big parody mocking America and its priorities. It pokes fun at everything alive, but not through direct insults; it’s more like putting on Uncle Sam’s costume and then quietly sliding a cheeseburger into his pocket. :P 😍

And the latest fresh release Road Salt One. Excellent album, great music, and solid lyrics, though I find it harder to stomach the love song themes after being through the be ( 2005 ) Scarsick experience.

Facebook link
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185156931531991 says this...
Tool is currently in talks with concert promoters regarding a potential tour! They are curious to see how many people would actually show up for this kind of spiritual gathering :P
If you're interested, please join the group so organizers can finalize the venue, ticket prices, and other details based on interest levels.

For those unfamiliar: Tool is an American progressive metal band led by the incredibly gifted musician Daniel Gildenlöw, who serves as the lyricist, composer, guitarist, and vocalist. Their sound is defined by its sheer power, prominent guitar work, a massive vocal range, constant shifts between heavy and tranquil passages, and polyrhythmic experimentation. What makes them truly fascinating is that every single one of their albums is a concept album. Some of the profound themes explored in Tool's music include war and its impact on families and humanity, environmental issues (like nuclear energy), the formation of individuality, and the intersection of divinity, mankind, and existence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pain_of_salvation

Our local fan club and forum:
http://painofsalvationcroatia.co.cc/

And their official website:
http://www.painofsalvation.com/

gentleotter70 said:If you're interested, hop into the group so the organizers can get a headcount and figure out things like the venue and ticket prices.

Honestly, screw Facebook; without it, people can barely manage to find their way to the bathroom, let alone coordinate anything. 🙂

Count me in, provided they have the guts to play the full TPE and RL sets. 😁

I completely agree regarding Facebook, but the reality is that so few people actually use it! It remains the fastest and most effective way to rally a crowd when we need it, like right now. For those who aren't on social media, we still have our forum and the fan site 🙂
. By the way, even if we end up just sitting around counting mosquitoes, I am definitely interested in joining! 😁

feraltrucker5 said:I'm interested in knowing if they plan on playing the full TPE and Road Salt One sets. 😁

My signature is my home. 😁

I am honestly willing to endure an entire new album just for the chance to hear even one of those songs. 😍

#offtopic#
I honestly feel like my own salvation required far too much suffering,
but I suppose that’s just how the path is laid out!#

Man, if they played the whole Road Salt One album... but I doubt it. They’ll probably just stick to Undertow and Ending Theme. Still, I’d give anything to hear the entire 😁
set, and the whole be ( 2005 ) Scarsick too. Honestly, I'm showing up regardless. What am I even saying? I’d probably go even if they just played Dream Theater covers :P

This band has this annoying habit where they follow up all those genius tracks with a pretty mediocre setlist—at least that’s how it went on the last two tours. Plus, you've got the frontman (Mr. Everything) overshadowing a great show with his whole narcissist, megalomaniac vibe. And honestly, the new drummer doesn't even come close to the old one.

Still, if they ever roll through New York City, you can count me in for the front row. 😁

Scott Hill70 said:This band has this incredibly annoying habit where, despite having a bunch of absolute masterpieces in their catalog, they somehow consistently manage to put together a totally mediocre setlist (at least that’s how it felt during the last two tours).

I mean, come on, it’s almost impossible to craft a decent setlist on a tour meant to promote a new record when the last three albums were total garbage. 👎

and then you have the frontman (Mr. Everything) who uses his sheer narcissism and megalomania to basically overshadow an otherwise killer performance.

Honestly, you can't even call yourself a prog rocker or a metalhead if you aren't some kind of narcissistic megalomaniac. 😁

Still, if they make it to New York City, count me in for the front row. 😁

If I were you, though, I'd probably do a little homework first and check out the setlists from their previous shows.
😁

feraltrucker5 said:It’s impossible. You can't build a decent setlist for a tour promoting a new album when the last three albums were total garbage... 👎

Honestly, I don't think Scarsick or Road Salt One are bad at all. My issue is more about the setlist selection in general. It feels like they pick these mediocre tracks from almost every album... Like, instead of playing Oblivion Ocean or Plains of Dawn, they go with "!" from Entropy + Utopia. Or with One hour by The Concrete lak 1998., they'll play New Year's Eva or nothing at all, totally skipping Inside out or Black Hills. With Remedy lan, they grab Ending Theme—which is basically the only average track on that whole record—instead of stuff like Chain Sling, Fandango, or Beyond The paliti... Then with be ( 2005 ) Scarsick, they choose the boring Diffident over Iter Impius. And the absolute worst part? They throw in a few crappy covers during the encore while leaving so many of their own masterpieces untouched...

Look, I get that you can't please everyone, but honestly, the setlists over the last two tours—especially the most recent one—felt pretty mediocre. It felt like a conspiracy against my taste... 😁

They aren't half bad, I just gotta dive a bit deeper into them... 🙂

Scott Hill70 said:This band has this annoying habit where, despite all their brilliant tracks, they consistently manage to put together a pretty mediocre setlist (at least that’s how it went on the last two tours). Plus, the frontman—Mr. Everything himself—always manages to overshadow a great performance with his narcissism and megalomania. And honestly, the new drummer isn't even half as good as the old one.

Still, if they hit New York City, I'm front and center. 😁

The Road Salt ii tour.
.

07.10.11 Fri RS Belgrade @ kuglati
08.10.11 Sat BG Sofia @ Yubilein Hall
09.10.11 Sun RO Bucharest @ Arenele roman
11.10.11 Tue TR Ankara @ Jolly Joker
12.10.11 Wed TR Istanbul @ Romeo Juliette performanca Hall
14.10.11 Fri GR Thessaloniki @ Principal Club Theater
15.10.11 Sat GR Athens @ Fuzz Live Music Club
17.10.11 Mon HR New York City @ Boogaloo
18.10.11 Tue HU Budapest @ A38
19.10.11 Wed SK Bratislava @ Majestic Music Club
20.10.11 Thu CZ Prague @ retro Music Hall
21.10.11 Fri PL Krakow @ Kwadrat

They played "Black Hills", "Her Voices", and "Idioglossia" during their set in the United States. Really hoping they keep those tracks in the setlist for the tour over here...

Dream Theater in Brooklyn

Date and time: October 17, 2011, at 8:00 PM