From All Music Guide: Group members: Danny Carey; Paul d'Amour; Adam Jones; Maynard James Keenan; Justin Chancellor

Recording Info: Big Empty Space, North Hollywood, CA; Cello Studios, Hollywood, CA; The Hook, Hollywood, CA; The Lodge, North Hollywood, CA

From All Music Guide: After an exhaustive five-year litigation battle between the band and their label management, Tool offer up the latest chapter in their musical self-discovery in Lateralus. Make no mistake, this is a prog rock record, reminiscent of King Crimson and Meddle-era Pink Floyd, with a hint of Rush mutated with Tool's signature sonic assault on the ears. Lateralus demands close listening from the first piece onward, as it becomes quickly apparent that this is not going to be an album one can listen to and accept at face value. Complex rhythm changes, haunting vocals, and an onslaught of changes in dynamics make this an album other so-called metal groups could learn from. While some compositions seem out of place, others fit together seamlessly, such as the 23-minute song cycle serving as the climax and resolution of the album. However, the album's most disturbing moment arrives at the end, with dissonant electronic noises placed randomly with a drum solo over a phone call to a talk show discus...

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