Opiate (album)

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Opiate
EP by Tool
Released	March 10, 1992
Recorded	December 1991 - January 1992
Genre	Alternative Metal
Length	26:56
Label	Zoo Entertainment
Producer(s)	Sylvia Massy, Steve Hansgen, Tool
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Tool chronology
	Opiate (1992)	Undertow (1993)

For other uses, see Opiate (disambiguation).

Opiate is an EP by the American rock band Tool. Released in 1992, it followed some two years of playing together after their formation in 1990, and preceded their first full-length album, Undertow, by a year. It yielded two singles, "Hush" and "Opiate". It is named after a quote by Karl Marx: "Religion [...] is the opium of the people." (some times rendered as "the opiate of the masses")

Opiate features six tracks with seven songs (the seventh a hidden track entitled "The Gaping Lotus Experience"). Unlike their later releases, Opiate doesn't incorporate the progressive aspect of later recordings. Opiate does, however, immediately display the band's technical prowess. Much of the album uses problems of society as a focal point. Topics range from extreme censorship, ethical choices, and religion as a form of control.

The first track, "Sweat," is quite indicative of their future work, dealing with a slightly more complex topic and making use of metaphorical lyrics. The second, "Hush", is about censorship and political correctness, and is accompanied by a video featuring the entire band wearing signs that read "Parental Advisory: Explicit Parts" over their genitalia and buttocks. The song displays Tool's characteristic love of tongue-in-cheek satire, while also showcasing their willingness to express explicit ideas. Track three, "Part of Me", deals with a common Tool theme of identity and control. The next two tracks, "Cold and Ugly" and "Jerk-Off", were recorded live at the Jello Loft on New Year's Eve 1991, the band's second public show. While the former deals with fear and coming to terms with it, the latter talks about anger and taking things into ones own hands rather than waiting for others to conform. "Opiate", the title track, is one of the band's most famous, and criticizes figures in organized religion who attempt to stand between the practitioner of a religion and his or her deity (the song specifically focuses on Christianity). Singer Maynard James Keenan has dedicated this song to Timothy Leary on multiple occasions and to Paul D'Amour on others, referring to him as "Paul of Love".

Opiate was certified platinum by the RIAA on April 1, 2005.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Sweat" – 3:46
2. "Hush" – 2:48
3. "Part of Me" – 3:17
4. "Cold and Ugly (Live)" – 4:09
   • Recorded on December 31, 1991 at the Jello Loft, Hollywood, California
5. "Jerk-Off (Live)" – 4:23
   • Recorded on January 1, 1992 at the Jello Loft, Hollywood, California
6. "Opiate" – 5:26
   • Contains the hidden track "The Gaping Lotus Experience" - 2:19

[edit] Miscellanea

• On the vinyl pressings, side 2 is double grooved. Depending on where the needle falls, "The Gaping Lotus Experience" will play or "Cold And Ugly (Live)" will play. Both tracks are followed by some silence, then the record player will play the last two tracks.
• During the outro of "Opiate", a ringing telephone can be heard briefly.

• You can hear Jaymz Eberly, the singer from Jesus Crisis, screaming at the top of his lungs in between songs.

• Danny Carey played drums for all the bands the night which these live recordings were recorded; Pigmy Love Circus, Green Jello and Tool (Tool at that time had not yet released any music). These were all bands he was in at the time.

• During the recording of the live show which these tracks were recorded, Maynard James Keenan - Vocals, never looked at the crowd but always looked down or to the back wall.

• "The Gaping Lotus Experience" is located at 6:06 on track 6, making reference to 666, the number of Satan.

[edit] Personnel

• Danny Carey - Drums
• Paul d'Amour - Bass
• Maynard James Keenan - Vocals
• Adam Jones - Guitar