Schism (song)

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“Schism”
“Schism” cover
Single by Tool
from the album Lateralus
Released 2001
Format Promo CD and DVD
Recorded 2001
Genre Progressive metal
Length 6:46
Label Volcano Records
Producer David Bottrill
Tool singles chronology
"Forty-Six & 2"
1998
"Schism"
2001
"Parabola"
2002
Promo cover
Promo cover

"Schism" is a song by American progressive rock/metal band Tool. It was the first single and music video from their third full-length album, Lateralus. In 2002, Tool won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the song.[1]

"Schism" was released as a DVD single on December 20, 2005. The DVD contains the music video, dual-commentary by David Yow, and a remix by Lustmord.

"Schism" is known as a prime example of Tool's utilization of complex rhythms and changing meters. An extended version of the song is performed live.[2]

Contents

[edit] Song meter

A possible analysis of the meter changes is found in the August 2001 issue of Guitar One magazine. As transcribed by Adam Perlmutter, the song starts in 5/4 for one measure followed by 21 measures of 6/4 (or 5/8 and 7/8 alternating), up to the first interlude, which is a bar of 3/8, three bars of 13/8, and a bar of 10/8. (This can be also interpreted as four 13/8 bars, but played with a 3/8 upbeat.) The next verse is eight bars of 6/4 followed by another interlude that fits the same pattern as the first. The next section is four bars of 6/4 followed by one bar of 11/8. Another eight-bar verse in 6/4 follows, with an interlude containing the same as before, except the final 10/8 bar is replaced with an 11/8 bar setting up the middle section, which is four bars of 7/4 before settling into a pattern of alternating 12/8 and 15/8, one bar each, twelve times. Following this, there are three bars of 4/4, a bar of 2/4, and four bars of 4/4 setting up another section, which is two bars of 9/8 followed by a bar of 10/8, that pattern again, a single bar of 9/8 followed by a 13/8 bar. This leads to an alternating set of 9/8 and 5/8, appearing four times before a bar of 9/8 and a bar of 6/8. Near the end, there is a 6/4 meter for eight bars, followed by eight bars of 4/4 to end the song. In all, the song changes meters 47 times. The band has comically said that the song is in "6.5/8".

[edit] Track listing

[edit] Promo CD

  1. Schism (6:46)

[edit] DVD

  1. Schism (Video) (7:29)
  2. Schism (Commentary) (7:29)
  3. Schism (Lustmord Remix) (20:13)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] References

  1. ^ Grammy Award Winners. The Recording Academy. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  2. ^ Robin Rothman. "Tool Take Radio City", Rolling Stone, 2002-08-14. Retrieved on 2008-04-15. 
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