Undertow (Tool album)
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Undertow is Tool's first full-length album, released in 1993. At the time, grunge was at the height of its popularity, and pop punk was slowly beginning to gather mainstream attention. Undertow helped heavy metal remain prominent as a mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream.[1] The All Music Guide sees the album's success in the "striking, haunting visuals that complemented the album's nihilistic yet wistful mood"[1] — it was eventually certified double platinum by the RIAA on May 14, 2001.[2]
The album was recorded between October and December 1992 at Grand Master Studios, Hollywood, California, by Sylvia Massy. It includes songs that the band decided to not release on their previous EP, Opiate.[3]
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[edit] Album art
The album art was designed by Adam Jones.[3] Photos in the liner notes of a nude obese woman, a nude thin man, and the band members with pins in the sides of their heads generated controversy, resulting in the album being removed from stores such as KMart and Wal-Mart.[4][5] The band reacted by releasing another version, which depicted a giant bar code on a white background.[4] This version of the album included a note from the band (see right).
When the original cover is held up to a light, the obese woman inside is seen encircled by the ribcage.
The message on the photographs of the band members reads "Trust me trust me trust me trust me trust me I just want to start this over say you won't go this is love I'll make weapons out of my imperfections lay back and let me show you another way only this one holy medium brings me peace of mind cleanse and purge me in the water twice as loud as reason euphoria I've been far too sympathetic no one told you to come I hope it sucks you down life feeds on life this is necessarry." This passage has several lyrics from the album's songs.
[edit] Track listing
[edit] CD
All songs written by Tool unless otherwise noted.
- 1. "Intolerance" – 4:53
- 2. "Prison Sex" – 4:56
- 3. "Sober" - 5:06
- 4. "Bottom" - 7.13 (Tool, Henry Rollins)
- 5. "Crawl Away" - 5:29
- 6. "Swamp Song" - 5:31
- 7. "Undertow" - 5:21 listen
- 8. "4°" - 6:02
- 9. "Flood" - 7:45
- 69. "Disgustipated" - 15:47
"Disgustipated" is track 69 on most pressings in North America. It also appears as track 39, track 10 (mostly in Europe) or as a hidden track following "Flood" on track 9. On certain Japanese imports, "Disgustipated" is track 70, with a short live version of "Flood" as track 71. The exact breakdown of "Disgustipated" is as follows:
- Percussion/Animal sounds - 0:00 - 1:10
- Preacher - 1:11 - 2:32
- Disgustipated - 2:33 - 6:45
- Crickets - 6:46 - 13:50
- Phone message - 13:51 - 15:47
[edit] LP
[edit] Side one
- "Intolerance"
- "Prison Sex"
- "Sober"
[edit] Side two
- "Bottom"
- "Crawl Away"
- "Swamp Song"
[edit] Side three
- "Undertow"
- "4°"
- "Flood"
[edit] Side four
- "Disgustipated"
[edit] Personnel
- Band members
- Additional personnel
- Henry Rollins – Vocals on "Bottom"
- Statik - Programming on "Disgustipated"
- Sylvia Massy - Production of album and mixing on "Disgustipated"
- Ron St. Germain – Mixing[3]
[edit] Charting
[edit] Albums
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Billboard 200 | #50 |
| 1993 | Top Heatseekers | #1 |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Sober" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | #13 |
| 1994 | "Prison Sex" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | #32 |
| 1994 | "Sober" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | #23 |
[edit] Accolades
The information regarding accolades attributed to Undertow is taken from Acclaimedmusic.net.[6]
| Publication | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pause & Play | US | The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums | 1999 | #11 |
| Classic Rock | UK | The 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time | 2001 | #87 |
| Raw | UK | 90 Essential Albums of the 90s | 1995 | * |
| Visions | Germany | The Best Albums 1991-96 | 1996 | * |
| Raw | UK | Albums of the Year | 1993 | 6 |
(*) designates unordered lists.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Rob Theakston (July 2, 2001). Undertow Review. AllMusic.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-22. “Just as grunge was reaching its boiling point and radio-friendly punk-pop loomed on the horizon, Tool released Undertow, which firmly reinforced metal's prominence as a musical style [...}. At the forefront of Tool's commercial explosion were striking, haunting visuals that complemented the album's nihilistic yet wistful mood. Drawing equal inspiration from Black Sabbath, alternative theories of science, and Eastern religions, Tool's abrasive sonic assault begins from the opening notes and continues through the final moments of the last composition, an open mockery of organized religion and its incapacity for original thought. With its technical brilliance, musical complexities, and aggressive overtones, Undertow not only paved the way for several bands to break through to the mainstream [...], it also proved that metal could be simultaneously intelligent, emotional, and brutal.”
- ^ British Rock Royalty Add More Awards. RIAA (July 2, 2001). Retrieved on 2007-05-14. “..."Aenima" and "Undertow" are currently double Platinum®...”
- ^ a b c Gennaro, Loraine (1994). "Tool Guitarist Adam Jones is a Master of Many Trades". Guitar School 03: 16.
- ^ a b Griffin, J.R. (1994). TOOL on Videos, Censorship, Art, And Why You Should Never Let A G. Axcess. Retrieved on 2007-05-13. “It came as no surprise when Wal-Mart and KMart refused to carry the album. Rather than miss out on a large audience, Tool decided to censor itself and released a plain white album cover that contained nothing more than a giant bar code, the band's name, and the album tracks.”
- ^ Richard Harrington. "Keeping Those Risque Covers Undercover" (fee required), The Washington Post, 1994-04-06. Retrieved on 2008-02-02.
- ^ Acclaimedmusic Undertow. Retrieved on 2007-05-22.
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