I remember the first time I listened to Lateralus. I had just found the band back in high school, so I went out and purchased a couple of their albums. I put Lateralus on in my car, got really high, and just parked myself at a local hiking trail, overlooking a lake and the trees. Man let me tell you, I had never experienced anything quite like that. I went from headbanging to the grudge, singing along to parabola, and shedding tears to Lateralus and reflection. I think that was the moment I realized just how special I am, and how lucky I am to be alive. For just a moment in my life, I didn't feel anxious or self-doubt. I was able to fully celebrate myself, and all I had done and wanted to do. I am infinitely grateful for this band.
With respect to Schism, I went to a Tool concert back in 2001 a mere 2 days after the World Trade Center towers fell and Maynard elaborated a bit on the meaning of the song. He had the house lights brought up to talk about how If we could only learn to communicate with each other instead of blindly following our hatred we could avoid conflict and tragedy like the one seen only days before. In this context He's not just talking about religion, but it is a big component as these individuals were manipulated by using their faith as a weapon.
9/11 happened because of the policies and coercion that the US had over in Afghanistan, it didn't happen for any explicit religious reasons. It was geopolitical. The US overstepping in that region dated back to when the Soviets were trying to invade there but likewise failed. Ironically the US literally created so-called "terrorism" by Arming and training up people in that region originally for the purpose of defeating the Soviets but that failed and the Soviet Union quickly collapsed on it's own. After that the US needed a new enemy (first Communists were the enemies until Nazis lost the war and became the new old enemies, then the Soviets became the enemy again, then the US created new allies in West Asia to combat the Soviets and then the Soviets imploded, so then so-called "terrorists" became the new comic book evil). 9/11 happened because of what the US were doing, so the US took that as the opportunity to invade Iraq and take it's resources and destroy it's government.
Tool has a very strong fanbase on youtube. One of my guilty pleasures is watching music reaction videos, and you will often see a flood of passion come forth when tool comes up on a channel. This probably explains the interest in your past work on tool. I for one am very excited for this video.
Good, I’m not the only one!!! Lol. I always feel stupid for getting soooo excited seeing other people experiencing Tool for the first time, chills like I am at a concert even!😂 Trash Talkers do the Rappers React to them weekly now I want to say🤔 They are so passionate about it, you can’t help but be blown away right along with them!✌️💛🤘
@@smuli9245 it gives me a whole new appreciation for a song when I see someone else enjoy it so much for the first time. It really is like listening for the first time again myself. And a lot of reactors have a lot to say and they can add so much to my understanding of a song just with a simple difference in interpretation. And yeah the Trash Talkers are hilarious and have a lot of enthusiasm for Tool in particular which I love to see.
This is the perfect balance of meaning-seeking, meaning finding, and restraint from seeing meaning where there may be none or maybe some. Truly an enlightened academic piece you have made. Honestly, I would love to see you do an interview with the band. Edit: The song alternates between 3/4 and 6/8.
Just a FYI you will never get a interview with the band they almost never do interviews. They don't even appear in the music videos. But they are amazing musicians. Have a almost crazy fan base me included and anything dealing with tool we jump to because they are so reclusive. Once you fall into the tool black hole there is no way out they just make music that once you get it you can't get enough.
Hi there! Schism is on 5/8 and 7/8. I play guitar and this song was a confusing mess to understand at first, but I just let the bass guide me while I play it. I'm not joking when I say it took me 6 weeks to finally record a little video of me playing through the whole thing...
Astounding work once again Max, you should be very proud of your self and your channel Another reason the song is called Triad is because Tool wanted Disposition, Refelection and Triad to be one song but the record companies wouldn’t allow it being 24 minutes long, the track was originally titled “Resolution” which is exactly what these last three songs are, a resolution to his journey This is why the three songs are still linked on the back of the album cover
These 3 song combo is deep. Given the occult ties and the Solomonic Magick it makes one wonder. I have a profound experience and my guess is it's an invocation for choronzon. Choronzon is mentioned in the official newsletters as well as by Mr Carey .
I have the highest quality audience on TH-cam, and I feel obligated to provide content that will keep those types of people around. Best way to do that is respecting their intelligence and their time... so I provide original, thought-provoking content as much as possible.
I dont think he is endorsing the goal to separate the body from the mind. I actually think its a criticism. As he sings later in the song, he wants to "feel" the rythim, and "with my feet upon the ground, i loose myself between the sounds". Both of these lyrics sugest a high connection to the body. Great video tho, always apreciate em!
Yes i also see it that way. Mind separated from body is division, ununified. Meditation can bring you a better place where they are no longer divided, but you have to get off the thinking train to do it
Yeah, I found this video to be quite a stretch in many parts, particularly in Schism and Ticks And Leeches, especially since the latter was just about their label who pressured them to give them a heavy single.
Exactly this. Habitual overanalyzing leads to a path where you become afraid of every step into something unknown. Withering your intuition - AKA the capacity to 'feel what's right' as you go along an unknown path. Currently trying to unlearn this habit and embrace the random / draw outside the lines / push the envelope myself.
Based The Patient enjoyer. They played it in Memphis right before the pandemic hit, and I marked tf out. They played it right after my second favorite, AEnima. It was a real treat.
Schism, for me, is about human relationships, both romantic and platonic. I think you could see a direct correlation between the lyric and Keenan's connection to the rest of the members of the band, particularly as it applies to their songwriting and album-construction process.
The Saturn comes back around also refers to the astrological concept of returns, Maynard is singing about how when you hit 30 and Saturn has returned you have the choice to live shackled in grudges like a child or moving on and learning the lessons from the 30 year Saturn cycle Also the eva clips are perfect
Saturn’s return is also a possible explanation for 10,000 days, their next album, as that length of time roughly adds up and would be consistent with concepts they have expressed
Lateralus is my favourite album of all time. It literally changed my outlook on life and the nebulous life after death. I recently got Lateralus tattooed on my arm to solidify its meaning to me.
Interesting take on Faaip de Oiad. I didn't know that was Enochian, but makes total sense, and I never thought of it is part of the story the album makes, but more of a little paranoia inducing bonus. Cool take.
long time tool fan, and i learned a LOT of new stuff from this vid. Thanks! Love your VG content too. You're the reason I tried Shadow of the Colossus and it's now one of my favorites
I just walked away from a massive family business and I'm starting over from scratch on my own. But once I get back up, I am definitely going to support this channel. Awesome work man. Beautiful video.
With Tool, each album is a literal journey. Lateralus for me and this reflects in the songs specifically Parabol/Parabola about life, death acceptance and rebirth. Notice in the music video we see many deep symbolisms. The character we see is born, moves through life (forest) and comes to a very pivotal point in which he sees the floating black orbs which quickly replicate (cancer). His dissection of the creature is his attempt to fix and learn/overcome cancer. Finally he reaches out and gives into it, accepting it. Then finally he screams at the mass before venturing out into the unknown with no clear direction but just moving forward. He has accepted his fate and realizes this body is just an illusion. You will notice at the beginning of the video there is just stone, which is ticking back and fourth before shattering. In my eyes this is a symbolism of chaos. We came from chaos, happenstance. No plan, no anything to guide us but the "falling of the pieces" which we as humans try to construct into something. Finding reason, forcing them together hoping for answers. When in reality, maybe the answer is that there is no answer until we let go. This album, quite literally saved my life at one point. This video takes me back to dark and light times.... thank you!
As a massive berserk and TOOL fan I appreciate the inclusion of some scenes of griffiths transformation as I always loved the way that the golden age movies showed when someone touched that pure indescribable collective conscious realm such as griffiths transformation and when hes in the torture chamber and touches the demon that comes out the wall. I like how it basically showed as fractals and unnatural geometry and diamensions, which is how I imagine touching and percieving the non physical would look like
The part of overthinking and over analysing after that it says "separates the body from the mind withering my intuition leaving opportunity behind" Referencing that the process of overanalysis is getting further away from the goal of feeling part of the collective unconscious consciously
Excellent analysis here. A lot of stuff I have innately felt about these songs, but have not been able to put into words before. The best part about Maynard's lyrics is the amount of meaning you can draw from them. He layers everything so deeply, and you're defintialy getting close to the meat of it all.
Reflection is the definition of brilliant songwriting. It's builds up until it climaxes at the outro. It takes me out of this world and by the end I'm left feeling somewhat.. estranged
Using Berserk imagery to explain Tool lyrics… I don’t think it can get any cooler than that. Great content. One thing: when Maynard says “separates the body from the mind” he isn’t saying that is his goal, it’s actually contrary to his goal. He wants body and mind to become one. Overthinking and over analyzing (clutching onto a “grudge”) can create a “schism” between his two selves that need unity in order to ascend.
I lost my mother to leukemia last year, and in my grieving I found my way back to this album from my teenage years that im finding I never fully understood, especially “The Patient” , which I now also interpret as a play on “patient” in medical terms and the virtue of patience. Other lyrics in the song remind me of someone going through a life threatening illness, such as cancer/ leukemia. “And I’m still right here, giving blood, keeping faith”, (when you go through leukemia treatment you have to give constant blood samples and go for tests, all we can really do is “wait it out”, and then there’s parabol/parabola that helps you appreciate the holy gift of life. This album has been amazing for my own healing process
This was amazing, Max! Listened to Lateralus all day and I feel even more connected to one of the albums I’ve listened to the most, in my life. The added layer of context really intensifies the meaning I draw from listening to TOOL - like a winter jacket in the cold, picking up the warmth of the body and spiraling it up. I will patiently wait and hope to see a similar video for Fear Inoculum one day. 😊 🌀❤️
Very well written, and very clearly explained. I, for one believe you're on the right track with your interpretations of their songs. I began listening to TOOL when Undertow was first released. I believe I was 19 yrs old, and loved TOOL basically because of their " heaviness", as in heavy metal. Now, many years later ( I'm 50 ), I still love TOOL, safe to say, alot more than when I was 19. I pay much greater attention to their lyrics, and the messages they convey. So, in a sense, I believe I'm on my own personal journey thru this existence. Gaining wisdom and direction as I continue to move forward and up.
Great job! Keeping in mind that Tool has strong thelemic influences I guess that the whole album is a representation of the involutive process of climbing up the Tree of Life, starting at the lowest state of being and how one should refine oneself in order to keep ascending until one reaches "the treshold", being "Reflection" Maynard's portrait of what Crowley defined as Crossing the Abyss (The crucification of the ego) in order to trascend the material plane while being alive and become one with your True Will, once you crossed the abyss you face the Supernal Triad (Kether, Chokmah and Binah), becoming one with the Whole universe Will and taking an active role in the creative process of the manifestation of the early mentioned will by reattaning one's divine nature, and I guess that the bizarre revelation that the band gives us at the end is in fact the spiritual/extraterrestrial/interdimentional nature of the divine, thelema also recognizes the heavy influence of such forces in this material plane, and how one should approach those forces in order to attain material/spiritual power and get access to a higher knowledge on how develop even further our own consciousness so that way we can experience higher states of existence and manifestation.
THIS IS DOWN RIGHT AMAZING, GREAT DESCRIPTION IN EACH AND EVERY WAY.. thank YOU, FOR THIS, i have a hard time explaining TOOL to people who are unaware of their greatness, YOU DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB !~ YOU ..ROCK!!~
7:05 It's important to know that when the lyrics are in the first person, it doesn't mean Maynard necessarily. Tool always has more subtext to their lyrics. When he's talking in the first persons he means just that, how anyone from their point of view in the first person would conceptualize things. It's never a good thing to be so literal when interpreting Tool lyrics.
I wasn’t much into Tool much during the first 2 albums but when I first heard schism from the first bass riff to the double drum kicks at the end I was hopelessly hooked. Lateralus is a masterpiece.
Dude... I can't say how much I love your channel for the videos you already made about philosophy, psychoanalysis and Shadow of the Colossus/Team Ico games (I even e-mailed you with a theory that I made about Trico from The Last Guardian) but now you really surprised me with this video; Tool is my favorite band ever, and Lateralus is my favorite album by them; I always say, if aliens come to earth, and I had to given them only one piece of music to represent us, this piece would be Lateralus; Thank you for that! Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
Over 20 years later and I'm just REALLY listening to this album. It really is life changing. I can't get through Parabol/Parabola without it bringing me to tears. But I'm almost certain they're tears of joy. I know it sounds kinda pretentious/dramatic or whatever, but i feel like my eyes are open for the 1st time. Or at least starting to open. It feels like the beginning of a spiritual journey. Fantastic Videos my friend.
I honestly feel the same. For me, that 12 or so minutes is totally epic! It's hard to narrow down their catalog to a point, but for me Parabol-Parabola is a master piece. The lyrics are so powerful and almost my mantra. We are eternal, All this pain is an illusion.. The guitar solo always gives me chills too.
What you say is regretfully true for me in the sense that i clicked for the Tool, but i am, subscribing and watching more/all after watching. Good work sir.
I just watched a young lady react to the title track and she appropriately lost her mind to it. It was her intro to Tool. It gave me chills to hear it again through her reaction.
I found you a while back through one of your Tool videos. I was glad to stumble upon a cool music channel (as I thought this is what your channel was about) but boy was I in for a treat :) Keep the great work, Max, and thanks for another Tool video!
I've been watching your videos for about 3 years and you've actually help point me in some significant directions with your analyses. I'm also about halfway through my first Saturn Return and Lateralus has taken on an even deeper meaning in my life. Great video. Keep it up Max 👍🤘
Great video. A quick note: apocalypse means unveiling not ending. It’s also a literary genre, which of course has a couple famous examples in Judeo-Christian scripture (that is the apocalypses of John and Daniel).
Pretty solid synopsis of a phenomenal album. Its quite fascinating how deep the Lateralus rabbit hole goes. I dont really consider myself a "searcher". I just appreciate Tools music and how well every member compliments each other. There arent many other bands that can/will take you for a mental/emotional ride while listening like Tool does. In my experience, every Tool album provokes a different emotion or frame of mind, and depending on my mood, is selected appropriately. Lateralus in particular deals with relationships. Like other great musiscians, Tools music means many things to many people. The subjective interpretation is basically infinite.
This was a really good analysis of my favorite album. I just like to add that that Faaip De Oiad’s vocal recording was actually from a hijack from a radio show called “The Art Bell Show.” It was a radio show from Nevada that talks about conspiracy theories and the paranormal. On 09/11/1997 they had a caller that took over for about 10 ish mins and then radio silence for 30mins. Pretty fitting for your analysis talking on how we all can think that if we did talk to god. We all be so confused and see him/her/them as an alien.
Excellent work. This album arrived at one of the most defining times in my life, a year which ultimately proved how a series of seemingly inconsequential decisions can lead to a path from which there is no return. That was exactly halfway through the journey that finds me in this moment. Still very much affected by the past and again at a point that requires decisions be made. Unlike my younger self, I am acutely aware that whatever I choose will undoubtedly have an equally, if not more profound impact on the rest of my life. Then this pops up in my feed, as if to serve as a warning to be mindful lest I once again find myself on a 20-year path of destruction and heartache; and a study guide of sorts, to fill in the gaps in my understanding of this album and the message contained therein, as well as the true genius that is the phenomenon of Tool. The most important decision is to make no decision until body and mind come together to meditate and agree on the path I will be committing my future self to endure. Overthinking is as much a danger now as my unthinking was back then. Thank you for this.
I am one of the people that found your channel through your videos on tool, also joined discord and i have ever since had the ring bell activated hoping for more of this kind of content. Thanks for uploading this also please do in the future more of this sord of videos?
I fucking love Tool. I’ve been a fan since I first saw Schism on tv. I’m now almost 36 and I can say their music has been incredibly important to me. They are near and dear to my heart. No one sounds like them. They’re in a genre of their own. Absolutely amazing band that I am lucky to have seen live, as well as APC.
Super solid analysis. Like with all things “Tool”, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to interpret anything, but I’ve always felt that Schism was a veiled reference to the struggle of maintaining a band. But hey, that’s just me. Keep up the good work.
I've always interpreted that the line "Over-thinking, over-analyzing separates the body from the mind" refers to a spiritual pitfall, a lack of balance from keeping your head in the clouds too much, the need to ground yourself and keep your feet in the ground and staying human while reaching out, which eventually enables oneself to truly grow spiritually.
Omg…..I’m so excited and I’m only 30 seconds in!!!! Thank you so much for covering this, one of the greatest albums of all time!!!! Would love to hear your thoughts on anything from Fear Inoculum, the song H. (and all of them really because I love your take on basically everything!), but also think A Perfect Circle-13th Step album would be a really interesting!! Oh, and just for shits and giggles, anything by Puscifer because Maynard’s creativity shines in all of his work…..even though Danny isn’t involved in the other two bands and his genius on drums is unmatched in my opinion! Thank you again, you made my week seeing this one pop up!!🤘🤘🤘
For a long time now, I've seen each track of Lateralus as its own lesson on how to live life. It helped me a lot through my early twenties. Now, I don't quite need it as much. But I do think it is one of the most important albums of all time. If you haven't checked out Failure's album "Fantastic Planet", definitely check it out. I won't say much about it now, other than that it starts out as a fairly straightforward grunge album but slowly develops into something else entirely. It has its own lessons, too.
Question: did you test your analysis of the album Lateralus to the rearrangement of the songs into the holy gift? Just a curiosity since this is literally my favorite albums of all time. As usual brilliant work and later tonight I’m hoping to finish your Aion series.
Yeeeeeeeeees, thanks for the deep dive into my favorite tool album. For the Saturn reference in The Grudge, take a look at some stuff on the Cube of Saturn. It's pretty strange.
Music and by extention sound is one the most influential mediums in human history. "Listen to your surroundings and you'll hear the prince of the air's trumpet", watch what you listen to and if you're listening look deep for the message they promote.
I'm probably late to this party. The initial intention of not releasing lyrics for their music due to their belief that the audience should find their own meaning leads me to feel like the many interpretations from your two main theories of Schism to how other people felt about it ultimately seem like they are still valid. I understand the main focus was of the religious or spiritual, and the two theory's presented made sense with that as the central argument. I listened to Schism and it brought about a lot of thoughts and emotions towards a particular person I had a falling out with, and was something that drove home the "Communication is what makes a relationship work." mentality, and I've been slowly practicing more of that in my life. Very interesting commentary.
Really good analysis. I’ve been listening to this album since the day it came out yet I learn new things about every day. Time has made it grow like a tree.
Schism always felt to me like the dynamic between lovers and how things can fall apart without communication. And this is the beauty of subjective writing, is that there's no right answers, just interpretations which fit better than others, and so we project ourselves onto the subtext. And you can learn things about yourself as a result. I'm a very loving and romantic person so naturally I thought of that when I thought of a schism between two parties. I think you, Max Derrat, have too literal an interpretation of Tool's lyrics sometimes, not all the time tho. The only reason you thought about religion when thinking about the song Schism is because that's probably the only place you've heard that word used before. So naturally you'll think about religion and then project that onto the lyrics. But if you look at the music video and the two figures doing this dance and trying to understand each other. The whole lover's quarrel/deteriorating relationship because of communication breakdown, that fits way better. And the schism itself would be the major fight which led to break up. It doesn't have to be lovers, it can be friends, but real close friends often do have love for each other whether or not men want to admit it because they're homophobic to admit they have some level of love for another man.
Maaan, I wasnt expecting this video. I discovered Tool a few days ago, with the song „you lied“, which is obviously originally from another band called „Peach“…Well I know Max Derrat as a SH fan, and a Tool video surprised me very hard…
Hey Max! If like to point out that here's a small (random?) connection between Faaip de Oiad and Kojima as in both have used the "Voice of God" concept in their works and in the same abstract way, just putting it out there, amazing video as always
Great video! I think the first video of yours I saw was about the most profound moment in gaming, and had watched your others off and on as you uploaded. I was really excited when you made your video about 4&2, and enjoyed that video immensely. I've been watching your new Answer to Job videos as well. It's very, I'm not sure, exciting/comforting to see a creator with an interest in Peterson, Jung, Tool and gaming as those are interests of my own. You mentioned putting a link to the video "how tool used math to..." in the description, but I don't see it.
My personal opinion, which is mine and personal all at the same time, this video was beyond expectation, a lend and balanced description of the album and it's lyrical meaning... Spiral out keep going
Great video!!.. Very insightful, I also think that Disposition,Reflection,Triad were meant to be 1 song But Record company made them cut it up into 3 songs hence Triad!...
Holy balls I'm so early I don't even know what to say. Maybeeee I'm glad I'm about to watch the video in which you analyse this album track by track. I'm glad Tool is still alive and kickin', though I'm not a big fan (except Stinkfist and Schism, I can listen to these tracks until I die). So, thanks Max! I've been really enjoying your videos since I discovered your channel. Rock on!
I remember the first time I listened to Lateralus. I had just found the band back in high school, so I went out and purchased a couple of their albums. I put Lateralus on in my car, got really high, and just parked myself at a local hiking trail, overlooking a lake and the trees. Man let me tell you, I had never experienced anything quite like that. I went from headbanging to the grudge, singing along to parabola, and shedding tears to Lateralus and reflection. I think that was the moment I realized just how special I am, and how lucky I am to be alive. For just a moment in my life, I didn't feel anxious or self-doubt. I was able to fully celebrate myself, and all I had done and wanted to do. I am infinitely grateful for this band.
Isnt it amazing how music can take us away
Beautifully said, friend. Much love.
With respect to Schism, I went to a Tool concert back in 2001 a mere 2 days after the World Trade Center towers fell and Maynard elaborated a bit on the meaning of the song. He had the house lights brought up to talk about how If we could only learn to communicate with each other instead of blindly following our hatred we could avoid conflict and tragedy like the one seen only days before. In this context He's not just talking about religion, but it is a big component as these individuals were manipulated by using their faith as a weapon.
Fast forward to 2022 and this message is evermore important
9/11 happened because of the policies and coercion that the US had over in Afghanistan, it didn't happen for any explicit religious reasons. It was geopolitical.
The US overstepping in that region dated back to when the Soviets were trying to invade there but likewise failed.
Ironically the US literally created so-called "terrorism" by Arming and training up people in that region originally for the purpose of defeating the Soviets but that failed and the Soviet Union quickly collapsed on it's own.
After that the US needed a new enemy (first Communists were the enemies until Nazis lost the war and became the new old enemies, then the Soviets became the enemy again, then the US created new allies in West Asia to combat the Soviets and then the Soviets imploded, so then so-called "terrorists" became the new comic book evil).
9/11 happened because of what the US were doing, so the US took that as the opportunity to invade Iraq and take it's resources and destroy it's government.
@@Hastenforthedawm not where I expected to read that but uuuuhhh... based?
Wait a minute. I’m confused!
People around his mother RIP as in Judith from APC later
Tool has a very strong fanbase on youtube. One of my guilty pleasures is watching music reaction videos, and you will often see a flood of passion come forth when tool comes up on a channel. This probably explains the interest in your past work on tool. I for one am very excited for this video.
Have you seen the reactions by Key of Geebz? I love that guy he's so genuine and sincere
@@cloudbloom absolutely. he is such a gem of a human being.
Same
Good, I’m not the only one!!! Lol. I always feel stupid for getting soooo excited seeing other people experiencing Tool for the first time, chills like I am at a concert even!😂 Trash Talkers do the Rappers React to them weekly now I want to say🤔 They are so passionate about it, you can’t help but be blown away right along with them!✌️💛🤘
@@smuli9245 it gives me a whole new appreciation for a song when I see someone else enjoy it so much for the first time. It really is like listening for the first time again myself. And a lot of reactors have a lot to say and they can add so much to my understanding of a song just with a simple difference in interpretation. And yeah the Trash Talkers are hilarious and have a lot of enthusiasm for Tool in particular which I love to see.
This is the perfect balance of meaning-seeking, meaning finding, and restraint from seeing meaning where there may be none or maybe some. Truly an enlightened academic piece you have made. Honestly, I would love to see you do an interview with the band. Edit: The song alternates between 3/4 and 6/8.
Just a FYI you will never get a interview with the band they almost never do interviews. They don't even appear in the music videos. But they are amazing musicians. Have a almost crazy fan base me included and anything dealing with tool we jump to because they are so reclusive. Once you fall into the tool black hole there is no way out they just make music that once you get it you can't get enough.
Hi there! Schism is on 5/8 and 7/8. I play guitar and this song was a confusing mess to understand at first, but I just let the bass guide me while I play it. I'm not joking when I say it took me 6 weeks to finally record a little video of me playing through the whole thing...
which song youre talking about? the songs alternate between many meters, not only 3s and 6s
3/4 and 6/8 is the same thing
Astounding work once again Max, you should be very proud of your self and your channel
Another reason the song is called Triad is because Tool wanted Disposition, Refelection and Triad to be one song but the record companies wouldn’t allow it being 24 minutes long, the track was originally titled “Resolution” which is exactly what these last three songs are, a resolution to his journey
This is why the three songs are still linked on the back of the album cover
Wow! Fucking amazing man.you blew my mind.
These 3 song combo is deep. Given the occult ties and the Solomonic Magick it makes one wonder. I have a profound experience and my guess is it's an invocation for choronzon. Choronzon is mentioned in the official newsletters as well as by Mr Carey .
Tool-Fan since Lateralus:
Had goosebumps just from listening to your words and thinking about their meaning
Thank you for videos like this. Really
Thank you for watching them! BTW, is it okay to talk about Fight Club yet?
@@maxderrat No. 🤫
I don't know, i rather listen to the music and let it speak for itself
Wtf are 'bumbs'?
@@johannesstephanusroos4969 I think he meant goosebum(p)s. 😅
I love the simple fact that you put all of your effort into making your videos original! its always a treat watching and listening to your videos!
I have the highest quality audience on TH-cam, and I feel obligated to provide content that will keep those types of people around. Best way to do that is respecting their intelligence and their time... so I provide original, thought-provoking content as much as possible.
I dont think he is endorsing the goal to separate the body from the mind. I actually think its a criticism. As he sings later in the song, he wants to "feel" the rythim, and "with my feet upon the ground, i loose myself between the sounds". Both of these lyrics sugest a high connection to the body. Great video tho, always apreciate em!
Yes i also see it that way. Mind separated from body is division, ununified. Meditation can bring you a better place where they are no longer divided, but you have to get off the thinking train to do it
Thank you!! This is so important.
Yeah, I found this video to be quite a stretch in many parts, particularly in Schism and Ticks And Leeches, especially since the latter was just about their label who pressured them to give them a heavy single.
100%
Exactly this. Habitual overanalyzing leads to a path where you become afraid of every step into something unknown. Withering your intuition - AKA the capacity to 'feel what's right' as you go along an unknown path.
Currently trying to unlearn this habit and embrace the random / draw outside the lines / push the envelope myself.
The Patient is still my favorite all this time later. Such a remarkable climax.
It was a bummer they didn't play it at the Orlando show I was at. Wee got Right In Two instead.
@@urbz6712 wait you mean the February 8th show? I was there too!
Based The Patient enjoyer. They played it in Memphis right before the pandemic hit, and I marked tf out. They played it right after my second favorite, AEnima. It was a real treat.
I remember the first half sucking
One of my favorites, this song has saved me numerous times.
Schism, for me, is about human relationships, both romantic and platonic. I think you could see a direct correlation between the lyric and Keenan's connection to the rest of the members of the band, particularly as it applies to their songwriting and album-construction process.
This album changed my life forever. Never have i listened to an album so many times on repeat.
The Saturn comes back around also refers to the astrological concept of returns, Maynard is singing about how when you hit 30 and Saturn has returned you have the choice to live shackled in grudges like a child or moving on and learning the lessons from the 30 year Saturn cycle
Also the eva clips are perfect
Also Saturn within the occult means hidden knowledge, great point bu the way!
Saturn’s return is also a possible explanation for 10,000 days, their next album, as that length of time roughly adds up and would be consistent with concepts they have expressed
Hey lookie there I was the 30 like of this comment. Fitting, being that this album came out the year of my own Saturn return. \m/
Lateralus is my favourite album of all time. It literally changed my outlook on life and the nebulous life after death. I recently got Lateralus tattooed on my arm to solidify its meaning to me.
Interesting take on Faaip de Oiad. I didn't know that was Enochian, but makes total sense, and I never thought of it is part of the story the album makes, but more of a little paranoia inducing bonus. Cool take.
long time tool fan, and i learned a LOT of new stuff from this vid. Thanks! Love your VG content too. You're the reason I tried Shadow of the Colossus and it's now one of my favorites
Yeah? Dude, that's so awesome to hear! I can sleep soundly tonight knowing that I brought Shadow of the Colossus into somebody's life!
Loved the evangelion imagery in the background while talking about the single universal mind
"it all returns to nothing"
I just walked away from a massive family business and I'm starting over from scratch on my own. But once I get back up, I am definitely going to support this channel. Awesome work man. Beautiful video.
With Tool, each album is a literal journey. Lateralus for me and this reflects in the songs specifically Parabol/Parabola about life, death acceptance and rebirth. Notice in the music video we see many deep symbolisms. The character we see is born, moves through life (forest) and comes to a very pivotal point in which he sees the floating black orbs which quickly replicate (cancer). His dissection of the creature is his attempt to fix and learn/overcome cancer. Finally he reaches out and gives into it, accepting it. Then finally he screams at the mass before venturing out into the unknown with no clear direction but just moving forward. He has accepted his fate and realizes this body is just an illusion. You will notice at the beginning of the video there is just stone, which is ticking back and fourth before shattering. In my eyes this is a symbolism of chaos. We came from chaos, happenstance. No plan, no anything to guide us but the "falling of the pieces" which we as humans try to construct into something. Finding reason, forcing them together hoping for answers. When in reality, maybe the answer is that there is no answer until we let go. This album, quite literally saved my life at one point. This video takes me back to dark and light times.... thank you!
Omg! You’ve totally opened my third eye.”Lateralus”has got to be one of the deepest journeys I’ve ever taken through music.It’s “Tools”best work IMO.
As a massive berserk and TOOL fan I appreciate the inclusion of some scenes of griffiths transformation as I always loved the way that the golden age movies showed when someone touched that pure indescribable collective conscious realm such as griffiths transformation and when hes in the torture chamber and touches the demon that comes out the wall. I like how it basically showed as fractals and unnatural geometry and diamensions, which is how I imagine touching and percieving the non
physical would look like
The part of overthinking and over analysing after that it says "separates the body from the mind withering my intuition leaving opportunity behind"
Referencing that the process of overanalysis is getting further away from the goal of feeling part of the collective unconscious consciously
Excellent. Would you consider doing an analysis of the 10,000 Days album?
Awesome, your tool videos and mgs2 commentary is how I found your channel, and I've enjoyed every video since. Anyway keep up the good work!
Excellent analysis here. A lot of stuff I have innately felt about these songs, but have not been able to put into words before. The best part about Maynard's lyrics is the amount of meaning you can draw from them. He layers everything so deeply, and you're defintialy getting close to the meat of it all.
Reflection is the definition of brilliant songwriting. It's builds up until it climaxes at the outro. It takes me out of this world and by the end I'm left feeling somewhat.. estranged
I like to rock this song during lunar eclipses
15:50 Disposition is simple: Emotions are fleeting. Something, anything could change your mood in an instant. That's the weather changing.
Thank you for this video, Tool has gotten me out of some tough times.
Wow what an excellent video ty so much. This only deepened my love for the greatest band on Earth!!
Cheers
Thank you for this!
Lateralus is my all time favorite album.
One of the greatest albums of all time.
Your videos are so mind blowing they have really opened me up to thinking differently about everything.
YES. THIS. Thank you for saying that. I intend to keep doing that for you guys as long as you guys keep coming back to watch.
Using Berserk imagery to explain Tool lyrics… I don’t think it can get any cooler than that. Great content.
One thing: when Maynard says “separates the body from the mind” he isn’t saying that is his goal, it’s actually contrary to his goal. He wants body and mind to become one. Overthinking and over analyzing (clutching onto a “grudge”) can create a “schism” between his two selves that need unity in order to ascend.
I lost my mother to leukemia last year, and in my grieving I found my way back to this album from my teenage years that im finding I never fully understood, especially “The Patient” , which I now also interpret as a play on “patient” in medical terms and the virtue of patience. Other lyrics in the song remind me of someone going through a life threatening illness, such as cancer/ leukemia. “And I’m still right here, giving blood, keeping faith”, (when you go through leukemia treatment you have to give constant blood samples and go for tests, all we can really do is “wait it out”, and then there’s parabol/parabola that helps you appreciate the holy gift of life. This album has been amazing for my own healing process
This was amazing, Max! Listened to Lateralus all day and I feel even more connected to one of the albums I’ve listened to the most, in my life. The added layer of context really intensifies the meaning I draw from listening to TOOL - like a winter jacket in the cold, picking up the warmth of the body and spiraling it up.
I will patiently wait and hope to see a similar video for Fear Inoculum one day. 😊 🌀❤️
Very well written, and very clearly explained. I, for one believe you're on the right track with your interpretations of their songs. I began listening to TOOL when Undertow was first released. I believe I was 19 yrs old, and loved TOOL basically because of their " heaviness", as in heavy metal. Now, many years later ( I'm 50 ), I still love TOOL, safe to say, alot more than when I was 19. I pay much greater attention to their lyrics, and the messages they convey. So, in a sense, I believe I'm on my own personal journey thru this existence. Gaining wisdom and direction as I continue to move forward and up.
Great job! Keeping in mind that Tool has strong thelemic influences I guess that the whole album is a representation of the involutive process of climbing up the Tree of Life, starting at the lowest state of being and how one should refine oneself in order to keep ascending until one reaches "the treshold", being "Reflection" Maynard's portrait of what Crowley defined as Crossing the Abyss (The crucification of the ego) in order to trascend the material plane while being alive and become one with your True Will, once you crossed the abyss you face the Supernal Triad (Kether, Chokmah and Binah), becoming one with the Whole universe Will and taking an active role in the creative process of the manifestation of the early mentioned will by reattaning one's divine nature, and I guess that the bizarre revelation that the band gives us at the end is in fact the spiritual/extraterrestrial/interdimentional nature of the divine, thelema also recognizes the heavy influence of such forces in this material plane, and how one should approach those forces in order to attain material/spiritual power and get access to a higher knowledge on how develop even further our own consciousness so that way we can experience higher states of existence and manifestation.
THIS IS DOWN RIGHT AMAZING, GREAT DESCRIPTION IN EACH AND EVERY WAY.. thank YOU, FOR THIS, i have a hard time explaining TOOL to people who are unaware of their greatness, YOU DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB !~ YOU ..ROCK!!~
7:05 It's important to know that when the lyrics are in the first person, it doesn't mean Maynard necessarily. Tool always has more subtext to their lyrics. When he's talking in the first persons he means just that, how anyone from their point of view in the first person would conceptualize things. It's never a good thing to be so literal when interpreting Tool lyrics.
Hey man, I said more tool breakdowns, you delivered, here I am. Way to listen to your viewers
I wasn’t much into Tool much during the first 2 albums but when I first heard schism from the first bass riff to the double drum kicks at the end I was hopelessly hooked. Lateralus is a masterpiece.
Ayyyy Terror in the Depths of the Fog playin in the background
Beautiful video btw. Thank you for this 🙏
Can't help but see the Jungian parallels in every track name now being familiar with this album for 20+ years and Jungs work for 2
Dude... I can't say how much I love your channel for the videos you already made about philosophy, psychoanalysis and Shadow of the Colossus/Team Ico games (I even e-mailed you with a theory that I made about Trico from The Last Guardian)
but now you really surprised me with this video; Tool is my favorite band ever, and Lateralus is my favorite album by them; I always say, if aliens come to earth, and I had to given them only one piece of music to represent us, this piece would be Lateralus;
Thank you for that! Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
Over 20 years later and I'm just REALLY listening to this album. It really is life changing. I can't get through Parabol/Parabola without it bringing me to tears. But I'm almost certain they're tears of joy. I know it sounds kinda pretentious/dramatic or whatever, but i feel like my eyes are open for the 1st time. Or at least starting to open. It feels like the beginning of a spiritual journey. Fantastic Videos my friend.
I’m glad you finally found it!
I honestly feel the same. For me, that 12 or so minutes is totally epic!
It's hard to narrow down their catalog to a point, but for me Parabol-Parabola is a master piece.
The lyrics are so powerful and almost my mantra.
We are eternal, All this pain is an illusion..
The guitar solo always gives me chills too.
I love your videos on music. Cant wait to see more.
What you say is regretfully true for me in the sense that i clicked for the Tool, but i am, subscribing and watching more/all after watching. Good work sir.
I just watched a young lady react to the title track and she appropriately lost her mind to it. It was her intro to Tool. It gave me chills to hear it again through her reaction.
I found you a while back through one of your Tool videos. I was glad to stumble upon a cool music channel (as I thought this is what your channel was about) but boy was I in for a treat :) Keep the great work, Max, and thanks for another Tool video!
This is a matter that is relevant and has to be discussed! Thank you!
I've been watching your videos for about 3 years and you've actually help point me in some significant directions with your analyses.
I'm also about halfway through my first Saturn Return and Lateralus has taken on an even deeper meaning in my life. Great video. Keep it up Max 👍🤘
Great video. A quick note: apocalypse means unveiling not ending. It’s also a literary genre, which of course has a couple famous examples in Judeo-Christian scripture (that is the apocalypses of John and Daniel).
Awesome video Max. I love this album and it was great listening to you dissect it.
Pretty solid synopsis of a phenomenal album. Its quite fascinating how deep the Lateralus rabbit hole goes. I dont really consider myself a "searcher". I just appreciate Tools music and how well every member compliments each other. There arent many other bands that can/will take you for a mental/emotional ride while listening like Tool does.
In my experience, every Tool album provokes a different emotion or frame of mind, and depending on my mood, is selected appropriately. Lateralus in particular deals with relationships. Like other great musiscians, Tools music means many things to many people. The subjective interpretation is basically infinite.
This was a really good analysis of my favorite album. I just like to add that that Faaip De Oiad’s vocal recording was actually from a hijack from a radio show called “The Art Bell Show.”
It was a radio show from Nevada that talks about conspiracy theories and the paranormal. On 09/11/1997 they had a caller that took over for about 10 ish mins and then radio silence for 30mins.
Pretty fitting for your analysis talking on how we all can think that if we did talk to god. We all be so confused and see him/her/them as an alien.
Can we just take a moment of silence to appreciate what Max Derrat has done here.
Honestly the best video of a whole album well done
Excellent work. This album arrived at one of the most defining times in my life, a year which ultimately proved how a series of seemingly inconsequential decisions can lead to a path from which there is no return. That was exactly halfway through the journey that finds me in this moment.
Still very much affected by the past and again at a point that requires decisions be made.
Unlike my younger self, I am acutely aware that whatever I choose will undoubtedly have an equally, if not more profound impact on the rest of my life.
Then this pops up in my feed, as if to serve as a warning to be mindful lest I once again find myself on a 20-year path of destruction and heartache; and a study guide of sorts, to fill in the gaps in my understanding of this album and the message contained therein, as well as the true genius that is the phenomenon of Tool.
The most important decision is to make no decision until body and mind come together to meditate and agree on the path I will be committing my future self to endure. Overthinking is as much a danger now as my unthinking was back then.
Thank you for this.
I am one of the people that found your channel through your videos on tool, also joined discord and i have ever since had the ring bell activated hoping for more of this kind of content.
Thanks for uploading this also please do in the future more of this sord of videos?
I fucking love Tool. I’ve been a fan since I first saw Schism on tv. I’m now almost 36 and I can say their music has been incredibly important to me. They are near and dear to my heart. No one sounds like them. They’re in a genre of their own. Absolutely amazing band that I am lucky to have seen live, as well as APC.
Super solid analysis. Like with all things “Tool”, I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to interpret anything, but I’ve always felt that Schism was a veiled reference to the struggle of maintaining a band. But hey, that’s just me. Keep up the good work.
Yoooo TOOL IS BADASS I LOVE SEEING THEM LIVE THAY ARE BANGERS BRO
🤘
Thanks for dropping some Berserk imagery in this video. Beautifully ties in to all these concepts.
Ayyyy... glad some people are recognizing it. :)
Thanks for making this 3rd of your Tool videos -- very thought-provoking.
I've always interpreted that the line "Over-thinking, over-analyzing separates the body from the mind" refers to a spiritual pitfall, a lack of balance from keeping your head in the clouds too much, the need to ground yourself and keep your feet in the ground and staying human while reaching out, which eventually enables oneself to truly grow spiritually.
I love this. You did such a great job. I'm only halfway in and I greatly approve of this message
Dang Max, good stuff! Would love to hear your thoughts on Fear Inoculum album.
Omg…..I’m so excited and I’m only 30 seconds in!!!! Thank you so much for covering this, one of the greatest albums of all time!!!! Would love to hear your thoughts on anything from Fear Inoculum, the song H. (and all of them really because I love your take on basically everything!), but also think A Perfect Circle-13th Step album would be a really interesting!! Oh, and just for shits and giggles, anything by Puscifer because Maynard’s creativity shines in all of his work…..even though Danny isn’t involved in the other two bands and his genius on drums is unmatched in my opinion! Thank you again, you made my week seeing this one pop up!!🤘🤘🤘
Love Tool and love your content, Max. A match made in heaven, I dare say. Keep on keeping on!
For a long time now, I've seen each track of Lateralus as its own lesson on how to live life. It helped me a lot through my early twenties. Now, I don't quite need it as much. But I do think it is one of the most important albums of all time.
If you haven't checked out Failure's album "Fantastic Planet", definitely check it out. I won't say much about it now, other than that it starts out as a fairly straightforward grunge album but slowly develops into something else entirely. It has its own lessons, too.
Reflection is my favorite off Lateralus, close second is the grudge
Question: did you test your analysis of the album Lateralus to the rearrangement of the songs into the holy gift? Just a curiosity since this is literally my favorite albums of all time. As usual brilliant work and later tonight I’m hoping to finish your Aion series.
Yeeeeeeeeees, thanks for the deep dive into my favorite tool album.
For the Saturn reference in The Grudge, take a look at some stuff on the Cube of Saturn. It's pretty strange.
Clicked thumbs up while commercials. GOLD stuff
I would love to see more of this especially with the other tool songs and albums keep up the great work
Woah, liked before you even said a word, rooting for your content here.
Music and by extention sound is one the most influential mediums in human history. "Listen to your surroundings and you'll hear the prince of the air's trumpet", watch what you listen to and if you're listening look deep for the message they promote.
Most of the music I listen to gives me the knowledge I'm not alone in the way I feel or understand.
Just be careful what you listen to.
Some music/sound can lead people to becoming self destructive.
I'm probably late to this party. The initial intention of not releasing lyrics for their music due to their belief that the audience should find their own meaning leads me to feel like the many interpretations from your two main theories of Schism to how other people felt about it ultimately seem like they are still valid. I understand the main focus was of the religious or spiritual, and the two theory's presented made sense with that as the central argument. I listened to Schism and it brought about a lot of thoughts and emotions towards a particular person I had a falling out with, and was something that drove home the "Communication is what makes a relationship work." mentality, and I've been slowly practicing more of that in my life. Very interesting commentary.
Really good analysis. I’ve been listening to this album since the day it came out yet I learn new things about every day. Time has made it grow like a tree.
Damn this was incredible interpretation and journalism! Bravo!
Schism always felt to me like the dynamic between lovers and how things can fall apart without communication. And this is the beauty of subjective writing, is that there's no right answers, just interpretations which fit better than others, and so we project ourselves onto the subtext. And you can learn things about yourself as a result. I'm a very loving and romantic person so naturally I thought of that when I thought of a schism between two parties. I think you, Max Derrat, have too literal an interpretation of Tool's lyrics sometimes, not all the time tho. The only reason you thought about religion when thinking about the song Schism is because that's probably the only place you've heard that word used before. So naturally you'll think about religion and then project that onto the lyrics. But if you look at the music video and the two figures doing this dance and trying to understand each other. The whole lover's quarrel/deteriorating relationship because of communication breakdown, that fits way better. And the schism itself would be the major fight which led to break up. It doesn't have to be lovers, it can be friends, but real close friends often do have love for each other whether or not men want to admit it because they're homophobic to admit they have some level of love for another man.
Maaan, I wasnt expecting this video. I discovered Tool a few days ago, with the song „you lied“, which is obviously originally from another band called „Peach“…Well I know Max Derrat as a SH fan, and a Tool video surprised me very hard…
Seen your other videos before I'm surprised I'm getting this recommended now
Ticks and leeches was written because the label at the time requested a more heavy, fast song. Hence the lyrics
Wow, Max!! This is a great video!! Thank you for making this video ♡ this is Jenny btw
Hey Max! If like to point out that here's a small (random?) connection between Faaip de Oiad and Kojima as in both have used the "Voice of God" concept in their works and in the same abstract way, just putting it out there, amazing video as always
Great video! I think the first video of yours I saw was about the most profound moment in gaming, and had watched your others off and on as you uploaded. I was really excited when you made your video about 4&2, and enjoyed that video immensely. I've been watching your new Answer to Job videos as well. It's very, I'm not sure, exciting/comforting to see a creator with an interest in Peterson, Jung, Tool and gaming as those are interests of my own.
You mentioned putting a link to the video "how tool used math to..." in the description, but I don't see it.
When are you going to do a full video analysis on the album "Fear Incolumn"? That album singlehandedly rejuvenated my love for this band
awesome and amazing
Would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on Fear Inoculum. I get the feeling that you would have a field day analysing that album.
We love you Matt, stay exceptional, stay yellow💕
Fucking amazing video once again. Gives me goosebumps and tickles my third eye.
That's some trippy insights. Cool
My personal opinion, which is mine and personal all at the same time, this video was beyond expectation, a lend and balanced description of the album and it's lyrical meaning... Spiral out keep going
This is one of my favorite videos ever.
This is great. As a Tool fan I think you should do this with every Tool album and possibly Maynard's other bands.
Great video!!.. Very insightful, I also think that Disposition,Reflection,Triad were meant to be 1 song But Record company made them cut it up into 3 songs hence Triad!...
Holy balls I'm so early I don't even know what to say. Maybeeee I'm glad I'm about to watch the video in which you analyse this album track by track. I'm glad Tool is still alive and kickin', though I'm not a big fan (except Stinkfist and Schism, I can listen to these tracks until I die). So, thanks Max! I've been really enjoying your videos since I discovered your channel. Rock on!
You explain this very well! Very impressive! ❤❤ great job!
Thank you!
Many many more layers to this album than just the song interpretations, but they only really come together when put into the holy gift ...
Amazing breakdown. And I appreciate your humbleness.