Tool, Prog or Metal?

Nestorath69 · Post by **Nestorath69** » Wed Sep 10, 2003 6:19 pm

I've been a die-hard Tool fan since I saw the debut of their video 'Sober' on MTV. I was 13-14 yrs old, then.
I've seen 'em in concert 5 times, and was impressed through and through... I've never tried to catogorize them, though. Why even try? Why subject yourself to the stigma of labeling something?

fonque · Post by **fonque** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 2:58 pm

genre classifications suck all together. no group worth listening to really fits into just one.

and you say progressive metal i think of groups like dream theater and liquid tension tool is far from that

Rozard · Post by **Rozard** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 11:57 pm

fonque wrote:genre classifications suck all together. no group worth listening to really fits into just one.

x2

milatchi · Post by **milatchi** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 12:43 pm

Almost every music store I go to has TOOL placed in the Metal section. Many websites I refer to for music details have TOOL listed as "Alternative Metal" or "Heavy Metal". Although I can definitely see how they could be considered Progressive; noting many artsy elements their lyrics and music.

Who ever said "Nu Metal" is way off. If you have ever listened to TOOL then you realize they are not just another "Heavy Metal Clone Band" headed by guys with ears piereced to hell and a steel stud's shot through their tongue's screaming about how they were made fun of in high school and how they want to "cut their lives into pieces" because its "their last resort"

kthulhu · Post by **kthulhu** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 3:36 pm

Damn it, I'm taking a stand.

TOOL IS PROGRESSIVE HARD ROCK.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 3:51 pm

Can you define Hard Rock in stylistic musical terms?

Because, in metal, there are stylistic traits, while rock or hard rock is not something where they're easy to spot or generalize.

The classic traits Metal = power-chord riffs, dominance of the Aeolian scale (which, since the times of classic metal, has sort of become partly untrue, and other scales have become more widely used). There are other attributes, but I can't think of any off hand.

kthulhu · Post by **kthulhu** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 4:03 pm

I would define hard rock as bands like White Zombie, Rage Against The Machine, Fear The Clown, Alice In Chains, Nirvana - bands like that.

More emphasis on bass/bass sounds and legible vocals. Somewhat fast, loud guitar work, but more reserved than metal - instead of the typical wailing sound of metal, it has a more "electric" sound.

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 4:48 pm

Hmm, it makes sense.

Again, it's all interpretational though. Personally, I always went the other way - the wailing stuff I attributed to rock, the bassy/riffy stuff - to metal.

So, I guess it works in your definition.

Tool is a bit off that, but what I've heard of it does seem to have an emphasis on lyrics and bass/riff lines. I'd still put that type of emphasis in the metal category, but, in your definition, it's fine.

The problem with rock music in general is that there's still no official, set-in-stone classification or even a single analysis method. Rock is just a clever fold that you can stick virtualy any kind of music into...

Nestorath69 · Post by **Nestorath69** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:21 pm

FUCK YOU ALL! TOOL IS TOOL!

Damn, I akin Tool to like a modern version of 60's and 70's self awareness and conciousness-expansion music, on par with Pink Floyd.

Cardinal.jpg · Post by **Cardinal.jpg** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:44 pm

Dirk_Temporo wrote:Tool is definitely in the "other" category. Along with Cake.

Woohoo two of my favourite bands, unlikely to be grouped together but now are.

I would agree that there needs to be an other category for all the stuff that really doesn´t fit either because its entire style is different and/ or like Tool all of their releases are different from each other. Of course everyone will want to be in this other cat because like alternative, it would be the best way to sell something.

Nestorath69 wrote:I've seen 'em in concert 5 times, and was impressed through and through... I've never tried to catogorize them, though. Why even try?

Ooh. I´m so close, four times and tomorrow I will see APC. Good point though, why bother categorizing them. Like them or not but who cares what genre it is.