Lateralus
by Tool
  • Record Label: Volcano
  • Release Date: May 15, 2001
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 641 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 580 out of 641
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 641
  3. Negative: 58 out of 641

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  1. JamesM
    Dec 19, 2007
    10
    Lateralus stands up as one of the greatest accomplishments in modern prog. With it, Tool have created new sound which is mimicked by musicians across the globe, and it will be listed as a key influence by the prog heroes of tomorrow. One look at the professional reviews is proof that you can't always believe what you read.
  2. SunShine
    Jan 22, 2007
    10
    By far the most amazing song I have ever heard, can never get bored with it. Tool is the God of inteligent music.
  3. ChadM.
    Aug 14, 2007
    10
    the people who don't give this cd a 10 must not comprehend the in deep meaning of every song and cd as a whole i could listen to this cd all day and never try understand it so it stays fresh and knew everything you listen to it youtae just a little more from it it is a amazing work of art and music
  4. CianH
    Dec 26, 2008
    10
    Quite possibly the greatest album ever recorded, it takes time to find the sweet spots but it's oh so worth it. Genius.
  5. ShareefS.
    Nov 12, 2001
    10
    could not have been better -- takes a minute to get use to -- but when you listen to the words and zone out makes so much sense and it pulls you into the world of tool -- all you can do is let go and be free and just let it take hold of you ...
  6. JimG.
    Nov 28, 2001
    10
    As late 30s, long-time Rush and Pink Floyd fan, its been awhile since I've heard new music to get excited about. Not any more. Lateralus opened the door for me to find Aenima, Undertow, Opiate and Salival. Where was Tool when I was 21?
  7. SteveStevie
    Nov 15, 2003
    10
    Its Too Long To listen to in 1 session but its a totally incredible CD
  8. Joe
    Nov 26, 2004
    10
    Excellent. The closest thing a band can come to perfection.
  9. JamieB.
    Dec 22, 2004
    10
    Lateralus the album is by far the best album ever created. I love the album and the songs esp. Lateralus and Schism. Maynard has an awesome voice and the song lyrics are deep.
  10. stevem
    Nov 23, 2005
    10
    go figure it out your self people they have broke through on those music chains that have let most people wana link bands to one another when tool cant be compared to another, they stand alone with their own sound,
  11. AliP
    Nov 23, 2006
    10
    Simply put, the greatest, complex and most beautiful album ever made. Anyone who hates this seriously must be crazy (ie Pitchfork and the other retards who gave this less than 10).
  12. AlanD
    Dec 11, 2006
    10
    This is what music is missing from now a days tunes that are being produced. 100% of amazing went into this.
  13. MattD
    Dec 14, 2006
    10
    Im sorry but Lateralus is perfect in every way. If you didnt score this album AT LEAST 8 then you obviously dont like any music of this genre or you are a completely retarded 13 year old nu-metal punk b*tch who frankly shouldnt be reviewing it. Full stop.
  14. Justin
    Dec 29, 2006
    10
    Lateralus is a work of Art.
  15. DamienL
    Nov 14, 2007
    10
    Lateralus is Tool's best album, HANDS DOWN. It's the most beautiful, inspiring piece of work ever. Keep in mind though, Tool's music has always been an acquired taste. Don't listen to some of these idiotic critics (especially pitchfork.)
  16. PatrickS.
    Dec 27, 2008
    10
    About as perfect as an album can get. There isn't much on this album that could really change for the better, and it's not often that you can say that about an album.
  17. diegotool
    Sep 17, 2010
    10
    The record of the decade! Simple as that! Tool have their unique way of improving every time. It's not always easy paying attention to their message, but after all, Tool is for everyone, but not everyone knows about that.
  18. christplatt
    Jun 21, 2013
    10
    An awe inspiring spiralling spectrum of sound. I still can't get over the standard of writing and musicianship on this album. All 4 members are firing on all cylinders like relentless mathematically precise art explosions The grudge, parabola, schism and the title track are just perfection. The chilled out ending is fitting also.
  19. Rottencore
    Oct 3, 2011
    10
    I love Tool. The main focus has always been pushing boundaries and trying to find an alternative to the beliefs that are crippling social change and artistic creativity. This album in particular has been a huge inspiration to me. The intense drumming and slow rhythmic guitar filtered with the positive and potent message of Maynard with lines such as "A chance to be alive and breathing..."I love Tool. The main focus has always been pushing boundaries and trying to find an alternative to the beliefs that are crippling social change and artistic creativity. This album in particular has been a huge inspiration to me. The intense drumming and slow rhythmic guitar filtered with the positive and potent message of Maynard with lines such as "A chance to be alive and breathing..." and "We will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable...". Listening to this every day will certainly not hamper anyones progress in life. Certainly more inspiring than a band called 'Megadeath'.… Expand
  20. j30
    Sep 22, 2011
    9
    Hypnotic and raw would be the two words I'd use to describe Tool's best and most ambitious album. The build up and payoff is worth every bit of your time. This is you ideal metal prog album.
  21. TheMainCritic
    Jul 31, 2011
    10
    Dont leave a bad review because you dont like the music/genre... its all about the lyrics retard. Which are amazing if you would listen and pay attention and not just sit there and think about how much you would rather be listening to people sing about money, hoes, cars, and clothes...
  22. Jes1310
    Apr 16, 2020
    10
    Not as good as Animæ but still an awesome record. The complexity and melodies are nothing short of mindblowing. Animæ by the way is 11 out of 10. Go buy them both. It demands a lot of the listener, but the reward is amazing, if you are patient.
    TOOL just dont give a **** to what other people think and that makes them very special.
  23. no_such_thing
    Jun 4, 2012
    10
    I still remember first listening to this, not liking it at all.. Huh.. Then it just started rewarding every listening, again and again. Probably their best, and obviously demanding your attention.
  24. jeremy9
    May 5, 2021
    10
    The album that set the rock canon at the beginning of the 21st century. The album that smashes into the floor from the beginning and leaves us there until the very end, and even longer.

    It's an amazing album. Great, clear sound, Musicians in great shape. Progressive rock has reached a higher level. Tool is in a class of its own. A record that will never get bored.
  25. WillyHaze
    May 17, 2013
    9
    Greatest album in the history of music. Perfect 10. Tool at their absolute best. I've listened to this album hundreds of times and I am still discovering hidden gems. Don't forget to listen to the Holy Gift version.
  26. vriskasawesome
    Jul 27, 2013
    10
    Without a doubt, "Lateralus" is Tool's greatest album, presenting a consistent [and meaningful] message to its audience. In many other albums, Tool succumbs to the pleasure of writing angry music without a meaning behind it (Aenima's "Eulogy", 10,000 Days' "Vicarious"). Though I still enjoy these songs, Tool can hardly claim to be prog metal at these times, and I do think that they are atWithout a doubt, "Lateralus" is Tool's greatest album, presenting a consistent [and meaningful] message to its audience. In many other albums, Tool succumbs to the pleasure of writing angry music without a meaning behind it (Aenima's "Eulogy", 10,000 Days' "Vicarious"). Though I still enjoy these songs, Tool can hardly claim to be prog metal at these times, and I do think that they are at their best when their songs have a purpose as in "Schism" and "Parabola". Fantastic album, listen to it. Also, pitchfork… Expand
  27. carloswalnuts
    Mar 10, 2014
    10
    Excelente trabajo de la banda underground Tool, como no olvidar esos pasajes largos de guitarra y alternandolo dando asi un sonido psicodelico, esas canciones excesivamente largas y a la vez obras de arte, simpelemente genial.
  28. YasharGhaghchi
    Feb 5, 2014
    10
    In 1989 Maynard James Keenan met Adam Jones in L.A and they were thinking about create a band and they made one of the greatest bands in the world called Tool. Maynard the singer of the band, Adam Jones Guitarist, Danny Cray the drummer and Paul D’Amour bass player that got replaced later in 1995 with Justin Chancellor. They made the greatest progressive rock music because they put allIn 1989 Maynard James Keenan met Adam Jones in L.A and they were thinking about create a band and they made one of the greatest bands in the world called Tool. Maynard the singer of the band, Adam Jones Guitarist, Danny Cray the drummer and Paul D’Amour bass player that got replaced later in 1995 with Justin Chancellor. They made the greatest progressive rock music because they put all their toughs, ideas, and their feelings in to the music. Their first album Opiate came out in 1992, it was a great album and people impressed by their first album; one of their greatest songs in the first album was Sober and it was a song about drugs and humans emotion. Lateralus is their third album and its is one of their amazing albums that can put you into the spirals of humans imaginations and feelings.
    they were successful at what they made until today specially the videos that they made for their music and the visual effects on the stage in the live concerts. They travel all over the world for tour and entertain people by their great music that they make with their voice, guitar, bass, drum, minds, and hearts for people.
    Lateralus and parabola are their most popular and greatest hits of all time in music industry plus they are my favorite songs that I play it every day with my guitar and it just give me the good feelings that I don’t want to stop playing and I want to go on and go on, until my fingers start getting numb from holding the strings ,my rest start hurting from playing and my shoulders tired from holding the guitar.
    Just imagine your emotion is like a box and Lateralus is like something that will fit perfectly inside that box ad there is nothing else can replace it or remove it.    … Expand
  29. ThePotnoodleBoy
    Jun 21, 2014
    10
    Supreme musicianship and lyric writing make this already fantastic album even better. The technicalities, the intense guitar riffs, poly-rhythmic drum patterns and a mixture of deep and low sounding vocals delivered by Maynard, at the peak of his vocal career. Overall, a fantastic, complicated and interesting album capable of a thousand replays. 10/10
  30. Daniel_B
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    One of my favorite albums of all time, and definitely Tool's best. The theme of mathematics fits into the songs seamlessly without hitting you over the head with it, and it justifies its length with their most ambient sound ever.
    The hyper-technicality of a lot of the tracks, like Schism, would have taken away from their enjoyability in the hands of a lesser band, but Tool makes a song    One of my favorite albums of all time, and definitely Tool's best. The theme of mathematics fits into the songs seamlessly without hitting you over the head with it, and it justifies its length with their most ambient sound ever.
    The hyper-technicality of a lot of the tracks, like Schism, would have taken away from their enjoyability in the hands of a lesser band, but Tool makes a song that changes time signatures forty plus times their most radio friendly song to date.
    Just an awesome album, and required listening to anyone who cares at all about progressive rock or progressive metal.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

96
#96 Best Album of 2001
1
#1 Most Discussed Album of 2001
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2001

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 1 out of 15
  1. Wall of Sound
    83
    A 79-minute sonic sojourn of hard rock delivered with an arty, fusion-conscious sensibility rooted most obviously from the likes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Jane's Addiction.
    Read full review
  2. Q Magazine
    80
    Ultimately, it's Tool's experimental, borderline progressive, edge that proves most rewarding. [Aug 2001, p.141]
  3. Dot Music
    90
    It is dense, it is long, it is complicated. It is also a magnificent triumph of artistry over blind anger.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »