To date, the band has released five studio albums, one EP and one box set. They emerged with a heavy metal sound on their first studio album, Undertow (1993), and became a dominant act in the alternative metal movement with the release of their follow-up album Ænima in 1996. Their efforts to unify musical experimentation, visual arts, and a message of personal evolution continued with Lateralus (2001) and 10,000 Days (2006), gaining critical acclaim and international commercial success. Their fifth studio album, Fear Inoculum, was released on August 30, 2019, to widespread critical acclaim. Prior to its release, the band had sold more than 13 million albums in the US alone.
Due to Tool's incorporation of visual arts and very long and complex releases, the band is generally described as a style-transcending act and part of progressive rock, psychedelic rock, and art rock. The relationship between the band and today's music industry is ambivalent, at times marked by censorship, and the band's insistence on privacy.
There is a raging debate about whether Tool can be considered "post-metal" or not. However, they surely had a hand in its creation as much as Neurosis. The influential act Isis was heavily influenced by Tool's music, so much that they lifted entire basslines and guitar riffing from Tool and even their iconic snare sound was inspired by Tool's style. Much has been made of both Isis and Tool's sound and influence across the years but one thing is sure, modern post-metal has their fingerprints everywhere and it would not have sounded this way without them. Additionally, Tool actually was aware of and liked Isis' music as they chose Isis as touring partners, a move that brought even more attention to Isis' music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tool_(band)
Studio albums
Undertow (1993)
Ænima (1996)
Lateralus (2001)
10,000 Days (2006)
Fear Inoculum (2019)
The Gaping Lotus Experience
Tool Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a friend once, he took some acid
Now he thinks he's a fire engine
It's okay until he pisses on your lighter
Kinda smells, kinda cool, kinda funny anyway
Satan, satan, satan
I had a friend once, he took some ecstasy
Tried to marry me and everyone in the room
He was sort of loving, kinda caring,
Kinda tried to fuck my la-z-boy
It got a bit messy all over the curtains,
Arm chair covers, throw pillows, and carpeting
Satan, satan, satan
I'm getting bored again
The lyrics to Tool's song The Gaping Lotus Experience present a darkly humorous commentary on drug use and its effects on individuals. The repeated use of the word "satan" serves as a kind of sardonic refrain. The first verse tells a story of a friend who has taken acid and now believes he is a fire engine. While this may be amusing at first, the situation becomes less amusing when the friend urinates on the singer's lighter. The use of the word "kinda" hints at the singer's ambivalence towards the situation.
The second verse describes a friend who has taken ecstasy and becomes overcome with love and affection towards everyone in the room, including the singer. However, this affection takes a messy and inappropriate turn when the friend attempts to engage in sexual activity with the singer's furniture. The reference to the "la-z-boy" and the description of the mess left on the furnishings suggests that this was not a pleasant experience for the singer. The repetition of the word "satan" at the end of each verse underscores the negative consequences of drug use.
Overall, the lyrics to The Gaping Lotus Experience offer a wry commentary on the dangers and pitfalls of drug use. They suggest that while the effects of drugs may initially seem funny or pleasurable, they can quickly spiral out of control and lead to regrettable and even destructive behavior.
Line by Line Meaning
Satan, satan, satan
A repetitive chant, possibly to invoke a negative force or mood
I had a friend once, he took some acid
The singer is talking about a person they once knew who took LSD
Now he thinks he's a fire engine
The person the singer is talking about has delusions of grandeur as a result of taking LSD
It's okay until he pisses on your lighter
The negative consequences of the person's behavior on LSD are tolerable until they start damaging the artist's possessions
Kinda smells, kinda cool, kinda funny anyway
Despite the negative behaviors associated with taking LSD, the artist still finds some humor and intrigue in the situation
I had a friend once, he took some ecstasy
The singer is talking about a different person they once knew who took MDMA
Tried to marry me and everyone in the room
The person the singer is talking about had a strong emotional attachment to those around them while under the influence of MDMA
He was sort of loving, kinda caring,
The person was expressing a lot of affection and emotion towards those around them
Kinda tried to fuck my la-z-boy
The person's heightened emotions led to inappropriate behavior towards objects in the room
It got a bit messy all over the curtains, arm chair covers, throw pillows, and carpeting
The person's behavior resulted in a lot of mess and damage to the room they were in
I'm getting bored again
The singer is losing interest in the topic or situation they are describing
Contributed by Lily M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Milosquerra
Had no idea this was considered a ‘secret track’ seeing as its just in the song
Scott Matznick
Track 69
packfan88
old school cd you woulda skipped to the next song cause the silence
Elver Gutierrez
Channeling their inner Doors! Loving it!
Hon Rarkley
I know right I think of THE END by The Doors when I hear this
Scott Baldwin
SATAN, SATAN, SATAN... I just love how he so happily sings that line lol
Porkus
@shinner65 That's not what the song is about. Opiate is about people using Religion as a weapon and an excuse for thing, the agents and people who abuse it. Tool supports spirituality and personal beliefs, they just don't like organized religion as the dogma can be harmful
Random Name
@shinner65 lol, it's a joke made because of religious zealots always claiming rock and bands like tool are satanic.
Dragons For Breakfast
I think he says that because saying Satan repeatedly might be viewed as him praising Satan, which is completely taboo to people who worship God. He's rebelling against that viewpoint and in general living as a rebel.
Keagan
@shinner65 its a joke, he literally says "im getting bored" over and over