TOOL
Ænima
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AENIMA, the 1996 album from progressive metal shamans TOOL, is a progressive, heavy, and atmospheric album loaded with layers and layers of sonic texture that should be enjoyed with headphones to ensure the ideal experience.
In short, if Tool is the metal community’s Pink Floyd, then AENIMA is most definitely their Dark Side Of The Moon.
And as with any prog album of such incredible quality, you must listen to it “front to back”, in its entirety because it’s truly a “start to finish” experience.
You may recall that we did an album dive of this many, many moons ago, right around the time of the COVID pandemic, during the “B.R.” period.
It was a Metal Nerdery two-some, it was done over a Zoom call, it was definitely weird, and it was the only time we ever “did it” with only “two thirds the nerds” (it’s episode 38, released April 2, 2020, btw. You’ve been warned).
Released 9/17/1996
Producer David Bottrill
TRACKS
1 Stinkfist
2 Eulogy
3 H.
4 Useful Idiot
5 Forty Six & 2
6 Message to Harry Manback
7 Hooker with a Penis
8 Intermission
9 jimmy
10 Die Eier von Satan
11 Pushit
12 Cesaro Summability
13 Ænema
14 (-) Ions
15 Third Eye
Always remember to reach “Finger…knuckle…elbow…and shoulder deep inside the borderline” in order to properly clean out and prepare for your upcoming “analectomy”.
Prepare to enjoy “The BALLS of satan” (“Und keine eier”), enjoy some reflections regarding ample “shoulder tits” that were shown “at a bar”, and a bunch of assorted “piss hockey snot” associated with “where rich people live (and eat) in Atlanta”.
Be advised that “white people rapping is kinda like girls talking about football” and remember that a hilariously, weird threesome is always better than an unfunny, awkward twosome.
Happy Turkels to all, enjoy some “Harry Manbackshadowing” reflections, revel in the infinite comedy genius of Bill Hicks and JOIN US as we strive for redemption with a full power threesome and dive “colon deep inside the borderline” with TOOL’s AENIMA.
STINKFIST
A very unusual, almost alien use of percussion, harmonics, and feedback. Check out the music video to get an idea of where Tool is coming from.
“Finger deep…knuckle deep…elbow deep…shoulder deep…”
Eventually something (or someone) will completely penetrate and become you, fully taking you over.
“Something kinda sad about the way that things have come to be,
Desensitized to everything, what became of subtlety?
How can this mean anything to me,
If I really don’t feel anything at all? Yeah…
EULOGY
The Aenima album is dedicated to comedian Bill Hicks and this song, given its title, seems to be a fitting eulogy for one of the greatest comedians to ever grace the craft of standup who was way ahead of his time and, tragically, gone way before his time.
It’s almost like the guitar solos are replaced by other riffs and motifs that build layer upon layer of sonic texture. The climax near the end is almost so overwhelming that it would seem to indicate a eulogy of sorts for not only a great comic, but also a great Prophet as well.
“To ascend you must die,
You must be crucified,
For our sins and our lies,
Goodbye…”
H.
Now THAT is a meaty bass tone!
You’ve really got to listen to Tool with headphones for the full experience. (And a bag of psilocybin for macrodosing probably couldn’t hurt either…)
The one strange thing about Tool is that Danny Carey’s snare drum always sounds like the snares aren’t engaged. Maybe that’s just his style; it’s not a bad thing, just different. I suppose it adds more atmosphere and lets the music breathe a bit more.
“I am too connected to you
To slip away, to fade away,
Days away I still feel you,
Touching me, changing me, and considerately killing me…”
USEFUL IDIOT
(n. A naïve or credulous person who can be manipulated or exploited to advance a cause or political agenda.)
Basically, the end of a side of an actual record album, where the grooves of the last song on the album side run out.
Now get off your ass, do something “useful”, and flip the record over…(idiot.)
FORTY-SIX & 2
Probably one of their most well-known songs. There’s a significance to the numbers that are related to human chromosomes and evolution, as well as the concept of human duality and “shadow work”.
BTW, see also “The Great Debate” by Dream theater for a version of this riff that sounds eerily similar to this actual riff, maybe even a tad TOO similar…
Oh yeah, the drums around the 4:35 mark…probably one of the first examples of Danny Carey’s incredible prowess behind the drum kit.
“See my shadow changing, stretching up and over me,
Soften this old armor, hoping I can clear the way by,
Stepping through my shadow, coming out the other side,
Step into the shadow, forty-six and two are just ahead of me…”
MESSAGE TO HARRY MANBACK
The sounds of distant piano, the seashore, seagulls flying around, and some harsh truths disguised as veiled threats via an answering machine message. Safe to say, no one would want to receive this voicemail from Harry Manback…or a telemarketer.
HOOKER WITH A PENIS
Weirdly stoner and also weirdly/definitely Tool. Maybe one of the more straight-ahead metal songs on the album, and certainly one of the angrier songs.
Things go off the rails at 3:27…double bass…on a tool album…
“I’ve got some advice for you little buddy,
Before you point the finger, you should know that I’m the man,
If I’m the fucking man then you’re the fucking man as well,
So, you can point that fuckin’ finger up your ass…”
INTERMISSION
There’s something about this that makes for an incredibly eerie precursor to “Jimmy”. It’s like lighthearted carnival music that gradually transforms into something darker and more sinister…
JIMMY
That riff is heavy…and extremely dark. Not really sure which Jimmy is being referred to exactly, though it would seem that folks on Reddit are inferring that it may be self-referential to some degree (to Maynard James “Jimmy” Keenan perhaps?).
Lyrically, this seems like it might be an early precursor to 10,000 days, or maybe connected somehow.
“I wish that I could see you
Turn and run to play,
Dreams are fading,
Carry my ancient soul,
Carry me into the light…”
DIE EIER VON SATAN (“The BALLS of Satan”)
An emotionally charged rally of a dictator reading aloud (to a throng of enthralled followers) a recipe for hash cookies with industrial music as a backdrop.
“Und keine Eier…”
PUSHIT
The sound of a symphony of flying, buzzing insects leads us to the beginning of the guitars and vocals. If there’s a deep cut on this record, this has to be it.
And no, this is NOT the same as the Salt N Pepa song (at least, not that we’re aware of anyway…).
“There’s no love in fear…”
This might have been the most skipped song back in the day, perhaps it was just a grower that was way ahead of its time.
“You still love me,
You still love me,
But you don’t need to push it on me…”
CESARO SUMMABILITY
The most horrifying sound in the world to anyone who DOES NOT want a baby! It sounds like a garbled, distorted message in the background being delivered to this screaming, newborn earth creature.
AENEMA
Brought to you by the philosophy originally coined by Bill Hicks on “Arizona Bay”.
“I sure could use a vacation from this bull shit, 3-ring, circus side show…”
BTW, the official video is censored out the ass, although at least it’s not BEEPED, because if it were, it’d be like listening to a wired, jittery coke addict trying to send morse code.
Definitely check out ALL of Bill Hicks’ comedy albums (and in particular, Arizona Bay) to get the full impact of the message being presented here.
“And some say the end is near,
Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon,
I certainly hope we will,
I sure could use a v vacation from this,
Stupid shit, silly shit, stupid shit…”
(-) IONS
Definitely use those headphones. It sounds (and feels) like an electrical storm approaching, with alien ships entering our atmosphere and creating a massive transitionary period in human history and evolution. Maybe it’s just a giant sheet of metal being shaken and rattled to generate the sound of rolling thunder and sonic chaos, but it sounds pretty intense, nonetheless.
Also, there’s something about negative ions that impacts health. Either we’re supposed to rid ourselves of them because they’re toxic or we’re supposed to do the exact opposite because they’re not.
THIRD EYE
And now, ladies and gentlemen, Bill Hicks…
The first clip is from “Relentless”, the next two are from his first album, “Dangerous”.
And we’re off…
If you’ve ever done psychedelics, then this song should resonate and connect with you. Whether it’s psilocybin or lysergic in nature (or even something else), the message should be similar. The feeling of unlocking forbidden consciousness held captive deep within our subconscious minds and hidden deep within our infinite souls.
“In…out…in…out…”
The way the music builds is very analogous to the way a psychedelic trip builds…constant, gradually, and slowly.
Hear the scream around 6:39?
Hear the whispers right afterwards?
“So good to see you,
I’ve missed you so much…”
7:47: can you hear the whispers? Listen…there’s knowledge there… kinda like with psychedelics, you go through a phase where everything changes and then suddenly it all makes perfect sense.
10:28: alien whispers. The final build and the final push before coming back down.
“Shrouding all the ground around me,
Is this holy crow above me,
Black as holes within a memory,
And blue as our new second sun,
I stick my hand into the shadow,
To pull the pieces from the sand,
Which I attempt to reassemble,
To see just who I might have been,
I do not recognize the vessel,
But the eyes seem so familiar,
Like phosphorescent desert buttons,
Singing one familiar song…”
Show Notes:
(00:01): #onewhiterapper / “White people rapping is like girls talking about football…”/ “You welcome to #RapNerdery …”/ “What do you mean no? You can’t show your tits at a bar?”/ #shouldertits / ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised *** / #youcantdothat #noneofthat / “These people listening to us are smart enough to know the difference…”/ / ***WELCOME BACK TO METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** / “Why does he gotta be suckin’ it down?” / #throwinitback #chugginit / #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode / “I don’t know WTF this is…”/ #ninepercentABV /
Beer of the Episode
Passion Fruit Spicy Margarita
“It reminded me of #roostersauce …”/ #siracha / #gamecocks / “This ain’t gonna work…”/ #theverdict / “I’m gonna finish it…”/ “It takes something special to blow your hair back…”/ “That’s too much money…for one person.”/ “They’re not paying the same tax rate…”/ #toiletwings by #OperationOrangeTits
(10:28): ***Feel free to email us at metalnerdery@gmail.com or hit us up on the socials at #Facebook or #Instagram or #YouTube at #metalnerderypodcast or GIVE US A CALL AND LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182!!!*** / #emailsegment / “They reduced the seating but made it more better…”/ #Gimmick NOT FOR YOU (“It’s very riffy…”) / “#Metalcore definitely metalcore…”/ DROWN IN REGRET / “Let’s check out the other one…”/ “It’s not ‘brutal riffs’…”/ “I’m all about the most qualified…”/ #fooddisappointmentASMR #chickentits / “I pulled it out and kinda squeezed it…”/ “Here’s something kinda cool…on the opposite spectrum…”/ #RussellsReflectionsFineDiningEdition
(21:00): “What’s the name of the place?”/ #RussellsEndlessReflectionsASMR / “That’s it!” #Superica / “Flo’s has lost my business forever…”/ “Al Capotle? He was a gangster…”/ “It’s been a long time since going to a restaurant and being wowed by the food AND the service…”/ “I wanna go to a place that blows my butthole back…”/ #tongueandgroove / ***PATREON SHOUT OUT*** / ***You can JOIN US and be a part of the Patreon at patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast ***“You know you can do this without cursing…”/ #pisshockeysnot / #RussellsReflectionsHospitalityEdition / “#COVID killed the restaurant business…”/ #suggestedtip / #shittipper #twothirteenanhourplustips / “There’s some people that don’t tip AT ALL…”/ #shittipperalright / #antipickuplines / #VladTheInhaler / “No I didn’t and it doesn’t matter at this point…”
(37:12): #TheDocket METAL NERDERY PODCAST PRESENTS: TOOL – AENIMA (2nd Edition) / “It was weird…”/ “A threesome is always better than a twosome…”/ Released September 17, 1996 / “This is #DarkSideOfTheMoon style…”/ Dedicated to #BillHicks / “He’s suckin’ his own wanger…”/ “My mouth gets old…”/ “They are our generation’s #PinkFloyd …”/ STINKFIST / “Oh, it’s a LADY!”/ “Finger…knuckle…elbow…shoulder…”/ “I could probably just squeeze out her intestines…”/ #analectomy / EULOGY (NOTE: That’s a talk box) / “To this end you must die, you must be crucified, for our sins and our lies, goodbye…”
(53:50): H. / “That’s a bass tone, dude…” / “Doesn’t it sound thick? Girthy? Robust?” / #RussellsReflectionsToolTriviaASMR / “He reminds me of a darker, eviler #AlexSkolnick …”/ “She’s so hot, dude…you get #leighed when you get off the plane in #Hawaii …”/ “That’s the hottest woman in America…”/ “That’s my fantasy…”/ H. (continued…because we needlessly interrupted…sorry about that…) / “It’s not heroin…”/ #whitestripe / “It’s heavy and atmospheric at the same time…you kinda have to listen to this in its entirety…”/ #fronttoback / USEFUL IDIOT / “He didn’t need to…”/ FORTY SIX & 2 / #cantbeloudenough / “There’s a LOT going on…”/ “I know that’s a terrible segue…”/ #throatsinging / “Every country’s got talent…”/ “She looks great for 84, dude…”/ MESSAGE TO HARRY MANBACK / “That’s creepy…”
(1:10:04): #transgentional / #HotCarlson / HOOKER WITH A PENIS / “Is it time for an INTERMISSION?” / JIMMY / “Is this a #WhiteClaw?” / “It’s like carbonated vomit…just what vomit needs…”/ #whisperingASMR / “I didn’t realize there was 2 different bass tracks…” / #usethoseheadphones / “Are we on this again?” / #littlewhitestripe / “It’s gotta match…”/ “His downstairs matches his upstairs, all day long…”/ “We need to do a Yngwie Inside The Metal…”/ “He looks bored…”
(1:21:12): DIE EIER VON SATAN (The BALLS of Satan) / #hashcookies / #industrialmetalASMR / PUSHIT / “That sounds like Lateralus…”/ “It’s modern psychedelic music…”/ “Was it the last slurp that gotcha?” / “You know what I kinda miss? And I haven’t had one in years…”/ #analoscopy / #coiler #splitter / #Konsyl / “Bulk forming…”/ CESARO SUMMABILITY / AENEMA (“Learn to swim…see you down in #ArizonaBay …”) / “Encore bonus…”/ “This you’ve gotta listen to with headphones…”/ (-) IONS / “Ear shockies…”/ THIRD EYE (NOTE: #BillHicks snippets from the Relentless and Dangerous albums, respectively.) / “In…out…in…out”/ “Come on dude, your balls can take it…we’re almost done…”/ #markthetime / “I stick my hand into the shadow…”(of your butthole…) / “That’s the name of the album…” / “The last 5 minutes alone were better than that entire episode…”/ THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!! / #outroreel