Undertow (Tool album)

Comedian Bill Hicks is noted as "inspiration" in the album's liner notes. Undertow is the only Tool album released while he was still alive. Hicks's presence would feature prominently on Tool's next album, Ænima. Chris Haskett, then with the Rollins Band, is credited in the liner notes with "sledge hammer", probably relating to the "three pianos and shotguns smashed with sledgehammers" on "Disgustipated". Adam Jones recalls a story in which the band purchased two second-hand pianos with the intention of blasting them with shotguns in the indoor parking lot of Grand Master Studio and putting the resulting sounds to tape. Apparently the woman running the studio was happy as long as they cleaned up the mess afterwards. Since the incident, Tool has been approached by other bands claiming to have seen the shotgun holes left by them in the carpark wall. ==Artwork==

The album art was designed by Adam Jones. The band reacted by releasing another version, which depicted a giant barcode on a white background. In some versions of the album, when the black CD tray is removed from the case, a picture of a cow licking what appears to be its genital region is revealed. In other versions of the album, released internationally, the picture of the cow licking the genital region is viewable without problems under the transparent backing of the disc case. The photo of the cow is accredited in the album's liner notes to have been taken by Danielle Bregman. The ribcage is also on the front cover of the album, but the obese woman is absent from the booklet; only the members of the band are depicted. Adam Jones' pet pig, Moe, appears on the back cover amid an array of forks standing on end. ==Reception==

AllMusic gave the album a positive review, stating "With its technical brilliance, musical complexities, and aggressive overtones, Undertow not only paved the way for several bands to break through to the mainstream adolescent mall-rage demographic, it also proved that metal could be simultaneously intelligent, emotional, and brutal." In Entertainment Weeklys review of the album, David Browne said "Like many of its brethren in the alternative-metal corps—Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, and Helmet—Tool can crunch and lumber about with the best of them. What put this L.A. band a notch above the rest are better songs (with actual verses, choruses, and hooks-check out the terrific "Prison Sex") and the hints of vulnerability in singer Maynard James Keenan's voice". In a Dotdash bibliographical article of the band, reviewer Tim Grierson called the album the "Essential Tool Album" and stated "It may be impossible to describe the impact that Undertow had at the time of its release in 1993. Searching, angry, liberating and scary, Tool's full-length debut emerged during a period in rock music when Seattle bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam were expressing alienation through grunge riffs, inspiring lots of copycat artists. Undertow expressed alienation, too, but the album's imposing waves of misery and dread seemed to come from an entirely different planet than grunge, providing a startling counterpoint to the trendy sounds of the era". A less positive review came from Select writer Andrew Perry, who said "[B]ereft of the irony, danger and maverick punkiness of grunge's finest, Tool ultimately will only help Alice In Chains reassert the trad metal market. Which really isn't what we deserve." ==Accolades==

(—) designates unordered lists. ==Track listing==

Notes • "Disgustipated" is track 69 on most pressings in North America (tracks 10–68 are silent; tracks 10–67 are one second each in length, and track 68 is two seconds). It also appears as track 39, track 10 (mostly in Europe and Australia) or as a hidden track following "Flood" on track nine. On certain Japanese imports, "Disgustipated" is track 70 and the tracklist is removed from the back. In most cases, however, it is listed as track 10 on the album itself. ==Personnel==

Personnel taken from Undertow liner notes. Tool • Maynard James Keenan – vocals (listed as "Möstresticator") • Adam Jones – guitar (listed as "Bastardometer"), art direction • Paul D'Amour – bass (listed as "Bottom Feeder") • Danny Carey – drums (listed as "Membranophones") Additional personnel • Henry Rollins – additional vocals on "Bottom" • Statik – programming on "Disgustipated" • Chris Haskett – sledgehammers on "Disgustipated" Production • Sylvia Massy – production, engineering, mixing on "Disgustipated" • Tool – production, art concept • Ron St. Germain – mixing (all except "Disgustipated") • Robert Fayer – engineering assistance • Brad Cook – engineering assistance • Chris Olivas – mix engineering assistance • Howie Weinberg – mastering • K. Lee Hammond – creative direction ==Charts==