Undertow (Tool album)
| Undertow | ||||
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| Studio album by Tool | ||||
| Released | April 6, 1993 | |||
| Recorded | October – December 1992 | |||
| Studio |
Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California Grandmaster Recorders, Hollywood, California |
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| Genre | Alternative metal, progressive metal | |||
| Length | 69:13 | |||
| Label | Zoo Entertainment | |||
| Producer | Sylvia Massy, Tool | |||
| Tool chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
The censored artwork edition, sold in periodic stores in the United States.
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| Singles from Undertow | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| About.com |   |
| AllMusic |  |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin | favorable |
Undertow is the first full-length studio album by American rock band Tool, released in 1993. According to Allmusic, Undertow helped heavy metal music and progressive rock remain prominent as a mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream. It was released at a time when grunge was at the height of its popularity, and pop punk was slowly beginning to gather mainstream attention.AllMusic saw the album's success in the "striking, haunting visuals that complemented the album's nihilistic yet wistful mood." As of July 7, 2010[update], Undertow has sold 2,910,000 copies in the US and been certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA.
The album was recorded between October and December 1992 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, and at Grandmaster Recorders, Hollywood, California, by Sylvia Massy. Some of the songs featured on the album are songs that the band decided to not release on their first EP, Opiate.
Undertow was Tool's only full album release with original bassist Paul D'Amour.
Comedian Bill Hicks is noted as "inspiration" in the liner notes. His presence would feature again on Tool's next album.
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.
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Wikipedia