Ladies and gentlemen! Straight from the darkest corners of your soul, I present to you Tool! While most bands spend their entire career trying to live up to one phenomenal album, Tool has made a habit of creating albums of consistent quality.

They've been labeled as rock's mystery men and indeed they are. Tool create the most bizarre songs known to man, injecting into the music the old torture philosophy of assault, but they patiently put you at ease before they beat you blind.

After three memorable releases that culminated with 1996's dark masterpiece Aenima, I wouldn't have thought that Tool could possibly make an album that exceeds it's predecessors. They have definitely proven me wrong.
Lateralus is every element you liked about Tool taken to another level--it is both their heaviest and most melodic album to date.

The title track "The Grudge" starts out tranquilly, lulling you into a false sense of security before pummeling your senses into submission. In a good way. Then there's the single "Schism" in which Tool explore a haunting new terrain, creating a sound that will continue to send chills down your spine 30 years from now. It's easy to get lost in this album, So give yourself some time to let it settle in. So far, Lateralus has my vote for album of the year.