Lateralus

Lateralus is Tool's third studio album, released in 2001 (see 2001 in music). The album was a commercial success, reaching the #1 position on the Billboard charts in its premiere week. Two music videos were released: "Schism" (the video had a short ambient track, "Mantra", at the beginning) and "Parabol/Parabola".

The album reached the #1 spot on Billboard Music Chart's top Internet Albums chart, top Canadian Albums chart and the Billboard 200 chart (US).

As of August 5, 2003, Lateralus has been certified double platinum by the RIAA.

Stylistically, Lateralus is a defiantly progressive album, having emerged from a five year legal tussle with Tool's former label. In spite of its unusual and complex content, the album still became a commercial success in the United States quite apart from the mid- to late-1990s explosion of nu-metal bands like Linkin Park.

Track Listing

1. The Grudge (8:36)
2. Eon Blue Apocalypse (1:04)
3. The Patient (7:13)
4. Mantra (1:12)
5. Schism (6:47)
6. Parabol (3:04)
7. Parabola (6:03)
8. Ticks & Leeches (8:10)
9. Lateralus (9:24)
10. Disposition (4:46)
11. Reflection (11:07)
12. Triad (8:46)
13. Faaip De Oiad (2:39)

Some time after Lateralus was released a minor flurry of interpretive activity arose around the album. In particular, Carey told an interviewer about Keenan's remark that the time signatures of the main riff in "Lateralus" (9–8–7) also represented a step in the Fibonacci sequence (the sixteenth step, as it turns out). This led some Tool fans to suggest that the tracks on Lateralus can be listened to in spiral-like orders: 6,7,5,8,4,9,3,10,2,11,1,12,13 ("The Lateralus Prophecy") or 6,7,5,8,4,9,13,1,12,2,11,3,10 ("The Holy Gift"). Both arrangements produce different story-lines for the album.

On the ninth track of the album, "Lateralus", Keenan's vocals during the verses coincide with the Fibonacci sequence by syllable.

The cover is translucent and flips open to reveal the different layers of the human body, including a spiritual layer representing vrajna, the transcendental wisdom of enlightenment or union with the divine. Partially obscured in the brain matter on the final layer is the word "God"

The vocal on "Faaip de Oiad" is of a 1997 caller to Art Bell's radio program, who claimed to have been employed at Area 51.

Personnel

• David Bottrill – Producer, Engineer, Mixing
• Danny Carey – Drums
• Justin Chancellor – Bass
• Vince DeFranco - Engineer
• Alex Grey – Illustrations
• Maynard James Keenan – Vocals
• Adam Jones – Art Direction, Guitar
• Mackie Osborne – Design

Charting singles

2001    Schism          The Billboard Hot 100                   No. 67
2001	Schism	        Mainstream Rock Tracks	                No. 2
2001	Schism	        Modern Rock Tracks	                No. 2
2002	Lateralus	Modern Rock Tracks	                No. 18
2002	Lateralus	Mainstream Rock Tracks	                No. 14
2002	Parabola	Mainstream Rock Tracks	                No. 10
2002	Parabola	Modern Rock Tracks	                No. 31