Best 13 Tool Songs from All Albums Ranked

Being widely regarded for its unique style, Tool has been growing its fan base since the very first day with its innovative interpretation of heavy metal. So we decided to put the best 13 songs of the regarded band as it has become one of the greatest bands of alternative metal with, at least according to us.

Formed in 1990, Tool consists of Maynard James Keenan as its lead singer, Adam Jones as its guitarist, Danny Carey as its drummer, and Justin Chancellor as its bassist. During its huge career, Tool has gathered massive regard all around the world with its efforts, which includes 5 studio albums, 1 box set, 2 extended plays, 4 video albums, 15 singles, and 8 music videos, and come where it is today after three decades.

And as the regarded band went on tours all around the world, and topped in charts in several countries with its tasty albums, we wanted to list the best 13 songs of Tool for you, along with telling their stories a little, as well. So, let’s see what are those songs and their backgrounds are.

Best 13 Tool Songs According To Metal Shout

1- Opiate

• EP: Opiate, 1992

Of course, we had to start with Opiate, which was the actual starter of the band’s massive career. This song belongs to the Tool actual debut EP that was released before the band has become famous with their third studio album. As being one of the best-known songs of the band, Opiate has actually a strong meaning and story, elaborating on the Marxist concept that “religion is the opium of the masses,” along with also containing the hidden track, “The Gaping Lotus Experience” inside.

2- Eulogy

• Album: Ænima, 1996

Debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its initial release, Tool caught its actual debut with its second studio album Ænima in 1996. And despite its creepy quirkiness, we also wanted to add this one of the Tool songs because it is good as much.

Starting after an eight-and-a-half minute intro, what actually makes this song special is its structure built on a staccato foundation, along with touching on various interviews and reports naming everyone from Kurt Cobain to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

3- Third Eye

• Album: Ænima, 1996

Containing samples of comedian Bill Hicks, Third Eye got into our list for its daring statement. As the song refers to Bill Hicks, who had a big influence on Tool as a young band, possibly for his assertions that psilocybe mushrooms could be used to “squeegee one’s third-eye clean.”

While Tool used the song as a conclusion for its debut album, one of the goals of the album was seen as opening people up in some way and helping open their third eye and help them on a path, as Bill Hicks says in his ‘The War On Drugs’ monologue, which is also used for the song’s opening.

4- Hooker With A Penis

• Album: Ænima, 1996

This song’s story is actually based on a fan Maynard James Keenan was confronted, who accused Tool of selling out after their first EP. But not surprisingly, the smart musician response was a satisfying one, saying he’s part of the problem for buying their records in the first place.

The song lyrics might allude to Genesis, while Maynard James Keenan whispering “consume, be fruitful, and multiply” phrase six times, apparently to remind the fans that Tool still has the filth and fury of their punk spirit within them and their songs, and not changed at all despite its rise.

5- Ænema

• Album: Ænima, 1996

As Maynard James Keenan rages saying ‘Some say we’ll see Armageddon soon I certainly hope we will I sure could use a vacation from this…,’ the Tool debut album’s title track also influenced Bill Hicks‘ legendary Arizona Bay skit, blending the apocalyptic and the sardonic. And the targets of this one of the best Tool songs consist of everyone from the Hollywood elite to gangster wannabes to Scientologists, while the song name shows off the fine line between high-mindedness and toilet humor.

6- H.

• Album: Ænima, 1996

Another song of Tool‘s debut album H.’s working title was “Half Empty”, and thus “H.” which also might be seen as standing for “Half Full,” as well. While there are still some different ideas wandering around, Maynard James Keenan has referenced his son, whose middle name is H, just before singing this song during several tours of Tool. Here are the words of the regarded band lead singer says, before he sings the song:

“So, any of you ever watched those Warner Bros. cartoons? Sometimes there’s that one where that guy is having a tough time trying to make a decision. He’s got an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Seems pretty obvious, right? Usually, it’s the angel who is kind of the one trying to give him the good advice while the devil is trying to get him to do what’s bad for him. It’s not always that simple though. Most times they’re not really angels or devils. They’re just friends giving you advice, looking out for your best interest but not really understanding what’s going to be best for you. So it kind of comes down to you. You have to make the decision yourself… This song is called H.”

7- Prison Sex

• Album: Undertow, 1993

Belonging to the first studio album of Tool, this song has become one of the most discussed videos ever released of the regarded band for sure. Also seen as Maynard James Keenan catharsis, Prison Sex contains symbolism depicting the sensitive subject of child abuse in its music clip, which was also stopped airing by MTV back then for its rough attitude.

On the other side, Maynard James Keenan eventually talked about the song before one of his shows in 1996, saying:

“This song is about recognizing, identifying, the cycle of abuse within yourself. That’s the first step of the process: realization; identifying. The next step is to work through it. But, this song is about the first step in the process, which is recognizing.”

8- Sober

• Album: Undertow, 1993

Inspired by an unnamed artistic acquaintance struggling with addiction, Tool guitarist Adam Jones has actually revealed what is the story of ‘Sober‘ in an interview, stating this friend of the band whose artistic expression only comes out when he is under the influence was this song’s inspiration in the first place.

9- Lateralus

• Album: Lateralus, 2001

Best known for its distinct time signatures and corresponding lyrical patterns, Lateralus is the third single and title track of the third studio album of Tool. While the song refers to ‘Hermeticism’ and ‘the Emerald Tablet’, Maynard James Keenan also explained it, commenting on the lyric mentioning the colors, and said:

“I use the archetype stories of North American aboriginals and the themes or colors which appear over and over again in the oral stories handed down through generations. Black, white, red, and yellow play very heavily in aboriginal stories of creation.”

10- Schism

• Album: Lateralus, 2001

While most of the songs of this album point out human issues by using math and science, Schism became the introduction to the new reality of Tool. While the regarded band used time signatures and semi-ambiguous lyrical themes for brain-teasing, one of the most impressive things about this song is its complex rhythms and changing meters with a distinctive bass line. As the song made everyone think, it also manages to point out the petty pessimism of the past, as well.

On the other side, Maynard James Keenan explained the song’s album earlier briefly, saying: “They’re all about relationships. Learning how to integrate communication back into a relationship. How are we as lovers, as artists, as brothers – how are we going to reconstruct this beautiful temple that we’ve built and that’s tumbled down? It’s universal relationship stuff.”

11- Jambi

• Album: 10,000 Days, 2006

Jambi was released as a single and the second track from Tool’s fourth studio album 10,000 Days, as it is also based on the magic genie who granted wishes on Pee-Wee Herman’s Playhouse, Jambi. While Maynard James Keenan plumbs the darkest depths of his psyche, he bargains with Jambi for just one more day with his who departed.

12- Fear Inoculum

• Album: Fear Inoculum, 2019

Fear Inoculum was released as the title track and lead single from the fifth studio albums of Tool, which also became the longest song ever to chart on the Hot 100, overtaking David Bowie‘s “Blackstar”. While it has Middle Eastern drum patterns in its music, the song’s lyrics tell the story of a rejection of fear and negativity from outside sources.

13- The Pot

• Album: 10,000 Days, 2006

Released as a promotional single from Tool’s fourth studio album, The Pot became Tool’s first number one song, topping the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart in 2007. While the song also received a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2008, proving its-self again, also Maynard James Keenan has picked this song as the best introduction song of Tool, as well.