so, i can confirm that the record sounds more "like tool" at 1.5x, on youtube.

which has got me wondering.

the popular way to do this nowadays is to write slow, menacing riffs and then label it "stoner rock". that's not what tool were ever about - they were a kind of a straight-edge punk band, and i wouldn't be surprised to hear that most of the band has actually never done psychedelics before, and might even label drug users as hapless idiots. it's just not where they're coming from, culturally.

their fan base would require a different analysis, in terms of drug use.

but, is it possible that somebody at the label pushed them into slowing the tape down? is that why the record is 86 minutes?

if you speed it up in the youtube player, the sound gets a lot more definition, all of a sudden. the guitars get their attack back, to start with - which is a bit of a smoking gun. but, the bass gets it's punch back, and the drums get their drive back. it just sounds more "like tool", all around.

this doesn't solve the record's monotony problems; they're still repeating the same riffs over and over again, and it's still farcical, at best. but, it's a little less tragic, because it's not quite as boring.

i just wonder if i'm actually right....