i really dont much like tool. the vocals always seem a bit cock rocky, the music a bit one paced.

but i havent full indulged them myself.

not a billion miles from deftones, who are a million times better.

Deftones at all. Apart from that song with Maynard signing on it. Both are pretty average in a big shorted American skate park way.

what are they, an intelligence test?

could say that about electronic music. and youd be talking shit. and since when did pitchfork become the barometer for decent reviews?needlessly controversial without fail. that review is another example of junk personality journalism.

Having never listened to them much, how can you claim that Schism is about their only good song? It's an easy choice just because it's one of the singles of Lateralus.

Tool are my favourite band. I'm amazed that most people here seem to find them boring and passionless. I think the songs are powerful, passionATE and interesting. Danny Carey is one of the best drummers in the world and not many other rock singers can hold a note for 30 seconds (see The Grudge). I love Aenima and Lateralus.

they just dont hold your attention and from that they just bore the hell out of me, and i cant even listen to a whole song never mind a album.

so i think they are over rated and just plain dull, but schism is ok, just ok though nothing special.

Quite a difficult band to get into if you're not into that type of thing. The trick is not to listen to as if they are playing songs, don't just listen to the riff and main lyric.

What you gotta do is listen to the drums, everything is built up around that and if you can get the tribal feel that pervades almost all tool tunes, you will find a much more rewarding to listen to rather than saying "he's not a very good guitarist" or "he's not singing something i can relate to".

Tool are about more than what is actually sung and played on guitar