# Tool - Vicarious **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953 "2008-02-17T03:27:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/1 "2008-02-17T03:27:42Z")
Resolved: Vicarious, by Tool, is the hardest hard rock song that retains credibility as an excellent piece of music. The vocals are heavy without the Cookie-Monster effect; the lyrics are morbid; the time signature is all over the place; and the drumming is phenomenal. Prove me wrong. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/2 "2008-02-17T04:33:19Z")
The thing about Tool that I’ve never quite liked is that their albums really come across as collections of songs that aren’t really joined together on any deeper level. I like a lot of their songs, but I’ve got a preference for albums that fit together well. I’ll pick Opeth’s _Blackwater Park_ and Isis’s _Oceanic_ as the best and most accessible examples of heavy but excellent music. Both feature growled vocals, but pretty clearly show that the style doesn’t automatically detract from the quality of a recording. ---
**Author:** ![paffinity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@paffinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paffinity)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/3 "2008-02-17T04:48:12Z")
While I agree that Vicarious is a great song, I think it is far from Tool’s best work. Look up the lyrics for Right In Two from the same album- in my opinion, they are far more interesting than the lyrics of Vicarious. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/4 "2008-02-17T22:28:36Z")
It loses points to me for ths music sounding too much like a few of their other songs, specifically _Schism_, which I think is a much more fantastic song, though not necessarily a better “hard rock” song. I think that nod goes to _Aenima_ or _Eulogy_ on the whole or \*The Pot \*if we’re gonna get album specific. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/5 "2008-02-19T02:03:28Z")
I want you to know that you just helped me discover a great band. I had heard _Vicarious_ on the radio before but never paid much attention. I heard it driving home from work today and because of your OP I cranked up the radio and gave it a listen. I was was struck by how incredibly seductive the composition is. Damn what a sexy song. Why did I not notice this before? I’m a fan of the ‘‘angry intelligent distorted man rock’’ genre (_Chevelle_, I’m looking at you) and I believe I am finding a special place in my heart for the prog stuff. I give _Tool_ extra points for choosing a rather original theme and yet still managing to mention zombies, vampires, and drug addicts. Good job, _Tool._ So, thanks, \*\* Crawlspace\*\*. There is nothing more awesome than discovering new music you love. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/6 "2008-02-19T05:43:22Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] I believe I am finding a special place in my heart for the prog stuff. [/QUOTE] Keep in mind that Tool isnt like your typical “prog” band in about a dozen ways. they are truly one of a kind in the music world. one of my all time favorite bands ever, check out “Undertow” for a musical journey where the bass is as much a lead instrument as the guitar is, the lyrics are dark and the message is most definitely not happy. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tool-vicarious/437953/7 "2008-02-19T05:50:14Z")
You might want to check out A Perfect Circle and Puscifier as well, **olives**. They’re both fronted by the lead singer of Tool, Maynard James Keenan, and have a lot of the same attitude as Tool, though the former’s more harmonious (while still being just as hard and angry) and the latter is more industrial flavored.