Ranking Every Tool Album: From Opiate to Fear Inoculum

1. Lateralus (2001)

This album isn’t just my favorite Tool record—it’s my favorite album, period. Lateralus feels like it was written for people trying to crawl out of their own skin and find something sacred in the mess. Tracks like The Patient and Reflection absolutely changed the way I thought about music and self-growth. It's beautiful, brutal, and eternal. I will die on the hill that Ticks & Leeches is one of the most unhinged, underrated masterpieces ever recorded.

2. Ænima (1996)

Ænima is raw, cathartic, and still feels dangerous after all these years. It's the record that made Tool go from “weird alt-metal band” to “cult-tier mythology.” Pushit is practically a spiritual experience, and Third Eye will forever make me question reality and my own damn eyeballs. This album is angry, honest, and cleansing—just like the title track suggests.

3. Undertow (1993)

There’s a gritty honesty to Undertow that makes it so powerful. It sounds like a band clawing their way into something bigger, and you can feel the tension in every second. Sober and Prison Sex are iconic for a reason, but it's tracks like Crawl Away and Flood that keep me coming back. It’s less polished than later work—but it hits just as hard.

4. Opiate (1992)

This little 6-track monster might be the most unhinged Tool release. It’s fast, aggressive, and gives zero fucks. Hush still feels like a middle finger with a grin, and Jerk-Off is pure early-’90s chaos. It's Maynard at his most venomous, and while it lacks the complex structure of later albums, the energy is undeniable.

5. 10,000 Days (2006)

I know a lot of people put 10,000 Days higher—and I get it. Wings for Marie / 10,000 Days is one of the most devastating tributes ever written. Right in Two is haunting. Rosetta Stoned is complete insanity in the best way. But for me, this one feels a little less cohesive overall. Still iconic, still essential, just not in my personal top tier.

6. Fear Inoculum (2019)

Okay, let me be clear—I LOVE Fear Inoculum. A lot. It’s hypnotic and mature, and Descending is one of their most beautiful tracks. But as much as I appreciate the long, meditative journey, I find myself returning to it less often than the others. It feels like the ending of a chapter—less urgency, more reflection. It’s not worse. Just… older. Like all of us.

Final Thoughts

Ranking Tool albums is basically like choosing which limb you’d rather lose. Every record means something different depending on where you were in life when you heard it. For me, Lateralus will always be home base—but all of these albums have shaped me in some deep way.

Agree? Disagree? Ready to fight me in the comment section? Hit me up on IG @arielsintheskyyy and let’s spiral out together. 🖤

Spiral Out, Keep Going