Tool Album: “Schism”

This is an all-around worthwhile purchase for any Tool fan who appreciated what the band did with the spiritually overt Lateralus. The music video, directed as usual by guitarist Adam Jones and featuring interpretive dance duo Osseus Labyrint, really does enhance the song in many ways and open up many new paths of understanding for the critical eye of a Tool fan or aesthetically appreciative newcomer. Brian Lustmord's remix track is also worthwhile if you have learned to be patient with the music and open your mind to it, rather than covering it up with culturally-reniforced expectations. It is in many ways much more like a prayer than a song; you must surrender yourself to it to understand. Once you do, you will find the reward. (Those of you who have listened to it all the way through will know what I'm saying--it's a feeling perfectly characterized in so many parts of the remix, like the moment when Justin Chancellor's melancholic bass chords, which normally introduce the song, finally resonate on a quieted piano.) The dual commentary, however, is a real nuisance, not because it isn't unflinchingly stoic or compelling, but because the humorous route that was chosen for it simply doesn't work. It might be good for two or three chuckles; you'll never visit it more than once per commentary side. But besides that rather useless appendage, this DVD is a great addition to a Tool fan's collection as a means of further exploring the band's art and ideas.

Rating this doesn't seem like it will make an difference. If you like tool or weird music videos get this!

Tool videos tend to be dark, strange and incredibly ambiguous. This video is absolutely no different. A surround sound setup would definitely have been much cooler and the inane dual commentary is mostly annoying (but the nature of it is 100% Tool). For $7, I'm happy I purchased it. For those of you that bitch about having to pay cash for so little, the band offered the videos for free download on their main web page for a very long time prior to this release. Get over yourselves.

This DVD is intense! The menu's are cool and there are really no words its all just about the art! I'm glad I got this DVD and would also recommend getting the Parabol/Parabola DVD as well. Any Tool fan can enjoy this.

Ok, seriously man, some of you guys are overreacting and expecting too much out of these dvds. i bought schism, despite what some of the reviews said. i mean sh*t. whats 6 bucks, right? and then i thought about it. so yea, maybe the commentary isnt exactly mind altering stuff, but i mean... what the f*ck do you want in a dvd thats 6 bucks. i bought it cuz its a cool f*ckin video by a cool f*ckin band with some cool artwork to hold the dvd in. tool isnt getting lazy. theyre just giving you a really cool video for your own collection, dont be a d*ck and ask for more than that man. its title reads schism/parabola. thats what you get in the dvd.