Undertow (Tool album)

Undertow
Studio album by Tool
Released	April 6, 1993
Recorded	October – December 1992 at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, and at Grandmaster Recorders, Hollywood, California
Genre	Alternative metal, progressive metal
Length	69:07
Language	English
Label	Zoo Entertainment
Producer	Sylvia Massy, Tool
Tool chronology
Opiate (1992) Undertow (1993) Ænima (1996)

Undertow is Tool's first full-length album, released in 1993. When this album was released, grunge music was at its most popular, and pop punk was slowly beginning to become popular. Undertow helped heavy metal music continue as a leading mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream. Allmusic saw the album's success in the "striking, haunting visuals that complemented the album's nihilistic yet wistful mood." It was eventually certified double platinum by the RIAA on May 14, 2001.

The album was recorded between October and December 1992 at Grand Master Studios, Hollywood, California, and includes songs that the band decided to not release on their previous EP, Opiate.

Track listing

CD

All songs written by Tool unless otherwise noted.

1. "Intolerance" – 4:53

2. "Prison Sex" – 4:56

3. "Sober" - 5:06

4. "Bottom" - 7.13 (Tool, Henry Rollins)

5. "Crawl Away" - 5:29

6. "Swamp Song" - 5:31

7. "Undertow" - 5:21

8. "4°" - 6:02

9. "Flood" - 7:45

69. "Disgustipated" - 15:47

"Disgustipated" is track 69 on most pressings in North America (causing most CD players upon reaching the end of track 9 to advance through tracks 10-68, which contain no data, at a rate of about 2 per second until track 69 is reached). It also appears as track 39, track 10 (mostly in Europe) or as a hidden track following "Flood" on track 9. On certain Japanese imports, "Disgustipated" is track 70, with a short live version of "Flood" as track 71. The exact breakdown of "Disgustipated" is as follows:

Percussion/Animal sounds - 0:00 - 1:10

Preacher - 1:11 - 2:32

Disgustipated - 2:33 - 6:45

Crickets - 6:46 - 13:50

Phone message - 13:51 - 15:47

LP

Side one

1. "Intolerance"
2. "Prison Sex"
3. "Sober"

Side two

1. "Bottom"
2. "Crawl Away"
3. "Swamp Song"

Side three

1. "Undertow"
2. "4°"
3. "Flood"

Side four

1. "Disgustipated"

Charting

Albums

Year	Chart	Position
1993	Billboard 200	50
1993	Top Heatseekers	1

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1993	"Sober"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	13
1994	"Prison Sex"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	32
1994	"Sober"	Mainstream Rock Tracks	23

Accolades

Publication	Country	Accolade	Year	Rank
Raw	UK	Albums of the Year	1993	6
Raw	UK	90 Essential Albums of the 90s	1995	*
Visions	Germany	The Best Albums 1991-96	1996	*
Pause & Play	US	The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums	1999	11
Classic Rock	UK	The 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time	2001	87

(*) designates unordered lists.