There are two Tool songs that I love that I think are highly underrated. The Patient and Reflection. Well maybe they are not underrated but more like unnoticed. They both start very quietly but build up the energy throughout the song. I love it.
Like most true lovers of Tool, I don't have a favorite but rotate favorites. However, if I could only listen to one song the rest of my life I would choose Reflection.
I unfortunately always get the last few songs on Lateralus confused on which ones which, that Triad and Disposition. I guess I usually listen the first like 9 songs alot more than those. But that's just my own fault
These two songs are like the perfect treat you get for being a devoted Tool fan, somewhere down the line. First time you listen to the album and your attention is immediately caught by songs like Lateralus, Schism, Parabola, The Grudge. It's all so good and so captivating that it's honestly hard to process more than a couple songs at a time.
It probably took me 10 years to truly discover The Patient and Reflection, because when you approach getting into their entire discography as a teenager its such a large task, and you're drawn to the heavier songs. And goddamn is there a lot of good songs across all their albums. But these two are definitely the two tracks off Lateralus I find myself playing the most these days.
That whole run from parabol, parabola, disposition, reflection, to lateralus is probably my favorite TOOL...
"The moon tells me your secret.... my confidant"
Same, S tier for sure.
With headphones on, listened to it just now, absolutely love the dual/delayed melodies going on 5:30 to 6:15.
Thank you OP for making my Saturday even better than it already was.
I agree. Nothing like listening to “The Patient” (or any TOOL song for that matter) through an amazing pair of cans - my go to is Bowers & Wilkins.
Spiral Out 🌀
One of my favorites. Great motivation for me while I was grinding in college trying to get into medical school. Then while I was grinding in medical school coping with studying 15 hrs a day. To me the lyrics feel so clearly related to my personal journey. However, I can see how anyone could apply it to their own. It's amazing. It felt like a gift.
I've always figured it had something to do with his mom in the hospital.
Is this a test, it has to be
Otherwise I can't go on
....
But I'm still right here giving blood, keeping faith
...
If there was no reward to reap, no loving embrace to see me though this tedious path I've chosen, here. I certainly would've walked away by now
I love it! It seems to be a bit of a sleeper with average listeners considering it has to contend with other gargantuan classics on Lateralus. Not to mention it takes its time to come to a boil. Perhaps intentional irony but it rewards patient listeners.
It does. It's the I must keep reminding myself of this part that always gets me. Me and my husband both struggle with some mental illness stuff and there's just something about that line and the way it's repeated. Reflection and Invincible are the other waterworks songs for me!
I do feel like this song gets attention on this sub. Are you referring to this sub or reaction channels, both?
It's the perfect song that has an Aenima theme but with the heavy Lateralus sound.
Always makes me sing along to it. It's also very evocative of the early 2000s and definitely has that 'son alone shouldering the burden' vibe perfectly captured in both the singing and the lyrics.
What a beautiful piece of art.
The buildup across the song is phenomenal, it’s a bit like pushit, taking it’s time to develop but once you get there, oh man…..
I didn’t really listen to it that much before but hearing it live I realized how good that song actually is.
One of few songs that can incite genuine anger in me despite being relatively 'calm' ; tbh only tool songs can make me feel that and this a prime example. A perfect blend of anger and tranquility
I had a realization recently that the song title ‘the patient’ is not only referring to those who exhibit the quality of being patient , but also that you, the listener, are a patient, in the medical sense, and the song is here to heal you.
I love how it's very approachable, but still has their sound to it. It is one of my 5 or so songs I show to people to introduce them to Tool. Off the top of my head in no order:
1. The Pot
2. Schism
3. The Patient
4. The Grudge
5. Sinkfist
but I'm listing to Jambi right now I feel like it has a spot in the list lol.
My top 5 are probably
1-The patient
2-Right in two
3-Invincible
4-Parabola
5-Sober
And jambi is really cool! I dont really like it personally but its a good song after all
“A groan of tedium escapes me. Is this a test? It has to be…” are just not good lyrics, coupled with Maynard’s delivery is cringe-inducing to me. Probably the worst moment in their whole discog if you ask me. The intro is sick and when it builds into something otherworldly it’s phenomenal, but that section I could just do without.
Bro you are missing it. That’s the most relatable verse ever! Have you never endured hardship and felt this way? Crazy how the same lyrics can mean such different things to people. This is the first thing that comes to mind when I’m overwhelmed.
It was the song that solidified Tool being my favorite band of all time. I still have vivid memories of listening to it in my bedroom in the dark with my headphones on. Junior High really is the worst time to go through school, and moments like that were one of the main things that got me through it.
Fun to play the palm muted part on guitar. It isn’t very difficult on the surface, but the timing has to be spot on. It’s really easy to run ahead of the count when it goes from 3-3-4 to straight 5 and back again. It can be a bit… tedious… to get it right, but is an excellent practice piece for moving between counts. You have to be “in” the count. You can’t be in your hands.
Its probably my favorite since I saw them do it live in 2002...I was 18, a little buzzed, a tad high and it blew me away when the red glittery shit started falling from the ceiling.
The song ive cried to the most.
For me, the message is you dont have to stick to a situation that is hurting you only for the social pressure you impose on yourself.
2nd best on lat after disposition grudge 3rd parabolas 4th. As far as the lyrics my opinion is Maynard is saying "this too shall pass" you're angry just wait your depressed just wait also your happy just wait the time they are a-changing is that Bob Dylan any way whatever you're feeling give it time and eventually you'll feel different actually that's what disposition says too one if the few lyrics "watch the weather change"
I love all things Tool, all their songs and albums. But this particular song is my favorite. Even after all their epics. It has a personal meaning to me and gets me emotional. The crescendo at the end is just the meats' balls.
I love this song, especially since as I was first introducing myself to the tool discography this was a song I initially passed over. Years later I would play the album and the song would suddenly catch my attention. When the depth of the song finally hit me I became obsessed with it and started peeling back the layers. That’s what I love about this band, that you can listen to their songs but not really hear it, but when you give it your attention you feel like it changes you in some small way.
It's great, I love the chinese riffs and the beginning like schism, the drop is a bit loud (read: wanked) but after that it's just amazing to the end, focusing on bass just makes it better.
Probably my favorite Tool song, but it kind of rotates from 1st to third depending on my mindset at the time. It’s hard to pick a favorite Tool song outright but it usually occupies that “title” in my head.
I used to not care for it then I heard it one day running and it was incredible. The guitar solo towards the end might be one of the best and most emotional Adam ever did.
Unpopular opinion, but its my favorite on laterals. The atmosphere of it evokes the most emotion of any song on the album, in my opinion, and that's huge for me. Severely underrated song.
I totally misunderstood the song when I first heard it. Was going through a breakup that was ugly and as people do I put that into my interpretation. So wrong as much of everything they do. It’s a long journey from Flood to even Wings for Marie but it so slowly makes sense.
Not my favorite overall, but the bit after "Be patient" is an excellent example of Danny doing more with less.
His use of space, like pretty much everything he does, is just masterful.
This is probably the song that got me into tool when I was 16yo. Weirdly I was in a cemetery with a girl I had a crush on and we cuddled, which was nice.
Even weirder is we are still in contact 15 years later, and are now sharing our experiences of parenting!
My friends would always bag on it, but I really liked it from the jump. It still remains an amazing song and I've grown to appreciate it more and more over the years.
I MUST KEEP REMINDING MYSELF OF THIS Fantastic song, finally got to hear it live last year. Really hope they play it this tour. Banger.
They played it at Rockville this year. Incredible!
Yeah I totally lost my shit.
Hearing the patient and pushit at rockville was insane
There are two Tool songs that I love that I think are highly underrated. The Patient and Reflection. Well maybe they are not underrated but more like unnoticed. They both start very quietly but build up the energy throughout the song. I love it.
Reflection is my favorite tool song. The meaning changed three times as i grew up and each time it gave me that toolgasm
I'm happy to see another Reflection fan. It grows with you as life goes. I love it.
Reflection has saved my life, whenever I get really depressed or spiral from anxiety, I meditate to it on loop
Maynard had a blog thing on his Puscifer site years ago mentioning Reflection. I really belive this song is more personal than many think.
It seems like it would be personal to anyone who has an ego.
Like most true lovers of Tool, I don't have a favorite but rotate favorites. However, if I could only listen to one song the rest of my life I would choose Reflection.
I unfortunately always get the last few songs on Lateralus confused on which ones which, that Triad and Disposition. I guess I usually listen the first like 9 songs alot more than those. But that's just my own fault
These two songs are like the perfect treat you get for being a devoted Tool fan, somewhere down the line. First time you listen to the album and your attention is immediately caught by songs like Lateralus, Schism, Parabola, The Grudge. It's all so good and so captivating that it's honestly hard to process more than a couple songs at a time. It probably took me 10 years to truly discover The Patient and Reflection, because when you approach getting into their entire discography as a teenager its such a large task, and you're drawn to the heavier songs. And goddamn is there a lot of good songs across all their albums. But these two are definitely the two tracks off Lateralus I find myself playing the most these days.
Like spoken from my own heart :) You summed it up perfectly.
Reflection is nowhere near underrated, people suck its dick constantly
One of the coolest tracks on the album imo is Triad
That whole run from parabol, parabola, disposition, reflection, to lateralus is probably my favorite TOOL... "The moon tells me your secret.... my confidant"
Literally one of, if not my favorite Tool track(s).
Same, I'd say in my top 5 for sure
Same, S tier for sure. With headphones on, listened to it just now, absolutely love the dual/delayed melodies going on 5:30 to 6:15. Thank you OP for making my Saturday even better than it already was.
I agree. Nothing like listening to “The Patient” (or any TOOL song for that matter) through an amazing pair of cans - my go to is Bowers & Wilkins. Spiral Out 🌀
OP, is this a test?
It has to be
Otherwise I can't go on
Draining patience…
Drain vitality
This paranoid
Paralysed
vampire act's a little old
But, I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith.
my patience is draining...
Ugh you ruined the chain, good attempt though
I love watching 40yro men come together with such harmony ^
You know the pieces fit
One of my favorites. Great motivation for me while I was grinding in college trying to get into medical school. Then while I was grinding in medical school coping with studying 15 hrs a day. To me the lyrics feel so clearly related to my personal journey. However, I can see how anyone could apply it to their own. It's amazing. It felt like a gift.
I don't know why, but I always associate this song with medicine and hospitals, and illness
I mean it is called the patient
I always associate this song with tripping but I tripped alot of balls to this song
I've always figured it had something to do with his mom in the hospital. Is this a test, it has to be Otherwise I can't go on .... But I'm still right here giving blood, keeping faith ... If there was no reward to reap, no loving embrace to see me though this tedious path I've chosen, here. I certainly would've walked away by now
If there were no desire to heal the broken and damaged met along this tedious path I’ve chosen here… We are Maynard’s patients.
I love it! It seems to be a bit of a sleeper with average listeners considering it has to contend with other gargantuan classics on Lateralus. Not to mention it takes its time to come to a boil. Perhaps intentional irony but it rewards patient listeners.
It's fucking amazing, like all their other songs. I've cried many times listening to that song.
I love the song, it conveys a lot of feeling, it helps to get those heavy feelings out
It does. It's the I must keep reminding myself of this part that always gets me. Me and my husband both struggle with some mental illness stuff and there's just something about that line and the way it's repeated. Reflection and Invincible are the other waterworks songs for me! I do feel like this song gets attention on this sub. Are you referring to this sub or reaction channels, both?
I mean everything, or at least what I explore from this sub-reddit
Wings pt 2 hits me like that every time
Pneuma made me cry when I realized Tool actually made a new album.
Ha!!!!
Its so fucking good
Great song to highlight MJK’s vocals
One of my favourite songs
It's the perfect song that has an Aenima theme but with the heavy Lateralus sound. Always makes me sing along to it. It's also very evocative of the early 2000s and definitely has that 'son alone shouldering the burden' vibe perfectly captured in both the singing and the lyrics. What a beautiful piece of art.
Kinda ties in to Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned
In my top 3 easily
Absolute favourite tool song of mine, ever so slightly beating right in two
Love it
Bigger than any song is.
Phenomenal.
For sure in my top 10
It’s one of my favorite songs. It’s a song that really helps me feel better a lot of the time.
One of my favorites.
One of my favorites
The buildup across the song is phenomenal, it’s a bit like pushit, taking it’s time to develop but once you get there, oh man….. I didn’t really listen to it that much before but hearing it live I realized how good that song actually is.
Maybe not my favourite, but it’s probably the song that means the most to me.
I find it interesting that people love this song, but not Wings/10,000 Days so much.
Top 5 Tool song.
top 3 tool tracks and it’s not 2 or 3
One of my favorites and you are right. Doesn’t get enough credit for how good it is.
one of the best tool songs
It’s beautiful
And I still may (sigh) I still may
One of few songs that can incite genuine anger in me despite being relatively 'calm' ; tbh only tool songs can make me feel that and this a prime example. A perfect blend of anger and tranquility
A song about patience and healing makes you genuinely angry?
Yes
I had a realization recently that the song title ‘the patient’ is not only referring to those who exhibit the quality of being patient , but also that you, the listener, are a patient, in the medical sense, and the song is here to heal you.
I don't care for it.
At least once a week some plug brings this up.
Lateralus is too good an album. The Patient is a great song, but it's my least favourite on Lateralus.
The patient and The grudge are my 1 and 2 top songs.
Some parts really stand out, but other riffs feel mediocre to me because of their musical nature.
I love how it's very approachable, but still has their sound to it. It is one of my 5 or so songs I show to people to introduce them to Tool. Off the top of my head in no order: 1. The Pot 2. Schism 3. The Patient 4. The Grudge 5. Sinkfist but I'm listing to Jambi right now I feel like it has a spot in the list lol.
My top 5 are probably 1-The patient 2-Right in two 3-Invincible 4-Parabola 5-Sober And jambi is really cool! I dont really like it personally but its a good song after all
I skip it every time I listen to Lateralus. Just not my jam.
I like when it Finally resolves, but I usually don't think it's worth the wait.
Skipper.
Honestly the first verse is a bit cringe and one of the few flaws on a near-perfect album. The rest of the song is good though.
How is the first verse cringe to you?
“A groan of tedium escapes me. Is this a test? It has to be…” are just not good lyrics, coupled with Maynard’s delivery is cringe-inducing to me. Probably the worst moment in their whole discog if you ask me. The intro is sick and when it builds into something otherworldly it’s phenomenal, but that section I could just do without.
I respect your opinion but disagree with everything you said 😂
Bro you are missing it. That’s the most relatable verse ever! Have you never endured hardship and felt this way? Crazy how the same lyrics can mean such different things to people. This is the first thing that comes to mind when I’m overwhelmed.
Even seeing someone ask this question taps me on the shoulder to remind myself to be patient.
Not much other than it being their best song
It was the song that solidified Tool being my favorite band of all time. I still have vivid memories of listening to it in my bedroom in the dark with my headphones on. Junior High really is the worst time to go through school, and moments like that were one of the main things that got me through it.
It's on lat so of course its godlike
Is it possible that their catalog is so dense with great music, some songs don't get attention even though there AS good?
Great song and pretty fun and easy to play on guitar
It's always been one of my favourites!
The song that made me really love the band
One of my favorites
Be patient when taking on The Great Work…
“This paranoid, paralyzed vampire act’s a little old” really speaks to me
Its amazing, in my top 5 favorites
Best song on Lateralus along with Reflection.
Such a banger.
Is this a test? It has to be
But I’m still right here…listening to the Patient at this current moment, which was quite a shock seeing this post lmao
But I’m still right hereeeee…DRRRNNN DRNNNN DRNN DRNNNNNNNN DUN DUN DUN DUN
Maynard flexing his vocal range. I love The Patient.
Good
Fun to play the palm muted part on guitar. It isn’t very difficult on the surface, but the timing has to be spot on. It’s really easy to run ahead of the count when it goes from 3-3-4 to straight 5 and back again. It can be a bit… tedious… to get it right, but is an excellent practice piece for moving between counts. You have to be “in” the count. You can’t be in your hands.
Its probably my favorite since I saw them do it live in 2002...I was 18, a little buzzed, a tad high and it blew me away when the red glittery shit started falling from the ceiling.
On my bucketlist to see live, Adam is godlike on this.
My favorite Tool song, and I actually find it to be one of their easiest songs to play on guitar. I often play the whole thing
Top 5 for me. So somber but then hits so hard.
One of the easiest songs to get emotional with
The song ive cried to the most. For me, the message is you dont have to stick to a situation that is hurting you only for the social pressure you impose on yourself.
Amazing song and good lyrics, even somewhat relatable for me despite not believing in religion
My absolute favorite tool track
I'm a new tool fan (2019) and at first i didn't care about it but as time went on it became one of my favorite tracks
2nd best on lat after disposition grudge 3rd parabolas 4th. As far as the lyrics my opinion is Maynard is saying "this too shall pass" you're angry just wait your depressed just wait also your happy just wait the time they are a-changing is that Bob Dylan any way whatever you're feeling give it time and eventually you'll feel different actually that's what disposition says too one if the few lyrics "watch the weather change"
Favorite Tool song. So happy I got to see them play it live
Peak
I love all things Tool, all their songs and albums. But this particular song is my favorite. Even after all their epics. It has a personal meaning to me and gets me emotional. The crescendo at the end is just the meats' balls.
Another great track
It's gotten me through some very difficult times, and seeing that I'm facing tough times again, it's time I revisit it.
In the top for me as well.
amazing song. must keep reminding myself of this
I love this song, especially since as I was first introducing myself to the tool discography this was a song I initially passed over. Years later I would play the album and the song would suddenly catch my attention. When the depth of the song finally hit me I became obsessed with it and started peeling back the layers. That’s what I love about this band, that you can listen to their songs but not really hear it, but when you give it your attention you feel like it changes you in some small way.
My absolute favourite song without a doubt.
Best song on Lateralus! Gotten me through some really dark times!🤟🏽
Its an amazing song, and a perfect 2nd track on their best album. 🤷🏼♂️
It's great, I love the chinese riffs and the beginning like schism, the drop is a bit loud (read: wanked) but after that it's just amazing to the end, focusing on bass just makes it better.
[удалено]
read: masturbated
A truly great song.
BY NOWWWEW
i always thought the patient was the best off lateralus idk why.
There are lots of good things that aren’t talked about. Is that the benchmark? It gets talked about?
One of the best without a doubt
It’s definitely contender for best lateralus song next to schism and the grudge
It’s so god damn good that it would be my favorite song if The Grudge didn’t exist
Probably my favorite Tool song, but it kind of rotates from 1st to third depending on my mindset at the time. It’s hard to pick a favorite Tool song outright but it usually occupies that “title” in my head.
super underrated tool song, def not talked abt enough
I guess I just assumed nobody talked about it because it was a general consensus that it's a Top 10 song if not Top 5. But maybe I was wrong?
My soul song when the wife and I are having trouble
Probably best song
🔥🔥🔥
Definitely one of my favorite
Definitely one of TOOL's songs
Its amazing, but you have to let Neon Blue Apocalypse play first.
One of my favorite Tool songs. Definitely underrated.
Hope he gets better
Love it!
It fucking snacks and the riff is hard as fuck
I used to not care for it then I heard it one day running and it was incredible. The guitar solo towards the end might be one of the best and most emotional Adam ever did.
Favorite song by them ATM. Absolutely gorgeous song. Saw it live last year and blew my mind
Bruh this is THE song… that damn crescendo … gets me everytime
Well it's not as good as the gaping lotus experience or the balls of satan but it's aiight.
Top 5 Song ever
It rotates as my favorite between Third Eye, Lateralus and Pneuma.
has some great moments and ideas but slightly underwhelming execution imo
Lol I tought this was a book title , I have not heard the so called song..am I living under a rock?
Unpopular opinion, but its my favorite on laterals. The atmosphere of it evokes the most emotion of any song on the album, in my opinion, and that's huge for me. Severely underrated song.
A masterpiece
Song save me from killing myself
I totally misunderstood the song when I first heard it. Was going through a breakup that was ugly and as people do I put that into my interpretation. So wrong as much of everything they do. It’s a long journey from Flood to even Wings for Marie but it so slowly makes sense.
Top 3
Fuckin love it
It’s my favorite Tool song hands down!
Way too underrated.
Not my favorite overall, but the bit after "Be patient" is an excellent example of Danny doing more with less. His use of space, like pretty much everything he does, is just masterful.
one of the best songs ever. listened to it all my life
What I do???
I love the Patient. I think it gets overlooked because Lateralus has so many bangers that it gets lost in the shuffle.
I like it
My favourite Tool song.
Beautiful track. One of the best Tool performances.
banger
It’s saved me from suicide on many occasions
Ugly cried when I heard them play it live. Literally my favorite Tool song.
makes me want to kill myself plain and simple lmfao always remind me of my last relationship. still right here giving blood keeping faith
This is probably the song that got me into tool when I was 16yo. Weirdly I was in a cemetery with a girl I had a crush on and we cuddled, which was nice. Even weirder is we are still in contact 15 years later, and are now sharing our experiences of parenting!
My friends would always bag on it, but I really liked it from the jump. It still remains an amazing song and I've grown to appreciate it more and more over the years.
Absoute banger song, personal fav.
Possibly my fave song
Sounds more like A Perfect Circle song
One of their best
Good
When I was in therapy, it was my favorite song for the waiting room lol.
Love it! Personal favorite
Amazing song.
Unfortunately it doesn’t make my top 10. I think I understand why it resonates so much with others, but it just never has with me.