Even through all of its faults, this is just the beginning for them.
Undertow could have been a much better album if Tool had shaved off a minute out of half of the tracks, as many of the songs don't justify such a long running time.
'Crawl Away' and the title track are both tedious and monotonous, wasting about ten minutes of album space on truly insipid music. 'Flood' drags on for nearly eight minutes, accomplishing nothing but showing how bland Tool can be when they want to. It's not a perfect album though the middle of the record is chock-full of filler tracks that easily rank among the album's worst. With the release of their debut studio album Undertow, Tool showcase their incredible songwriting skills and excellent riffs on tracks like lead single 'Sober' and opener 'Intolerance'. Songs like 'Hush' and the title track were filled with chugging riffs and cynical lyrics about subjects such as censorship and religion. While not one of the best releases in the last year, it certainly displayed some of this four-piece alternative metal group's potential. Rising metal act Tool have made a splash in the underground scene after the release of their 1992 EP Opiate.
