Undertow is the debut studio album by the rock band Tool, released on April 6, 1993, by Zoo Entertainment. Produced by the band and Sylvia Massy, it was recorded from October to December 1992 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys and Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood. The album includes some tracks the band decided to not release on their debut EP Opiate. This is their only album to feature original bassist Paul D’Amour. Undertow was released at a time when Grunge was at the height of its popularity, and pop punk was slowly beginning to gather mainstream attention.
The art was designed by Adam Jones. Photos in the liner notes of a nude obese woman, a nude thin man, and the band members with pins in the sides of their heads generated controversy, resulting in the album being removed from stores such as Kmart and Walmart. Tool reacted by releasing another version, which depicted a giant barcode on a white background. This version of the album included a note from the band:
It came to our attention recently that many stores across our fine and open minded nation would not stock Undertow because of our explicit artwork. Although we loathe being censored, we want your money we still want you to hear our music, so we took it out.
However, it is available to you at no extra cost. Fill out the form, stick it in an envelope, mail it in, and we will send you the original artwork. Love, Tool.
The message on the photographs of the band members reads “Trust me trust me trust me trust me trust me I just want to start this over say you won’t go this is love I’ll make weapons out of my imperfections lay back and let me show you another way only this one holy medium brings me peace of mind cleanse and purge me in the water twice as loud as reason euphoria I’ve been far too sympathetic no one told you to come I hope it sucks you down life feeds on life this is necessary.”
In some versions of the album, when the black CD tray is removed from the case, a picture of a cow licking what appears to be its genital region is revealed. In other versions of the album, released internationally, the picture of the cow licking the genital region is viewable without problems under the transparent backing of the disc case. The photo of the cow is accredited in the album’s liner notes to have been taken by Danielle Bregman.
The ribcage is also on the front cover of the album, but the obese woman is absent from the booklet; only the members of the band are depicted. Adam Jones‘ pet pig, Moe, appears on the back cover amid an array of forks standing on end. As of 2020, Undertow has sold over three million copies in the United States, and is certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
Tracklist:
- Intolerance
- Prison Sex
- Sober
- Bottom (Keenan & Henry Rollins)
- Crawl Away
- Swamp Song
- Undertow
- 4°
- Flood
- Disgustipated
Japanese edition - Opiate (Opiate does not include “The Gaping Lotus Experience”)
Australasian bonus disc
- Undertow
- Sober
- Opiate (Opiate does not include “The Gaping Lotus Experience”)
- Flood
- Prison Sex
- Jerk Off
- Prison Sex
- Bottom
Disgustipated: (Song ends at 6:45. Sounds of crickets chirping can be heard for 7 minutes and 5 seconds, then at 13:50 a hidden message plays while the crickets continue until the end.)
Disgustipated is track 69 on most pressings in North America (tracks 10–68 are silent; tracks 10–67 are one second each in length, and track 68 is two seconds). It also appears as track 39, track 10 (mostly in Europe and Australia) or as a hidden track following Flood on track nine. On certain Japanese imports, Disgustipated is track 70. In all cases, however, it is listed as track 10 on the album itself.
Tool
Maynard James Keenan: vocals (listed as Möstresticator)
Adam Jones: guitar (listed as Bastardometer), artwork
Paul D’Amour: bass (listed as Bottom Feeder)
Danny Carey: drums (listed as Membranophones)
Additional personnel
Henry Rollins: additional vocals on Bottom
Statik: programming on Disgustipated
Chris Haskett: sledgehammers on Disgustipated
Production
Produced and Mixed by Sylvia Massy
Mixed by Ron St. Germain
Mastering by Howie Weinberg
