### Tool: Salival CD/DVD

#### 02/11/09 || InquisitorGeneralis

A limited edition, out of print box set by a band that always stirs up huge hissyfits of trve metalness that drip of weepy vagina? Sounds like a recipe for success to me, let’s swallow us some Tool! This time around, it’s “Salival”. A super-rare CD/DVD set that I got (actually I just kept the damn thing) from a local metalhead, bum-type character from back in my NYC days. He owed me countless beers and blunts so when I moved I forgot to give him his “Salival” set back. Fuck off Petey Boy, you should have offered to pay for all those Busch Lights!

Anywho, it is no small secret (ask Daemonomania about small secrets, he carries one around in his dress slacks) that I love me some TizzOOL. I verbally whacked off all over Aenima and I Class6(66)ed Undertow , a move that rattled the sabres of the Domination Forum elite who continually deride the “metalness” of Maynard and his Merry Men. Well, opinions are like assholes… I kick the shit out of them and Tool kicks the shit out of most of the “metal” that gets love around here. I believe there is an entire fucken thread devoted to the godawfulshittiness that is power metal somewhere on our forums so… umm… yeah, let’s not get to pretentious about what is metal mmmkkk? Ok, on with the review…

“Salival” is a creative, but somewhat flawed offering from a band that certainly marches to their own off-tempo, sacred-geometrical beat. The DVD features the eye-catching, disturbing videos for “Aenima”, “Sober”, “Stinkfist”, “ Hush” and “Prison Sex”. While these are pretty fucken cool only five videos (only four on the VHS) each around five minutes is a pretty weak amount for a DVD. I think it is about goddamn time for a Tool concert on film, but just like a threesome with hot Asian female twins, I guess I am just going to have to pin that one on false hope.

Ok, so what we have on the CD is mostly live material that includes some unreleased stuff that Tool only played in the flesh. Things get going with a live cut of “Third eye”. While not my favorite Tool track by any stretch for them to play “Third eye” in all of its thirteen pus minutes of insanity is commendable. Plus, the Timothy Leary spoken intro is a solid addition. “Pushit” comes out the anus next and is really a standout track. This peculiar live version has a much different, ambient beginning (Maynard announces to the audience they will be experimenting with the song, and some other reflective bullshit) so you know this is going to be a far cry from the studio version. However, real Tool fools will appreciate how the song kicks back to album format at the just the right moment so things can end with a bang.

“Part of me” is song you will probably never hear Tool play live again so it is a decent inclusion here, although it is certainly not one of Tools best songs. “You lie” is a cover song from bassist Justin Chancellor’s prior outfit Peach and is pretty fucken good. It almost sounds like “Dehumanizer” era Sabbath with a much different vocal delivery. “Merkaba” is fluffy filler and easy skipable.

One song however makes this limited set worth tracking down: a flawless cover of the Led Zepplin classic “No quarter”. Holydogshit does Tool tear this up. Great cover songs (which there are few) occur when a band preserves the original essence of the song while adding just enough of their own personal touch or style to make it distinct. Check and check on “No quarter” dominators: Tool takes all the of creepy and psychedelia that made the Zep version so awesome and spices it up with just the right amount of heaviness, especially in the rockin’ out ending that perfectly wraps up this crazy compilation’s standout track.

“Salival” is definitely not for someone who has never heard of Tool before, that I am willing to admit. However, this is a definitely must for someone who is well versed in the band and its craziness. The ridiculously good cover of “No quarter” will attract both old and new fans for sure but the rare live tracks will only truly be enjoyed by someone whose musical vagina has been sufficiently wetted by prior Tool penetration. But, in the end it’s pretty fucken good and gets a fair amount of spins from me even though I have the entire Tool catalogue on the old iPod. Final verdict: “Salival” is weird and slightly flawed (like the band that created it) but ultimately creative and enjoyable (also like the band that created it). Don’t you love when your reviews get tied up with nice pink ribbons?

- Information
- Released: 2000
- Label: Volcano
- Website: www.tool-band.com
- Band
- Maynard James Keenan: vocals
- Adam Jones: guitar
- Justin Chancellor: bass, backing vocals
- Danny Carey: drums

- Tracklist CD:
- 01. Third Eye (Live)
- 02. Part of Me (Live)
- 03. Pushit (Live)
- 04. Message to Harry Manback II
- 05. You Lied (Peach cover) (Live)
- 06. Merkaba (Live)
- 07. No Quarter (Led Zeppelin cover)
- 08. L.A.M.C.
- VHS/DVD videos
- 01. Sober
- 02. Prison Sex
- 03. Hush
- 04. Stinkfist
- 05. Aenima