Ænima
Encyclopedia
Ænima is the second studio album by American rock
band Tool
. The album was released on September 17, 1996 in vinyl
format and on October 1, 1996 in Compact Disc
format. The album was recorded and cut at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and The Hook
, North Hollywood, California from 1995 to 1996. On its initial release, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
chart, and has since been certified triple platinum
by the RIAA
on March 4, 2003. As of July, 7, 2010, Ænima has sold 3,429,000 copies in the US.
The album appeared on several lists of the best albums of 1996, including that of Kerrang!
and Terrorizer. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
in 1998. In 2003, Aenima was ranked the 6th most influential album of all time by Kerrang! In 2006, it placed 14th on a Guitar World readers poll that attempted to find the best 100 guitar albums.
Carl Jung
) and 'enema
' the medical procedure.
Music videos were made for "Stinkfist
" and "Ænema
". Promotional singles were issued for "H.", "Eulogy", and "Forty-Six & 2".
Several of the songs are short segue
s or interludes that connect to longer songs, pushing the total duration of the CD towards the maximum of around 80 minutes. These segues are "Useful Idiot", "Message to Harry Manback", "Intermission", "Die Eier Von Satan", "Cesaro Summability", and "(-) Ions".
Themes of the album include Egyptian mythology
in a seven-pointed star symbolizing Babalon
, and sacred geometry
in dividing the planet into grids related to chromosome
s. The band dedicated the album to Bill Hicks
(a comedian who the band felt was going in the same direction as them) and claimed this album to be partly inspired by him. The inside cover displays art featuring a painting of a disabled patient that shows a resemblance to singer Maynard James Keenan and Bill Hicks depicted as a doctor or "healer" with the line, "Another Dead Hero". Lines from Bill Hicks' standup set, "One Good Drug Story" and "The War on Drugs" are sampled before the song "Third Eye" and the track "Ænema" makes lyrical references to Bill Hicks' set Arizona Bay
, which is about the San Andreas fault
collapsing. The title track's lyrics suggest the only way to fix L.A. is to flush it all away and advises, "Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay." Underneath the CD the lenticular cased version shows a picture of California falling into the Pacific Ocean
.
on bass, before he left the band. These appeared online in early 2007. D'Amour also worked on "H.", as he is credited as a co-songwriter on ASCAP's website.
Danny Carey
labeled L. Ron Hubbard
as the subject of "Eulogy".
Speculation has surrounded the song "H." The "meaning" of this song has seldom been detailed by the band, as they do not regularly comment on such things. However on several occasions, specifically on November 23, 1996 during a show at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Maynard does grant some insight into the meaning of the song. Speaking to the audience he says, "Any of you ever seen those old Warner Bros. cartoons? Sometimes there's that one where the guy is trying to make a decision and he's got an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Seems pretty obvious, right? The angel is trying to give him good advice while the devil is trying to get him to do what's bad for him. It's not always that simple though. A lot of times they're not really angels or devils but friends giving you advice, looking out for your best interest but not really understanding what's going to be best for you. So it kind of comes down to you. You have to make the decision yourself. This song is called H." The song was discussed live during a few other shows around this time, one example being on February 23, 1997, when Maynard introduced this song by referring to the shoulder angel
and devil, and also said it's about a hurtful yet dependent relationship. In an interview Keenan gave in December 1996, he commented, "My son's name is Devo H. That's all I'll say." It is also of note that the song's working title was "Half Empty
", as it was introduced during a mini-tour of California
by the band in December 1995. In the book, "Teachings of Don Juan, a Yaqui Way of Knowledge", the author refers to a character named H. Keenan.
The track "Useful Idiot" features the sound of the end of a gramophone record
gaining more sound and gets louder as the track progresses. The track was set at the end of side 1 of the vinyl versions of Ænima as a joke to fool those who owned the version.
"Hooker with a Penis" refers to a fan who accused the band of selling out
after their first EP. "OGT" is taken to stand for "Original Gangster Tool". Keenan whispers in the left channel throughout the song. At 1:41, "consume, be fruitful, and multiply" may be alluding to Genesis, which contains the phrase "be fruitful and multiply" six times. During Lollapalooza
1997, a version of "Hooker with a Penis" remixed by Billy Howerdel
in the form of lounge music
played over the public address
system between sets.
During 1996 concerts, Maynard told audiences that the song "Jimmy" is the sequel to "Prison Sex
", and how it's about getting through the abuse. It is preceded by "Intermission", a short organ adaptation of the opening riff of "Jimmy".
The segue "Die Eier von Satan" has a heavy industrial
guitar played over a reversed drum beat with an irregular time signature
(9/8). The lyrical component of the song is in German
, performed by Marko Fox, a member of ZAUM
. He is backed by a sound that resembles a hydraulic press
, and crowd cheering and applause that increase in volume as the lyrics are read with increasing ferocity. These combined effects make the song sound like a militant German rant or Nazi rally. While the sound and the word "Satan" in the title may suggest to listeners that the lyrics feature aggressive or even violent content, the speaker is merely reciting a cookie recipe, for hashish
or Mexican cookies. The song was originally translated by Gudrun Fox. According to Blair McKenzie Blake, the maintainer of the official Tool website, "Die Eier von Satan" originally were cookies that "Marko Fox's grandmother used to bake for him as a child, without using eggs as an ingredient. The substitution for eggs is a magical incantation
from the worm-eaten pages of some moldering grimoire
." This magical incantation ("sim salabim bam ba saladu saladim") is taken from the German children's song "Auf einem Baum ein Kuckuck saß". According to the lyrics, the special ingredient
besides this "incantation" is actually "a knife-tip of Turkish
hashish
". The title literally translates to "The Eggs of Satan" or "The Balls of Satan", due to a German double entendre
of "Eier", which means "eggs
" and also serves as a slang
word for "testicle
s". The experimentation in this song has been compared to that of Einstürzende Neubauten
. A slow version of "Pushit" was performed live and appears on Salival
.
The song "Third Eye" contains samples of comedian Bill Hicks
.
The title may be a reference to Hicks' assertions that psilocybe mushrooms could be used to "squeegee [one's] third eye clean."
A goal of the album as a whole was to "open people up in some way and help open their third eye and help them on a path."
Many regional versions stated the track times for tracks 3 and 4 in reverse. This is noted on all pressings from Australia, UK, and Europe.
. North American pressings of the album were packaged in a custom lenticular
jewel case (called a "Multi-Image CD case" in the liner notes) for the cover and interior disc tray. The cover art and other images in the liner notes can be set behind the lenticular "lens" to create an effect of sequential animation
. European pressings of the CD featured a standard case, and the insert contained the covers of fictional Tool releases.
The special images used for the lenticular effect are:
Additional musicians
Production
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
. The album was released on September 17, 1996 in vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
format and on October 1, 1996 in Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
format. The album was recorded and cut at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and The Hook
The Hook
The Hook is a classic example of an urban legend. The basic premise involves a young couple parked at a dark lovers' lane. The radio plays music as the couple make out. The music is interrupted by an announcer who reports that a serial killer has just escaped an institution which is nearby. The...
, North Hollywood, California from 1995 to 1996. On its initial release, the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, and has since been certified triple platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on March 4, 2003. As of July, 7, 2010, Ænima has sold 3,429,000 copies in the US.
The album appeared on several lists of the best albums of 1996, including that of Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
and Terrorizer. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
in 1998. In 2003, Aenima was ranked the 6th most influential album of all time by Kerrang! In 2006, it placed 14th on a Guitar World readers poll that attempted to find the best 100 guitar albums.
Background
The title Ænima is a combination of the words 'anima' (Latin for 'soul' associated with the ideas of "life force" and a term often used by psychologistPsychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
Carl Jung
Carl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
) and 'enema
Enema
An enema is the procedure of introducing liquids into the rectum and colon via the anus. The increasing volume of the liquid causes rapid expansion of the lower intestinal tract, often resulting in very uncomfortable bloating, cramping, powerful peristalsis, a feeling of extreme urgency and...
' the medical procedure.
Music videos were made for "Stinkfist
Stinkfist
"Stinkfist" is a song by American rock band Tool. It is released as the first single and first music video from their second album Ænima. Due to its name and perceived subject, the song had its lyrics altered and its title changed by TV and radio programmers, who also shortened the track...
" and "Ænema
Ænema
"Ænema" is a Grammy Award-winning song by rock band Tool, released as the third single from their second album Ænima. Adam Jones made a video for the song using stop-motion animation that appears on Salival. The song reached number twenty-five on the U.S...
". Promotional singles were issued for "H.", "Eulogy", and "Forty-Six & 2".
Several of the songs are short segue
Segue
A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...
s or interludes that connect to longer songs, pushing the total duration of the CD towards the maximum of around 80 minutes. These segues are "Useful Idiot", "Message to Harry Manback", "Intermission", "Die Eier Von Satan", "Cesaro Summability", and "(-) Ions".
Themes of the album include Egyptian mythology
Egyptian mythology
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals which were an integral part of ancient Egyptian society. It centered on the Egyptians' interaction with a multitude of deities who were believed to be present in, and in control of, the forces and elements of nature...
in a seven-pointed star symbolizing Babalon
Babalon
Babalon—also known as The Scarlet Woman, The Great Mother, or the Mother of Abominations—is a goddess found in the mystical system of Thelema, which was established in 1904 with English author and occultist Aleister Crowley's writing of The Book of the Law...
, and sacred geometry
Sacred geometry
Sacred geometry is the geometry used in the planning and construction of religious structures such as churches, temples, mosques, religious monuments, altars, tabernacles; as well as for sacred spaces such as temenoi, sacred groves, village greens and holy wells, and the creation of religious art...
in dividing the planet into grids related to chromosome
Chromosome
A chromosome is an organized structure of DNA and protein found in cells. It is a single piece of coiled DNA containing many genes, regulatory elements and other nucleotide sequences. Chromosomes also contain DNA-bound proteins, which serve to package the DNA and control its functions.Chromosomes...
s. The band dedicated the album to Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
(a comedian who the band felt was going in the same direction as them) and claimed this album to be partly inspired by him. The inside cover displays art featuring a painting of a disabled patient that shows a resemblance to singer Maynard James Keenan and Bill Hicks depicted as a doctor or "healer" with the line, "Another Dead Hero". Lines from Bill Hicks' standup set, "One Good Drug Story" and "The War on Drugs" are sampled before the song "Third Eye" and the track "Ænema" makes lyrical references to Bill Hicks' set Arizona Bay
Arizona Bay
Arizona Bay is an album by comedian Bill Hicks, posthumously released in 1997. It was released alongside Rant in E-Minor, marking three years since his death. The album's title refers to the hope that Los Angeles will one day fall into the ocean due to a major earthquake...
, which is about the San Andreas fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
collapsing. The title track's lyrics suggest the only way to fix L.A. is to flush it all away and advises, "Learn to swim, I'll see you down in Arizona Bay." Underneath the CD the lenticular cased version shows a picture of California falling into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
Track information
Demo versions of the songs "Pushit", "Stinkfist", "Ænema", and "Eulogy" were recorded with Paul D'AmourPaul d'Amour
Paul D'Amour was the original bass guitarist for Tool. His bass sound was recognized by the aggressive picked tone he developed with his Chris Squire Signature Rickenbacker 4001CS, which can clearly be heard on Tool's first full length album, Undertow.Originally a guitar player, D'Amour became...
on bass, before he left the band. These appeared online in early 2007. D'Amour also worked on "H.", as he is credited as a co-songwriter on ASCAP's website.
Danny Carey
Danny Carey
Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
labeled L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
as the subject of "Eulogy".
Speculation has surrounded the song "H." The "meaning" of this song has seldom been detailed by the band, as they do not regularly comment on such things. However on several occasions, specifically on November 23, 1996 during a show at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Maynard does grant some insight into the meaning of the song. Speaking to the audience he says, "Any of you ever seen those old Warner Bros. cartoons? Sometimes there's that one where the guy is trying to make a decision and he's got an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Seems pretty obvious, right? The angel is trying to give him good advice while the devil is trying to get him to do what's bad for him. It's not always that simple though. A lot of times they're not really angels or devils but friends giving you advice, looking out for your best interest but not really understanding what's going to be best for you. So it kind of comes down to you. You have to make the decision yourself. This song is called H." The song was discussed live during a few other shows around this time, one example being on February 23, 1997, when Maynard introduced this song by referring to the shoulder angel
Shoulder angel
A shoulder angel is a plot device used for either dramatic or humorous effect in animation and comic strips . The angel represents conscience and is often accompanied by a shoulder devil representing temptation. They are handy for easily showing inner conflict of a character...
and devil, and also said it's about a hurtful yet dependent relationship. In an interview Keenan gave in December 1996, he commented, "My son's name is Devo H. That's all I'll say." It is also of note that the song's working title was "Half Empty
Is the glass half empty or half full?
Is the glass half empty or half full? is a common expression, used rhetorically to indicate that a particular situation could be a cause for optimism or pessimism ; or as a general litmus test to simply determine an individual's worldview...
", as it was introduced during a mini-tour of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
by the band in December 1995. In the book, "Teachings of Don Juan, a Yaqui Way of Knowledge", the author refers to a character named H. Keenan.
The track "Useful Idiot" features the sound of the end of a gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
gaining more sound and gets louder as the track progresses. The track was set at the end of side 1 of the vinyl versions of Ænima as a joke to fool those who owned the version.
"Hooker with a Penis" refers to a fan who accused the band of selling out
Selling out
"Selling out" is the compromising of integrity, morality, or principles in exchange for money or "success" . It is commonly associated with attempts to tailor material to a mainstream audience...
after their first EP. "OGT" is taken to stand for "Original Gangster Tool". Keenan whispers in the left channel throughout the song. At 1:41, "consume, be fruitful, and multiply" may be alluding to Genesis, which contains the phrase "be fruitful and multiply" six times. During Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
1997, a version of "Hooker with a Penis" remixed by Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel
Billy Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...
in the form of lounge music
Lounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
played over the public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
system between sets.
During 1996 concerts, Maynard told audiences that the song "Jimmy" is the sequel to "Prison Sex
Prison Sex (song)
"Prison Sex" is a song by American rock band Tool. The song was released as their first single from their debut album Undertow. The song is unique for its use of modified drop-B tuning.-Music video:...
", and how it's about getting through the abuse. It is preceded by "Intermission", a short organ adaptation of the opening riff of "Jimmy".
The segue "Die Eier von Satan" has a heavy industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
guitar played over a reversed drum beat with an irregular time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
(9/8). The lyrical component of the song is in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, performed by Marko Fox, a member of ZAUM
ZAUM
Zaum was an electronica project band that includes Tool drummer Danny Carey, along with Tool associates Chris Pitman, Vince DeFranco, and Marko Fox.The official Tool newsletter of April 2000 had the following to say the about the project:...
. He is backed by a sound that resembles a hydraulic press
Hydraulic press
A hydraulic is a machine using a hydraulic cylinder to generate a compressive force. It uses the hydraulic equivalenta mechanical lever, and was also known as a Bramah press after the inventor, Joseph Bramah, of England. He invented and was issued a patent on this press in 1795...
, and crowd cheering and applause that increase in volume as the lyrics are read with increasing ferocity. These combined effects make the song sound like a militant German rant or Nazi rally. While the sound and the word "Satan" in the title may suggest to listeners that the lyrics feature aggressive or even violent content, the speaker is merely reciting a cookie recipe, for hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
or Mexican cookies. The song was originally translated by Gudrun Fox. According to Blair McKenzie Blake, the maintainer of the official Tool website, "Die Eier von Satan" originally were cookies that "Marko Fox's grandmother used to bake for him as a child, without using eggs as an ingredient. The substitution for eggs is a magical incantation
Incantation
An incantation or enchantment is a charm or spell created using words. An incantation may take place during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer, and may invoke or praise a deity. In magic, occultism, witchcraft it may be used with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person...
from the worm-eaten pages of some moldering grimoire
Grimoire
A grimoire is a textbook of magic. Such books typically include instructions on how to create magical objects like talismans and amulets, how to perform magical spells, charms and divination and also how to summon or invoke supernatural entities such as angels, spirits, and demons...
." This magical incantation ("sim salabim bam ba saladu saladim") is taken from the German children's song "Auf einem Baum ein Kuckuck saß". According to the lyrics, the special ingredient
Ingredient
An ingredient is a substance that forms part of a mixture . For example, in cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a specific dish. Many commercial products contain a secret ingredient that is purported to make them better than competing products...
besides this "incantation" is actually "a knife-tip of Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
". The title literally translates to "The Eggs of Satan" or "The Balls of Satan", due to a German double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
of "Eier", which means "eggs
Egg (food)
Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
" and also serves as a slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
word for "testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
s". The experimentation in this song has been compared to that of Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten
Einstürzende Neubauten is a German post-industrial band, originally from West Berlin, formed in 1980. The group currently comprises Blixa Bargeld , Alexander Hacke , N.U...
. A slow version of "Pushit" was performed live and appears on Salival
Salival
Salival is a limited edition box set in CD/VHS and CD/DVD formats released in 2000 by American rock band Tool. It includes a 56-page book of photos and stills from their music videos. As the box set has now been out of print for some time, it can only be found secondhand, usually at a price...
.
The song "Third Eye" contains samples of comedian Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks
William Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
.
The title may be a reference to Hicks' assertions that psilocybe mushrooms could be used to "squeegee [one's] third eye clean."
A goal of the album as a whole was to "open people up in some way and help open their third eye and help them on a path."
Many regional versions stated the track times for tracks 3 and 4 in reverse. This is noted on all pressings from Australia, UK, and Europe.
Album artwork
The packaging for Ænima was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Recording PackageGrammy Award for Best Recording Package
The Grammy Award for Best Recording Package is one of a series of Grammy Awards presented for the visual look of an album. It is presented to the art director of the winning album, not to the performer, except if the performer is also the art director....
. North American pressings of the album were packaged in a custom lenticular
Lenticular printing
Lenticular printing is a technology in which a lenticular lens is used to produce images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles...
jewel case (called a "Multi-Image CD case" in the liner notes) for the cover and interior disc tray. The cover art and other images in the liner notes can be set behind the lenticular "lens" to create an effect of sequential animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
. European pressings of the CD featured a standard case, and the insert contained the covers of fictional Tool releases.
The special images used for the lenticular effect are:
- Cam de LeonCam de LeonCam de Leon is an American artist who specialises in surreal darkly fantastic imagery. He created some of the band Tool's early artwork, as well as working as a digital illustrator, doing concept and visual development and character design for the feature animation industry...
's painting Smoke Box, with animated smoke and encompassing eyes. - A touched-up version of Cam de LeonCam de LeonCam de Leon is an American artist who specialises in surreal darkly fantastic imagery. He created some of the band Tool's early artwork, as well as working as a digital illustrator, doing concept and visual development and character design for the feature animation industry...
's painting Ocular Orifice, with the pupil of the eye animated to rotate completely around. - A photo of a nude female contortionContortionthumb|upright|Contortionist performingContortion is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts...
ist performing auto-cunnilingusCunnilingusCunnilingus is an oral sex act performed on a female. It involves the use by a sex partner of the mouth, lips and tongue to stimulate the female's clitoris, vulva, or vagina...
with her legs behind her head: Alana Cain is credited for this in the liner notes. Shown sitting on a couch to the right are Danny Carey, Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones and Maynard James Keenan while Danny and Maynard are both nude covering themselves. Maynard stands up whilst covering himself and is shown throwing a single rose to the ground in front of the contortionist. Another photo of the contortionist is also on the disc itself. - An image of CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
before and after a major earthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
is shown in the tray behind where the disc lies — a reference to the song "ÆnemaÆnema"Ænema" is a Grammy Award-winning song by rock band Tool, released as the third single from their second album Ænima. Adam Jones made a video for the song using stop-motion animation that appears on Salival. The song reached number twenty-five on the U.S...
" and the Arizona Bay sketch by Bill HicksBill HicksWilliam Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
.
- The inlay image of the US incorrectly depicts OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
's panhandle. It is unknown whether or not this was intentional.
Track listing
All songs written by Maynard James Keenan, Adam Jones, Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey, except where indicated.Personnel
Tool- Danny CareyDanny CareyDaniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
– drums, percussion, samples - Justin ChancellorJustin ChancellorJustin Gunnar Walter Chancellor is an English musician formerly in the band Peach but best known as the bass player for Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool. Chancellor is of Norwegian and English descent...
– bass - Adam JonesAdam Jones (musician)Adam Thomas Jones is a three time Grammy Award-winning Welsh-American musician and visual artist, best known for his position as the guitarist for Grammy-Award winning band Tool. Jones has been rated the 75th Greatest Guitarist of all time by the Rolling Stone and placed 9th in Guitar World's Top...
– guitars - Maynard James KeenanMaynard James KeenanMaynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
– vocals
Additional musicians
- Marko Fox – vocals on "Die Eier von Satan"
- Eban Schletter – organ on "Intermission"
- Chris PitmanChris PitmanChris Pitman is an American musician best known for his involvement with hard rock band Guns N' Roses. A multi-instrumentalist, Pitman is known to play keyboards, guitar and drums, in addition to his role as a lead or backing vocalist...
– additional synthesizer on "Third Eye"
Production
- David BottrillDavid BottrillDavid Bottrill is a Canadian record producer. He has won three Grammys. Currently, he owns Rattlebox Studios in Toronto, Ontario with producer Brian Moncarz...
– keyboards, producer, engineer, mixing - Alana Cain – model (contortionist)
- Cam de LeonCam de LeonCam de Leon is an American artist who specialises in surreal darkly fantastic imagery. He created some of the band Tool's early artwork, as well as working as a digital illustrator, doing concept and visual development and character design for the feature animation industry...
– artwork, computer illustration - Fabrico DiSanto – photography, photo assistance
- Gudrun Fox – translation of "Die Eier von Satan"
- Adam Jones – production, artwork direction
- Jeremy Glasgow – assistant percussionist
- Concetta Halstead – producer, design
- Bill HicksBill HicksWilliam Melvin "Bill" Hicks was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material largely consisted of general discussions about society, religion, politics, philosophy, and personal issues. Hicks' material was often controversial and steeped in dark comedy...
– audio sampled on "Third Eye" - Billy HowerdelBilly HowerdelBilly Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...
– guitar tech, 'Pro ToolsPro ToolsPro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
' technician - Joel Larson
- Karen Mason
- Jeff Novack – photography
- Mark Rappaport – effects Consultant
- Keith Willis – artwork
- Kevin Willis – producer, art direction, paintings
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 (140,000 Copies Sold) |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Stinkfist" | Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue... (U.S.) |
17 |
| Modern Rock Tracks Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs... (U.S.) |
19 | ||
| 1997 | "H." | Mainstream Rock Tracks (U.S.) | 23 |
| "Ænema" | Mainstream Rock Tracks (U.S.) | 25 | |
| "Forty Six & 2" | Mainstream Rock Tracks (U.S.) | 22 |