25 years ago today (5/15/01), Tool released their third studio album, Lateralus. Expansive, cerebral, and relentlessly ambitious, the nearly 79-minute record pushed progressive metal into new territory with intricate musicianship, shifting time signatures, and sprawling compositions like “Schism,” “Parabola,” and the title track.
Despite its challenging, unconventional structure, Lateralus became a massive commercial success, selling over 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and further cementing Tool as one of the most innovative bands of its era. The album was later named Kerrang!’s Album of the Year for 2001, while “Schism” earned the band the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.