Undertow Songs Ranked

Undertow is the debut studio album by American 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. According to AllMusic, Undertow helped heavy metal music remain prominent as a mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream. It was released at a time when grunge was at the height of its popularity, and pop-punk was slowly beginning to gather mainstream attention. AllMusic saw the album’s success in the “striking, haunting visuals that complimented the album’s nihilistic yet wistful mood. As of 2020, Undertow has sold over three million copies in the United States, and is certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Here are all of Undertow’s songs ranked.

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10. Disgustipated

“I’ll forego trying to review Disgustipated since it’s just so…weird. But besides that, this is a very consistent record and while it doesn’t have the acclaim and success Aenima or Lateralus had, it’s still a very worthy addition to the band’s catalogue.”

9. Crawl Away

“To be honest, I’m not completely fond of this one. The riffs are there, vocals and musicianship but there’s just something that doesn’t do it for me. Maybe it’s having 4 great songs in a row and while it’s a listenable track, it wasn’t as immediate as others.”

8. Swamp Song

“One of the more underrated songs on the album. One thing that’s quite surprising about it is how hooky it is. A guitar riff you can hum all day to a sing-along section (if you want) when Maynard sings “I hope it sucks, I hope it sucks you, ****er, I hope it sucks you down”.

See more: Tool Albums Ranked

7. Bottom

“Man they’re on a roll. Another homerun with heavy riffs and a great vocals and end scream by Maynard. My only complaint is the really quiet section. Spoken by Henry Rollins, While it does set up the climax, it takes a bit too long to get to.”

6. Flood

“To be honest, I’m not a big fan of this. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it, it just doesn’t hook me the way it should. It’s not like I need poppy melodies or radio-friendly lengths but I at least need something to make the song memorable and this one took awhile. Probably a grower.”

5. Undertow

“Right from the start, it’s very upbeat and chockful of riffs with many tempo changes that just feels right (it’s rare to find most bands who are that comfortable with jumping all over the place). Even though it’s not that big a favorite, it’s still an album highlight.”

See more: Tool Songs Ranked

4. 4°

“A sitar riff opens the song with a main catchy riff you’ll hear throughout the song. Like many Tool songs, there’s usually an element that brings you into the songs and makes it worth remembering, unlike most bands who play for 10 minutes and you can’t remember a thing.”

3. Intolerance

“One of my favorite songs from the album. From its heavy opening riff to the smooth tempo changes to it’s catchy “lie cheat and steal” hook that is so fun to belt out, it’s one of the better Tool songs around.”

2. Prison Sex

“If there’s one word to describe this one, it’s kind of “fun”. It just has a great groove that you can almost dance to (some atypical dance of course). Controversial lyrics and video, it’s another one of the more popular songs and worth a listen.”

1. Sober

“If it wasn’t for Schism, this would probably be the de facto signature Tool song although probably people consider it to be. Structure-wise it’s pretty simple which is strange with Maynard’s vocals getting progressively more emotive in the chorus.”