Wake Pig

Tool has certainly left their mark on quite a few bands — as evidenced by such acts as 10 Years, who replicate Tool's trademarks (rubbery riffs, self-examining lyrics, etc.) to a 'T.' With the release of their debut full-length, Wake Pig, you can now also add 3 to the list of Tool admirers. The album was originally released on a tiny indie label in 2004 before it was re-released (with different cover artwork) by Metal Blade a year later. But with whacked-out prog metal casting a bigger shadow by the day (Coheed & Cambria, Mars Volta, etc.), 3 should have no problem finding an audience. The opening title track serves as an appetizer of what follows throughout — the music slowly boils until the anthemic chorus, before it slithers back to its quiet cave. Sound familiar? It sure should, since Tool has utilized and perfected this formula throughout their career. And while prog metal in the good ol' days mostly meant reeling off guitar solos at the speed of sound, 3 proves that circa 2006, it's more about tricky riffs and mood shifts, as evidenced by such tracks as "Dregs." But one difference between 3 and the aforementioned acts is that the majority of the tracks on Wake Pig could easily fit on mainstream rock radio — most of the album's tracks clock in at less than four minutes (save for the over-15-minute album closer "Amaze Disgrace"). Saying that 3 is a more easily digestible Tool is not that far of a stretch. [Metal Blade also released the CD.]