Undertow (Tool album)

***Undertow*** is Tool's first full-length album, released in 1993. When this album was released, grunge music was at its most popular, and pop punk was slowly beginning to become popular. _Undertow_ helped heavy metal music continue as a leading mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream. Allmusic saw the album's success in the "striking, haunting visuals that complemented the album's nihilistic yet wistful mood." It was eventually certified double platinum by the RIAA on May 14, 2001.

The album was recorded between October and December 1992 at Grand Master Studios, Hollywood, California, and includes songs that the band decided to not release on their previous EP, _Opiate_.

### CD

All songs written by Tool unless otherwise noted.

- 1. "Intolerance" – 4:53
- 2. "Prison Sex" – 4:56
- 3. "Sober" - 5:06
- 4. "Bottom" - 7.13 <small>(Tool, Henry Rollins)</small>
- 5. "Crawl Away" - 5:29
- 6. "Swamp Song" - 5:31
- 7. "Undertow" - 5:21
- 8. "4°" - 6:02
- 9. "Flood" - 7:45
- 69. "Disgustipated" - 15:47

"Disgustipated" is track 69 on most pressings in North America (causing most CD players upon reaching the end of track 9 to advance through tracks 10-68, which contain no data, at a rate of about 2 per second until track 69 is reached). It also appears as track 39, track 10 (mostly in Europe) or as a hidden track following "Flood" on track 9.
On certain Japanese imports, "Disgustipated" is track 70, with a short live version of "Flood" as track 71.
The exact breakdown of "Disgustipated" is as follows:)

- Percussion/Animal sounds - 0:00 - 1:10
- Preacher - 1:11 - 2:32
- Disgustipated - 2:33 - 6:45
- Crickets - 6:46 - 13:50
- Phone message - 13:51 - 15:47

#### Side one

1. "Intolerance"
1. "Prison Sex"
1. "Sober"

#### Side two

1. "Bottom"
1. "Crawl Away"
1. "Swamp Song"

#### Side three

1. "Undertow"
1. "4°"
1. "Flood"

#### Side four

1. "Disgustipated"

### Albums

|Year|Chart|Position||
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1993|_Billboard_ 200|align="center"|50|
|1993|Top Heatseekers|align="center"|1|

### Singles

|Year|Single|Chart|Position||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1993|"Sober"|Mainstream Rock Tracks|align="center"|13|
|1994|"Prison Sex"|Mainstream Rock Tracks|align="center"|32|
|1994|"Sober"|Mainstream Rock Tracks|align="center"|23|

## Accolades

|Publication|Country|Accolade|Year|Rank||
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|_Raw _|UK|Albums of the Year|1993|align="center"|6|
|_Raw_|UK|90 Essential Albums of the 90s|1995|align="center"|*|
|_Visions _|Germany|The Best Albums 1991-96|1996|align="center"|*|
|_Pause & Play_|US|The 90s Top 100 Essential Albums|1999|align="center"|11|
|_Classic Rock_|UK|The 100 Greatest Rock Albums of All Time|2001|align="center"|87|

<small>(*) designates unordered lists.</small>

## Infobox (album)

- **name**: Undertow
- **type**: studio
- **artist**: Tool (band), Tool
- **released**: April 6, 1993
- **recorded**: October – December 1992 at Sound City Studios,  Van Nuys, Los Angeles, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, and at Grandmaster Recorders, Hollywood, California
- **genre**: Alternative metal, progressive metal
- **length**: 69:07
- **language**: English language, English
- **label**: Zoo Entertainment (record label), Zoo Entertainment
- **producer**: Sylvia Massy, Tool
- **prev title**: Opiate (EP), Opiate
- **prev year**: 1992
- **next title**: Ænima
- **next year**: 1996