First released in 1993 · Album: Undertow
About the song
Tool released “Sober” on their 1993 album Undertow. Its heavy bass-led opening sets the tone for a recording built from repetition, controlled pressure and a vocal performance that gradually pushes toward greater intensity.
Sound and arrangement
The guitar often supplies texture and impact around the bass rather than simply doubling a conventional rock riff. Danny Carey’s drumming gives the repeated figures a strong physical shape beneath Maynard James Keenan’s singing.
Listening closely
Listen for the way the rhythm section holds its position while the voice becomes more exposed. The song’s force comes from that sustained friction as much as from its loudest moments.
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