Schism

About the song

“Schism” appeared on Tool’s 2001 album Lateralus. A distinctive bass pattern introduces a song whose changing rhythmic groupings are essential to its character rather than an occasional decorative effect.

Sound and arrangement

The guitar, bass and drums alternately lock together and pull into different shapes. Keenan’s relatively contained vocal gives the listener a steady point of reference while the instrumental pattern keeps shifting beneath it.

Listening closely

Try following the bass phrase through successive repetitions. Its recurring outline makes the arrangement recognizable even when the placement of accents changes, creating a balance between familiarity and instability.