Comedian and internet personality Kid Mero recently shared his harsh criticism of the progressive metal band Tool, specifically targeting their multi-platinum third album ‘Lateralus’ as part of Pitchfork’s new Guest Editor series, as reported by Pitchfork.
Mero’s comments focused on his strong dislike for the band and their music, comparing the listening experience to physical torture.
“I am going to go right ahead and give that a 1.5 ’cause I hate motherf*cking Tool,” Mero said. “God damn, them motherf*ckers suck, boy. Hey, have you ever listened to that shit? Like, for real, for real?”
The comedian continued with a vivid analogy to emphasize his point about the band’s music.
“If I gave you a porcupine and I was like, ‘Eat this shit alive, try to enjoy it,’ you’d be like, ‘No, there’s no way I can enjoy this, man,'” he continued. “This is Tool, man. Band name says it all. I hope y’all also gave Tool a 1.”
The comments were made as part of Mero’s participation in Pitchfork’s Guest Editor series, where he explained his reasoning for disliking Maynard James Keenan’s band.
Mero’s harsh critique stands in stark contrast to the album’s commercial and critical success since its release over two decades ago.
1001 Albums Generator reported that Lateralus debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 555,200 copies in its first week of release when it launched on May 15, 2001. The album’s commercial performance demonstrated Tool’s massive fanbase and mainstream appeal despite their complex progressive metal sound.
The album’s enduring popularity is reflected in its certification status. 1001 Albums Generator noted that Lateralus was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on April 15, 2021, marking over three million copies sold in the United States alone. This achievement came twenty years after its initial release, highlighting the album’s lasting impact on listeners.
Critics have consistently praised Lateralus as a defining work in progressive metal. Prog Archives indicated that most reviewers consider Lateralus possibly the best album that reflects the real character of Tool’s music. Sputnikmusic described the album as “a progressive atmospheric hard rock album” and “one of the best albums” in the genre.
Tool’s influence extends beyond traditional album sales into the streaming era. Kaiser Editing documented that the band uploaded their full discography to streaming platforms alongside their 2019 album Fear Inoculum, which came 13 years after their previous release 10,000 Days. This move highlighted both shifts in digital music consumption and Tool’s enduring fanbase, as Fear Inoculum topped charts despite the lengthy gap between releases.
