Ænima

Ænima is the second full-length studio album by progressive metal band Tool. It was released on October 1 1996.

Contents

1 Overview
2 Track listing
3 Personnel
4 Trivia
5 Charting singles

Overview

The title Ænima is a combination of the words 'anima' (Latin for 'soul', a term often used by Jung) and 'enema' (anal cleansing), hence creating a new word for catharsis: cleansing of the soul.

Videos were made for both "Stinkfist" and "Ænema". At the time of its release, there was much speculation as to possibly offensive meanings behind the term "Stinkfist". For that reason, it was only referred to as "Track #1" on MTV and VH1, and VJs never actually referred to the song by its proper name. VJ Kennedy would often make fun of this, and would symbolically sniff her fist before playing the video. Stinkfist has been a popular choice for club DJs playing Tool because of its popularity, familiarity and suitability.

The track "Ænema" won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 1997.

The album was recorded and cut at Ocean Way, Hollywood, California and The Hook, North Hollywood, California from 1995–1996.

Ænima peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart.

Ænima was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on March 4, 2003.

The lyrics are not printed in the liner notes, but are available on the band's [website].

The album contains a dedication (of sorts) to the late comedian Bill Hicks, proclaiming him "Another Dead Hero"; the final track, the thirteen minute epic "Third Eye", uses a few samples of Hicks' sketches — including "Drugs have done good things for us."

Psychologist Carl Jung was named as an influence.

The entire album (including the sound collages) was covered by a string quartet in 2006 as The String Quartet Tribute to Tool's Ænima, arranged by Eric Gorfain.

Track listing

All songs written by Keenan/Jones/Chancellor/Carey, except as indicated.

"Stinkfist" (Keenan, Jones, Carey, D'Amour) – 5:09
"Eulogy" (Keenan, Jones, Carey, D'Amour) – 8:25
"H." – 6:07
"Useful Idiot" – 0:38
"Forty Six & 2" – 6:02
"Message to Harry Manback" – 1:53
"Hooker with a Penis" – 4:31
"Intermission" – 0:56
"Jimmy" – 5:22
"Die Eier von Satan" – 2:16
"Pushit" (Keenan, Jones, Carey, D'Amour) – 9:55
"Cesaro Summability" – 1:26 (about)
"Ænema" (Keenan, Jones, Carey, D'Amour) – 6:37
"(-) Ions" – 3:58
"Third Eye" (Keenan, Jones, Carey, Chancellor, Hicks) – 13:47

Songwriting credits sourced from [Toolshed website FAQ]. Tracks 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 13 are segues or interludes.

Personnel

Danny Carey – Drums
Justin Chancellor – Bass
Adam Jones – Guitar, Producer, Art Direction
Maynard James Keenan – Vocals
Bill Hicks – Guest vocals
Chris Pitman – Synthesizer
Karen Mason
David Bottrill – Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
Joel Larson
Concetta Halstead – Producer, Design
Jeff Novack – Photography
Eban Schletter – Organ
Kevin Willis – Producer, Art Direction, Paintings
Alana Cain – Model
Keith Willis – Artwork
Mark Rappaport – Effects Consultant
Cam de Leon – Artwork, Computer Illustration
Jeremy Glasgow – Assistant Percussionist
Fabrico DiSanto – Photography, Photo Assistance
Marko Fox (member of ZAUM) - Vocals on "Die Eier von Satan"
Gudrun Fox – Translation of "Die Eier von Satan"
Billy Howerdel (A Perfect Circle) - Guitar Tech, 'Pro Tools' technician

Trivia

North American pressings of Ænima had a lenticular cover (Cam de Leon's [Smoke Box]). The cover art could be optionally replaced by one of two inside covers that also functioned with the lenticular cover. One was a touched-up version of Cam de Leon's [Ocular Orifice] painting, and the other featured a picture of a nude contortionist sitting on a carpeted floor in a position that can be seen as suggesting she is performing autofellatio, but her back is to the viewer and thus it is not confirmed what she is doing. This picture might be a reference to a sketch Bill Hicks had about autofellatio. The jewel case tray was also lenticular, and displayed an image of California before and after a major earthquake, presumably a nod to the lyrics of the quasi-title track. European pressings of the CD featured a standard case, and the insert contained the covers of fictional Tool releases.

"Die Eier von Satan" is a hash cookie recipe spoken in German. The title translates to "The Eggs of Satan," although "Eier" is a double-entendre in German as a slang word for testicles.

The track titled "Message to Harry Manback" is according to drummer Danny Carey "a recording of the words of an uninvited Italian guest who came to Maynard's house one day. A so-called friend of a friend of a friend of Harry's ... Before we finally managed to figure out that nobody really knew him, he had already emptied the fridge and run up a huge phone bill. He got kicked out of the house." Harry Manback is a pseudonym for the real recipient of the message, presumably a past roommate of Maynard's: Hotsy Menshot of Green Jellÿ. [link]

In Jungian psychology, the feminine aspect of a male that exists in the subconscious mind is called the anima, which appears in the dreams as a prominent female person. It is also the Latin word for "soul" or "mind" depending on context. (For females, Jung said an animus existed, which was instead male.) In the last LA show of the Ænima tour, Maynard says that Ænema is a combination of anima and enema. He refers to a process when someone has an enema and interprets the remains in a way similar to the way one would tea leaves.

The lyrics in the song "Ænema" referring to Arizona Bay and the destruction of the city of LA is another allusion to a Bill Hicks gag.

Charting singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1996	Stinkfist	Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)	No. 17
1996	Stinkfist	Modern Rock Tracks (US)	No. 19
1997	Ænema	Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)	No. 25
1997	Forty Six & 2	Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)	No. 22
1997	H.	Mainstream Rock Tracks (US)	No. 23

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