Schism
Tool
Lateralus (2001)
Justin Chancellor, Adam Jones, Danny Carey +1
Listen to the Song
Open in YouTubeSummary
Serving as the lead single for the landmark album 'Lateralus,' Schism is a definitive staple of modern progressive rock that explores themes of communication and fragmentation. It solidified Tool's reputation for blending technical mathematical precision with atmospheric, heavy alternative metal.
Musical Analysis
The harmony of 'Schism' is a masterclass in using modal minimalism to support rhythmic complexity. While the song is famous for its 5/8 and 7/8 time signature shifts, its harmonic foundation rests on a dark D Aeolian palette. The iconic opening bass riff utili…
Chords
History
The song was built around a 'twiddly' bass riff created by Justin Chancellor while 'fooling around' during practice. Maynard James Keenan originally wrote lyrics that were explicitly about building tensions between himself and guitarist Adam Jones, but at Jone…
“The song's primary meter is often referred to by the band as 6.5/8 (the average of 5/8 and 7/8).”
📝 Lyrics
analytical · tense · contemplativeTheme
The breakdown of communication and the arduous process of reconciliation.
Surface
The song describes a relationship—whether romantic, platonic, or professional—that has fallen apart due to a lack of communication and the resulting emotional distance.
Deeper meaning
On a philosophical level, the song explores human entropy and the 'schism' between the self and others, or the self and the divine. It posits that connection is not a static state but an active, difficult process of 'incorporating' and 're-discovering' that requires constant work to combat the natural tendency of things to fragment.
Symbols
Full Musical Analysis
The song features complex harmonic progressions and dissonant intervals, characteristic of Tool's sound.
The song is renowned for its intricate and shifting time signatures, including 5/8, 7/8, 6/8, 4/4, and others.
Maynard James Keenan's vocal melody ranges from subdued and introspective to powerful and soaring, complementing the song's dynamic shifts.
The song was built around a 'twiddly' bass riff created by Justin Chancellor while 'fooling around' during practice. Maynard James Keenan originally wrote lyrics that were explicitly about building tensions between himself and guitarist Adam Jones, but at Jones's request, the lyrics were revised to be more universal. The track is renowned for its mathematical complexity, featuring 47 time signature changes and a main riff that alternates between bars of 5/8 and 7/8.
Serving as the lead single for the landmark album 'Lateralus,' Schism is a definitive staple of modern progressive rock that explores themes of communication and fragmentation. It solidified Tool's reputation for blending technical mathematical precision with atmospheric, heavy alternative metal.
Song DNA
Genre
Metal
Era
2000s
Mood
Cerebral, Dark
Tempo
Mid-tempo
Key
Minor
Texture
Layered
Sound
Bass-driven
Feel
Syncopated
Explore More
Explore related
Statistics
10.7M
Plays
1.1M
Listeners
578K
Genius Views
15
Annotations
100%
Popularity
6:47
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album Lateralus
Chord Sheet
Song Structure
Unconventional, progressive structure
Chords Used
Chord Fingerings
Standard
Standard