Ænima

Ænima is the sophomore record by heavy metal group Tool. Released on September 17, 1996, the album continues the progressive, hard rock sound of their debut album, Undertow, albeit with more ambition, leaning towards a more progressive style.

The album’s title is a combination of the words “anima” and “enema,” of which the former means “soul” and is associated with ideas of life force, while the latter is the medical procedure where fluids are injected into the rectum. Lyrically, the album touches on ketamine, psychologist Timothy Leary (who died shortly before the album’s release), ritual magic, and religious fundamentalism.

The album was dedicated to stand-up comedian Bill Hicks, who died two years prior of pancreatic cancer. A close friend of the band, he was referenced a few times on the album, most notably on the album’s lengthy final track, “Third Eye,” in which there was a sample of him talking about LSD.

Ænima received acclaim from critics, and it has since been named one of the most influential albums of all time. AllMusic reviewer Rob Theakston hailed the album as being filled with “long exploratory passages are unleashed with amazing precision, detail, and clarity, which only complements the aggressive, abrasive shorter pieces on the album,” while also citing similarities to progressive rock, most notably, King Crimson.

The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 104 weeks, a record by the band that they still haven’t broken. It was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA, making it their all-time bestselling effort. It had four singles released from it: “Stinkfist,” “H,” the title track, and “Forty Six & 2,” which all became some of their most well-known songs.