Tool Receive Praise From Members of Metallica, Rage Against the Machine, Gojira + More

Tool are one of the most critically praised and fan-worshipped bands in the world. The experimental quartet are musically complex, influential and incredibly original with both their music and videos. To celebrate the band (and probably to encourage them to finish their fifth studio album), some of today's finest musicians, such as Tom Morello and Rob Trujillo, have praised the Los Angeles manipulators of sound.

In an Artist Direct original column, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello recalls witnessing Tool's very first show "There was a band called Green Jello, who later changed its name to Green Jelly, and Danny Carey was the drummer," tells Morello. "Maynard sometimes worked with them and lived in this loft where a lot of musicians lived in Los Angeles. Tool actually had their first show in that loft! A couple of the other guys from Rage Against the Machine were at the gig too, when we had just started writing songs. Maynard had been my roommate for a while, and I had grown up with Adam. I'll be frank. We did not have the highest expectations for what was going to occur at that loft gig and we went kind of as "friend rock" [Laughs]. They were devastatingly awesome from the very first show though. There's no other way to say it. They were just awesome. It was unbelievable."

Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo is a huge Tool fan, and so does his son. "My little boy loves Tool!," states Trujillo. "When I take him to school, we're playing Tool all the time, so I definitely connect with them. There's a lot of bass in that group, which is nice. They're a great band for a bass player to listen to. So believe it or not, my son and I are going through a big Tool phase! It includes every record too."

Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier credits Tool for creating his favorite album and getting him addicted to it in his sleep! "'10,000 Days' is my favorite record, raves the frontman. "The first time I heard it, I didn't get it. I forced myself to listen to it two times in a row. Then, I fell asleep with the album repeating, and I spent the whole night with the album in my ears. Maybe that's why I got addicted! I heard it six or seven times in one night. It got to my brain very deeply. Now, I'm addicted [Laughs]."

Check out Artist Direct for more testimonials from members of Iron Maiden, Machine Head, Korn + more.