Tool is one of the few bands that can indulge in artistic excesses and still retain tremendous commercial success, which I think is kind of strange. And while I say "excesses," a term usually chained to denigrating interpretations, I must emphasize that Tool's artistic nature is perhaps their most striking quality. Combining an alterna-metal aesthetic with more progressive, explorative tendencies, they are decidedly unique. And they aren't just being esoteric and weird. For music fans who like a challenge, Tool presents a worthwhile package. Before discovering Tool, I was among the many who disdainfully rejected them as a lame "grunge" or "alternative metal" band, but their mosaic of musical textures creates something that dodges pigeonholing. I strongly encourage those with a liking for heavy music to check them out, because they probably aren't what you expect.