While it remains in the Tool tradition of trance-inducing progressive metal, 'Lateralus' is tighter, clearer, crisper and all around a class above their wonderful earlier releases. Thus rockhard.de judged: "Extremely polished riffs, monstrous bass runs, incredibly complex power drumming - no matter from which direction you approach TOOL, their songs are as good as flawless even when viewed 360 degrees. If they were granite walls, they couldn't be smoother or more earthquake-proof."