The second is known as the libido, the white stage, in which the material is cleansed of all impurities. The first is known as the negrido, the black stage, in which the prima materia is calcified and dissolved. In the Alchemical Opus, there are 4 generally recognized steps in creating the Philosopher’s Stone. Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me, let’s me see. So let’s examine the first stanza:īlack then white are all I see, in my infancy. We’ll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one’s been.Īlright. I’m reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.Īnd following our will and wind we may just go where no one’s been. With my feet upon the ground I lose myselfīetween the sounds and open wide to suck it in, To witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.Įnough to step aside and weep like a widow Withering my intuition leaving all these opportunities behind.įeed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line. That beckons me to look through to these infinite possibilities. Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I mustįeed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines. Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind. Red and yellow then came to be, reaching out to me. The lyrics:īlack then white are all I see in my infancy. Briefly, let’s take a look at the song “Lateralus”. On the album entitled “Lateralus”, the songs “The Grudge”, “Parabola”, “Schism”, “Reflection”, and of course “Lateralus” itself are all united by Hermetic themes and symbols. Tool, to my knowledge, is one of the only bands of the last century to complete a concept album (albeit unrecognized as such) revolving entirely around Hermeticism generally and Alchemy specifically.

Tool reflection lateralus album artwork