My interpretation is somewhat different than most, I think. When Maynard sings "A tempest must be just that"....to me, it's almost like he's ENCOURAGING the person to be a Tempest.
I wonder if it's about a person Maynard actually wants to be a Tempest? A passionate, expressive, emotional individual? A rebellious open-minded free thinker who has many different ideas and opinions to express? But for whatever reason, this person chooses to stay silent and just follow the crowd because it's the safe easy option. So all of Maynard's attacks of "we're not buying your dubious state of serenity" are more about "I'm not buying you actually go along with the hivemind - why don't you speak up and challenge them?!"
For me, the line describing the person as having a "petulant stench and demeanor" stands out. If you're criticising someone for being so violent and destructive that they're literally a Tempest, then 'petulant' (meaning sulky and withdrawn) doesn't really make sense. It WOULD make sense if Maynard is attacking someone for standing silently in the corner instead of speaking up and getting involved.
That interpretation would also fit in with Tool's constant "Think For Yourself/Open Your Mind/Don't Blindly Follow" mantra.
My interpretation is somewhat different than most, I think. When Maynard sings "A tempest must be just that"....to me, it's almost like he's ENCOURAGING the person to be a Tempest.
I wonder if it's about a person Maynard actually wants to be a Tempest? A passionate, expressive, emotional individual? A rebellious open-minded free thinker who has many different ideas and opinions to express? But for whatever reason, this person chooses to stay silent and just follow the crowd because it's the safe easy option. So all of Maynard's attacks of "we're not buying your dubious state of serenity" are more about "I'm not buying you actually go along with the hivemind - why don't you speak up and challenge them?!"
For me, the line describing the person as having a "petulant stench and demeanor" stands out. If you're criticising someone for being so violent and destructive that they're literally a Tempest, then 'petulant' (meaning sulky and withdrawn) doesn't really make sense. It WOULD make sense if Maynard is attacking someone for standing silently in the corner instead of speaking up and getting involved.
That interpretation would also fit in with Tool's constant "Think For Yourself/Open Your Mind/Don't Blindly Follow" mantra.
[Edit: add]