Opiate
Opiate is the debut EP from American rock band Tool, released on 10 March 1992 through Volcano Records. It came after two years of playing together following the band's formation in 1990, and it arrived a year before their first full-length album, Undertow. Sylvia Massy and Steve Hansgen produced and engineered it. The title comes from Karl Marx's remark that religion is the opiate of the masses.
For anyone tracing how Tool got to the sprawling, ambitious records of Ænima, Lateralus and beyond, this is the place to begin. It sits in the alternative metal and hard rock camp, and it gives a snapshot of a young band at the start of its story. It went on to be certified platinum by the RIAA, and it charted internationally when the band's catalogue reached streaming services in August 2019.
Opiate: tracklist, credits and charts
6 tracks · 26:55Tracklist
- 1SweatCarey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan3:46
- 2HushCarey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan2:48
- 3Part of MeCarey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan3:17
- 4Cold and Ugly (live)Carey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan4:09
- 5Jerk‐Off (live)Carey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan4:25
- 6Opiate / The Gaping Lotus ExperienceCarey, D’Amour, Jones, Keenan8:29
- Produced by
- Steve Hansgen, Sylvia Massy, Tool
- Recorded at
- Sound City (Van Nuys, California), Jellö Loft
- Recorded
- December 1991 – January 1992
- Mixed by
- John Jackson, Sylvia Massy, Jeff Sheehan
- Mixed at
- Can‐Am Recorders
- Engineered by
- Sylvia Massy, Jeff Sheehan
- Mastered by
- Eddy Schreyer
- Artwork
- Adam Jones, Cam De Leon
- Photography
- Charles S. Allen
- Label
- Volcano Records
- Length
- 26:55
Line-up
- Danny Carey · membranophone, drums (drum set)
- Paul D’Amour · bass guitar, bass
- Adam Jones · guitar
- Maynard James Keenan · vocals
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 · 2019 | 59 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 2019 | 43 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 2019 | 85 |
| Swiss Albums · 2019 | 87 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia · 2019 | Platinum |
| Canada · 2021 | Platinum |
| United States · 2005 | Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 10 March
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The best of 1992
All of 1992 →
More on Volcano Records
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 10 March 1992 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 10 March 1992 | |
| Wikidata | 10 March 1992 | |
| US release | 10 March 1992 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 17 March 1992 | earliest UK or European date |
21 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | CA | Tool Dissectional | 614223300924 | other |
| — | XE | Volcano Records | 828765364621 | other |
| 1992 | NZ | Volcano Records | 9326382000188 | other |
| 1992 | CA | Tool Dissectional | 614223300924 | other |
| 1992 | XE | Zoo Entertainment | 724451102723 | other |
| 1992 | AU | Volcano Records | 9397603316029 | other |
| 10 March 1992 | US | Zoo Entertainment | 724451102723 | original |
| 10 March 1992 | US | Zoo Entertainment | 724451102723 | original |
| 10 March 1992 | US | Volcano Records | 614223102726 | original |
| 10 March 1992 | US | Zoo Entertainment | original | |
| 17 March 1992 | GB | Volcano Records | 828765364621 | other |
| 1993 | CA | BMG Music Canada Inc. | 724451102723 | other |
| 17 September 1996 | US | Zoo Entertainment | 614223102719 | other |
| 1997 | AU | Volcano Records | 9326382000188 | other |
| 1998 | XE | Volcano Records | 5013705500220 | other |
| 19 October 1998 | GB | — | other | |
| 19 October 1998 | XE | Virgin | 724384668921 | other |
| 11 August 2000 | GB | — | other | |
| 2007 | US | Volcano Records | 614223102719 | other |
| 26 March 2013 | US | Tool Dissectional | deluxe | |
| 2 August 2019 | XW | RCA | 886447824733 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · native: native 3000x3000
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 3000×3000 | native: native 3000x3000 |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |