Rosetta Stoned

"Rosetta Stoned" is a song by the American progressive metal band Tool. It was released on May 2, 2006, as the eighth track off their fourth studio album, 10,000 Days.

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Structurally, the song contains complex fast-to-slow drum fills, performed by the band's drummer Danny Carey.[1] The song uses 4/4, 5/8, 5/4, 11/8, 3/4, and 6/4 time signatures[2] and is characterised by its aggressive riffs.[3] The song also features unconventional percussion instruments[4] and polyrhythms.[5]

The name of the song is a reference to the Rosetta Stone.[3] Lyrically, the song deals with a man's encounter with aliens, spiritual realizations, and his state of a coma after a DMT trip.[6] The song is written in a stream of consciousness style.[3]

The preceding track on the album, "Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)" serves as a conceptually synchronized prologue for the song. It depicts a conversation between a patient (Albert Hofmann), a nurse and a doctor (R. Gordon Wasson), which occurs after the event in "Rosetta Stoned".[6]

The song generally received positive reviews from critics. It was also praised for its arranging and performances,[3] especially due to Danny Carey's "multi-limbed" percussion skills and creative drumming.[1][7] Critics also likened the song to The Grateful Dead's works.[3] The similarities between this song and another Tool song, "Third Eye," also have been noted.[4] Nick Cowen from Drowned in Sound gave a positive review to the song, appreciating its narration, intense mood, and guitar work.[6] The song was also musically compared to an extensive jam.[7]