Tool (2) ‎– Lateralus

It is a picture disc. Many skips but I was able to get most out. Has a fuzzy sound typical of a picture disc and is at times downright scratchy & poppy. I may have gotten a bum copy, but the metal & sound is huge despite this. Buy at your own risk.

amazing album but I have to say, the art on the picture disc is amazing

I couldn't go back and edit my last post, but this shows pics of the differences in deadwax size. https://www.discogs.com/help/forums/topic/367465#3407615

Anyone else that has seen the 2 DIFFERENT masters of this release? May be the reason some complain about the noise floor, and others don't. The original (earlier?) press has very little deadwax compared to the "other" original. Seems to me there is 2 separate masterings. Why else would the deadwax be a different size?

I really can't believe they altered the tracklist for this pressing. The whole album could have fit comfortably on two LP's in the same order as the CD. Plus, the choice of the picture disc is annoying. This album is so unbelievably good that it deserves to have a legitimate, exceptional vinyl pressing. I wish I could afford to license it and have it pressed my way. People could actually enjoy this album on their turntables then. The overall mastering and cutting isn't bad but there are some issues with the playback due to the picture material and honestly, the altered track order makes me sick. You don't rip the first song in a triptych of songs away from the other two songs that make up the trio. And with the legitimate pressings of Ænima (you know, their other masterpiece) being so incredibly difficult to come by on vinyl, especially for any sort of reasonable price, the high availability of this album could have satiated those who are Tool fans and vinyl enthusiasts by being the classic, near-perfect Tool album that we could actually get our hands on and enjoy. But instead we get a MASSIVE, EXPENSIVE pressing of an amazing album.... on fucking picture disc... with an altered tracklist that actually actively hurts the flow of the album. They need to stop getting overly creative with pressings and just make quality lacquers with orginal/analog master sources and press to high quality vinyl material. And no, it does NOT need to be on 180-200 gram LP's. What a shakedown and huge waste of material.

Reading through the recent comments on this album makes me realize, I either got a killer clean copy; or most people out there need to look into a better turntable. I'm going with the killer clean copy for now.

My copy doesn't make sense. In all respects (jacket, sleeves, runout etchings, picture disc art) it is the official release. However, it has a sticker on the back with the 61422-31160-13 bar code, which is the Volcano-Dissectional bar code pertaining to the unofficial release.
Perhaps this is a later pressing? It sounds completely fine, not like a picture disc and no horrible noise floor issues.

Mastered from a CD and sounds like it. Mine came sealed and was cleaned before playing yet still has clicks and pops on the run-in of both sides and at random points through the songs.