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10 songs that feel like Parabola

Matched to Parabola by Tool on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

The song you love
Parabola
Tool
intense 80/100 intensity 90 BPM
Not — Big Thief intense 90 BPM

A 96% feel-match — carries the same cathartic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (80/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (90 BPM).

Panic! — Chika intense 94 BPM

96% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (80/100). Same complex texture.

Cemetery Gates — Pantera intense 90 BPM

Keeps the same cathartic pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (80/100). Measured 96% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (90 BPM).

Money in the Grave — Drake intense 85 BPM

Measures 95% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (80/100). Same complex texture.

Praise God — Kanye West intense 83 BPM

A 95% feel-match — carries the same cathartic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (79/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (83 BPM).

Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2 — Pink Floyd intense 100 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (81/100). Same complex texture.

Fight the Power — Public Enemy intense 110 BPM

Keeps the same cathartic pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (82/100). Measured 94% alike.

Lazaretto — Jack White intense 95 BPM

Measures 94% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (84/100). Same complex texture.

Respect Commander — Jack White intense 95 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same energetic pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (80/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (95 BPM).

94% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (83/100). Same complex texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Parabola is more than you want right now.

Once in a Lifetime — Talking Heads moderate 102 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it measures markedly calmer overall. Intensity 62/100, down from 80.

Optimistic by Radiohead
Optimistic — Radiohead moderate 95 BPM

It measures markedly calmer overall, so it lands at 58/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Monarchy of Roses by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Monarchy of Roses — Red Hot Chili Peppers moderate 95 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it measures markedly calmer overall. Reads 58/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

What We All Come to Need — Pelican moderate 120 BPM

Holds the same feel while it measures markedly calmer overall. 43/100, versus the original's 80.

Angel Tears — Pelican moderate 120 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but it measures markedly calmer overall. Intensity 43/100, down from 80.

For All the Cows by Foo Fighters
For All the Cows — Foo Fighters moderate 120 BPM

It measures markedly calmer overall, so it lands at 64/100 — the pull without the edge.

Objection (Tango) by Shakira
Objection (Tango) — Shakira moderate 120 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while it measures markedly calmer overall. Reads 59/100.

Polynomial-C by Aphex Twin
Polynomial-C — Aphex Twin moderate 152 BPM

Holds the same feel while it measures markedly calmer overall. 56/100, versus the original's 80.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Parabola” by Tool?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “Not” by Big Thief, “Panic!” by Chika, “Cemetery Gates” by Pantera — the top match scores 96% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Parabola” but calmer?

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads, “Optimistic” by Radiohead, “Monarchy of Roses” by Red Hot Chili Peppers keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Parabola”?

It measures 80/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, frequent sudden shifts, and dynamic vocals. Tempo is 90 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

By the numbers: how this song compares

Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.

Where it sits in 19,000 songs

This is one of the more intense things in our library — more energetic than 94% of the 19,209 songs we've measured. Its intensity reading of 80/100 comes from a dynamic range of 8/10, complex texture, frequent shifts, and dynamic vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is blazing intensity: more extreme on that axis than 94% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on near-total stillness — steady volume, no surprises, a slow and unhurried pulse — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.

Feels almost identical to

Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.

What it’s good for

Sleep0/10
Focus1/10
Workout6/10
Dinner4/10
Party / hype6/10

Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.

2001 in context

The 324 songs we’ve measured from 2001 average a dynamic range of 6.3/10. At 8/10, this track is louder and more dynamic than its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity80
Dynamics78
Tempo28
Surprise75
Density60
Predictability100
Vocal force75
Trigger load13

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

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