Tool's song "Lateralus" from the album of the same name features the Fibonacci sequence symbolically in the verses of the song. The syllables in the first verse count 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 5, 3, 13, 8, 5, 3. The missing section (2, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8) is later filled in during the second verse. The time signatures of the chorus change from 9/8 to 8/8 to 7/8; as drummer Danny Carey says, "It was originally titled 9-8-7. For the time signatures. Then it turned out that 987 was the 16th number of the Fibonacci sequence. So that was cool."

In the CD insert of "Lateralus", there is an image of a cross-section of the human brain wherein the cerebrum you can find the cleverly hidden word "God", most likely suggesting that divinity is within the mind.

The inlay image in Ænima shows a map of the United States that incorrectly depicts Oklahoma's panhandle. It is unknown whether or not this was intentional

The title Ænima is a combination of the words "anima" (Latin for "soul" associated with the ideas of "life force" and a term often used by psychologist Carl Jung) and "enema (the medical procedure) becoming "the cleansing of the soul".

The band has released nine music videos but made personal appearances in only the first two, which the band states is to prevent people from "latching onto the personalities involved rather than listening to the music. With the exception of "Hush" and "Vicarious", all of Tool's music videos feature stop motion animation to some extent. The videos are created primarily by Adam Jones, often in collaboration with artists such as Chet Zar, Alex Grey, and Osseus Labyrint.

In 1993,Tool was scheduled to play at the Garden Pavilion in Hollywood but learned at the last minute that the Garden Pavilion belonged to L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology, which was perceived as a clash with "the band's ethics about how a person should not follow a belief system that constricts their development as a human being". Keenan "spent most of the show baa-ing like a sheep at the audience".

The band's first music video, "Hush", promoted their dissenting views about the then-prominent Parents Music Resource Center and its advocacy of the censorship of music. The video featured the band members naked with their genitalia covered by parental advisory stickers and their mouths covered by duct tape.

Tool has won a total of three Grammy Awards to date, and was nominated for seven others:

- Won in 1998 for best metal performance for the song "Ænema"
- Won in 2002 for best metal performance for the song "Schism"
- Won in 2007 for best recording package for the CD '10,000 Days'
- Nominated in 1998 for best recording package for the CD 'Ænema'
- Nominated in 1998 for best music video, short form, for the song/video "Stinkfist"
- Nominated in 2007 for best hard rock performance for the song "Vicarious"
- Nominated in 2008 for best hard rock performance for the song "The Pot"

Maynard James Keenan has also acted in some movies:

- The role of Deputy Lance in the 2005 mystery short Sleeping Dogs Lie, sharing credits with Brad Wilk, drummer in Audioslave and Rage Against The Machine
- Satan in 2005 crime/comedy Bikini Bandits
- Titannica lead singer in 2002 comedy Run Ronnie Run (Uncredited)
- Car thief in 2000 comedy Screenland Drive
- Small role of a citizen learning to use a shock-collar on a dog in a park in the Hollywood action-thriller Crank 2.