Hello, everyone. First of all, my apology if my English isn't good. I would like to share my experience of becoming a full-time Tool fans with all of you.
Three months ago, I got broke up with my girlfriend which was a disastrous experience at the time. I haven't bother to listen to any of Tool materials before since I usually listen to stuffs like Slipknot, Children of Bodom, Kreator etc.. I used to see lots of memes about Tool's new album and stuff but never actually tried to listen to.
Until that one point, I stepped into my brother's room who is a huge fans of Tool. He played this one song with some kickass bass riff. I asked him who are these guys and he said it's Tool and the song is called "Pneuma". And I was like "Wow! This is some good shit!". Ever since that moment, I just can't stop listen to it and started to listen to the whole album instantly.
And today, I have listened to 'Fear Inoculum' for 3 months already and I just can't stop listen to it ever since. Yeah, I can hardly enjoy any of my old stuffs like I mentioned earlier. Tool actually helped me getting through my tough times after I broke up with my girlfriend. Now I felt such regret for not listening to them before and I'm looking forward for any suggestions to any kinds of Tool's material. I don't know, AEnima, please give your thoughts in the comment below. Thank you...
EDIT: I have seen the comments below and I got two albums recommendation which is 'Lateralus' and 'AEnima'. I will listen to Lateralus first, AEnima and then another Tool album. Thank you all for the support. I really appreciate it. My apologies to those I didn't reply your comment below. Thank you, everyone.
I hate to say it but I feel like Maynard is the weak link of the album. He for sure shines in certain spots, but I feel like there's so many "WHAT IF" moments, where if he took it up a notch it would be mind-blowing (the ending of 'Invincible' comes to mind. If he went off there, that is one of the greatest Tool moments of all time). And I don't mean screaming necessarily, just the kind of gusto and power we are used to from him.
And not to mention his absence completely in several areas (Culling Voices chorus, 2nd half of Descending, etc.). I've been trying to put my finger on why this album hasn't ever clicked for me like the others, and I think that's why. His contributions just seem a bit phoned in. Anyone else feel the same?
The title track is great. I love the piercing sirens that get it started. Maynard’s first line is (oddly prescient) but still hits me. I hope they open the tour with this track and opening line, “immunity, long overdue”
I really enjoy the noise tracks on FI. Speakers and headphones really make a difference here. If you have basic speakers…you won’t get it.
I see hate for CCT and they are mad. Like insane mad. Do those people not enjoy any sounds but “tool” sound? I don’t get it.
And while “cookies and cream” might turn off some listeners as a lyric if you have ever thought Maynard to not use jokes or humor you have missed the whole journey. And that 7empest track is enjoyable until the end.
I know the music has changed since undertow. That’s the point. And so should you. I love the maturity of Tool. And seeing them “46 and 2” and “spiral out” and “reach out beyond” their undertow years and not being stuck in emo sadness. And I’m glad tool had helped me get out of my own emo sadness and challenges as an 8 yo as well.
Now that we've had a few years with it, curious how this is settling out . . .
That way the CD listeners could have gotten all of the same tracks as the digital only purchasers.
I wasn’t listening to much Tool the year or 2 before the pandemic. I had given the FI album a listen when it released but didn’t care for it too much. I’ve since come to love it as I do the rest of their catalogue, but what seems to be prediction made by MJK makes the song seem even more impressive.
I have to skip the segue tracks every time I listen to it, I think they totally kill the momentum of the album.
For whatever reason no matter how many times I listen to the Fear Inoculum album I just cant get into it. Lateralus and 10,000 days are two of my favorite albums of all time but for whatever reason I just don’t really like Fear Inoculum. Am I the only one?
They are a bit expensive so I wanted people who own either (or both) to give their opinion on the two editions.
Waited patently for 13 long years for Fear Inoculum.
Absolutely loved it. It was everything I wanted, and more.
Had one of the worst moments of my life occure... coincidentally enough, while listening to it. Couldn't bring myself to listen any more. Over a year went by.
Took a rather large dose of mushrooms for the first time in 15 years last night. Played Fear Inoculum at the peak. Dark room, eyes closed.
Wow.
That is all.
I want my flair to become pnuema
Wondering what fellow fans are thinking about this song now that we’ve been living with this song for over two years. Would love to hear others thoughts.
I personally love this song. It grabbed me from day 1, probably because we were all so starved for new Tool songs, but there is just something about it that’s wormed it’s way into my head. Fantastic song.
I will disclose that I do think there is something to the notion of the “Great Turn” or that the album can be appreciated in both its ascending and descending form. There does seem to be a theme of duality or mirror images in the songs themselves and in a lot of the art associated with the record. There does seem to be a recurring theme in almost all the songs of a change occurring about halfway through (exactly halfway in the cases of descending and fear Inoculum)…more later.
I also want to say that I’m not a musician so please forgive my layman’s explanations, and if I get a term wrong it’s not on purpose.
The song starts with what I could only describe as an alarm klaxon (“red alert!!”) and then morphs into a push-pull riff between Justin and Adam (if this is wrong please let me know, I thought I read that they were playing back and forth…some people seem to think that Adam is using a volume pedal? or something) So fucking cool. It adds a lot of tension to the song right off the bat and gives me an image of a tug of war or internal struggle.
The drumming starts off with a very tribal feel. I’ve noticed that for the first half of the song (before the mitosis part) Danny uses VERY little cymbals. He keeps a soft beat on the high hat (tsk tsk tsk) and hits a few accent chimes here and there, but for The vast majority of the first half there are almost no cymbals. The exception is when they go into the chorus…Danny uses the cymbals for that. After the first chorus it’s right back to the tribal feel until we hit the second chorus right after the mitosis.
After this “mitosis” and the second chorus, the song morphs quite noticeably in tone. Danny’s drumming especially becomes a lot more “classic” rock/metal drumming while keeping a really sick, funky beat (dun du cha, dun du cha) and, please correct me if I’m wrong, but there is a noticeable time signature change at this time as well and some cool syncopated rhythms also.
I know this something Tool does a lot but I love how they bring back riffs from earlier in the song as play them in slightly Different ways or re-arrange them just enough to k
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So, back when Adam Jones' signature guitar dropped, it was announced with a neat little video accompanied by an instrumental piece. I, for one, immediately loved it, got an audio rip, and added it to my regular playlist. As I listened to it more, it felt more and more in tune with Fear Inoculum, but couldn't quite place it. It could very well be a B-Side from the recording session, and I'm fine with that. As is the case, I did end up placing it in my Fear Inoculum tracklist, between Chocolate Chip Trip and 7empest. Has anyone else done this as well or do you keep it off as its own thing?
For those who haven't seen the video:
Fear Inoculum is the only music album I know that I can't decide how exactly I feel about it with over 2 years after its release. I can't help but think it's the worst Tool album but somehow I can't imagine going a day without listening to it. I guess Tool is so good that even their weakest album can enchant you for a very long time. Am I alone in this?
Probably no one cares, but it's a story I want to tell someone, at least.
I'm 32 years old and have played bass since I was 16, then influenced by Metallica, Arch Enemy, and Lamb of God. Joined death metal bands, played shows, yadda yadda, quit when I was 21 to pursue a "real job".
I meet a friend named Matt in 2015, who was obsessed with all things Maynard. Been to many shows across all acts, but liked none more than TOOL. In 2017, he asks if I'd be interested in joining him to see TOOL at The Gorge Amphitheater that summer, I agreed. Mind you, I respected Justin, but knew little outside of 46&2 and Schism. The show was amazing, especially the little bit they played that would eventually become Descending. Justin blew my mind, and I knew then that I had to pick up the bass again.
Matt passed away from a sudden illness in January 2019, 8 months before Fear Inoculum was released. I was already a heavy drinker, and the mourning didn't help. I started listening to TOOL relentlessly, had some kind of world perspective and introspection renaissance, and when FI dropped, the bass work and effects floored me.
I stopped drinking and decided to learn to play every song from the album. Seeing TOOL again in Portland last year solidified that idea. Every time the urge to drink came up, I'd occupy my mind by practicing Pneuma or something. I bought ten guitar pedals and practiced like Hell.
I'm almost two years sober from alcohol now and know how to play Fear Inoculum, front to back, on bass. It wasn't easy, the best song I could cover beforehand was Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls", but now playing "7empest" is my morning warmup as I learn my way through "10,000 Days".
I'm sad Matt never got to hear FI, after all the waiting, but I know he would have been a little bummed that it doesn't sound like Lateralus, and that's okay. I'm excited to see them again in January at their Tacoma show. Floors seats near Justin so I can double check all my work!
I always had this feeling in the back of my mind/heart that Lateralus, the song, is the "peak" of Tool - not because it's probably my favourite song and IMO best encompasses what they do as a group, but because it feels like the top of the mountain, or centre of the spiral, if you will, of the Tool journey as a whole. Not that everything that came afterwards is "worse" whatsoever, just that it's the heart, or core, of their progression.
In the shower this morning I thought, hold on - they have 5 studio albums now. Does that mean that Lateralus really is right in the centre of the whole thing?
The answer: almost! I added up the album times for Undertow, Aenima and everything up to the Lateralus title track for figure A, then everything after the track, 10,000 Days and Fear Inoculum for figure B. The results? 188m40s and 192m13s. Not bad at all.
Now, this obviously doesn't incorporate EPs, or anything new they will release, and I used the physical version of Fear Inoculum's runtime, and none of it means anything anyway. I just thought it was pretty neat how closely it lined up given how I always felt about Lateralus as a song. Now I have to catch up on some work...
Long over due.
(Loosen up, get a booty call, F all the bullshit, and jerk)
So I’ve been getting back into physical music in the form of cds and the price of Fear Inoculum is pretty damn high!
I know this isn’t a economic subreddit, but anyone have some clues?
I have listened to the album countless times. In the first couple months maybe 50 times start to end. Since then, I can't say.
My question to all fans is what do you all think Maynard is referencing in the album by Deceiver?
Is it a person? An idea ? A misconception? A supernatural thing / being? An internal struggle with psychopathy?
What do you all think Deceiver is?
I bought the Fear Inoculum booklet (with Recusant Ad Infinitum download code), and the website says to send an email with the download code, band name, and album name to a Sony Music email address. I got no response, nor did I get the download. I called Sony Music to troubleshoot, dude told me it likely expired (not after 18 months, I don’t think. These things last like four years, normally). Any ideas?
I'll admit that when it was released, I was disappointed. It didn't seem 'hard' or visceral enough after growing up with the earlier albums.
It's now become my absolute first choice when I'm in the mood for some Tool. I never expected it, but this album has totally won me over and I totally appreciate the depth of it.
Anyone else had a similar experience with this album?
They’re all so incredibly close for me, my favorite seems to change on a daily basis (except for CV)
I think it needed some saxophone and kazoo in there somewhere.
So new album drops fall 2019. Where’s the new Fear Inoculum music videos?
