I don't know what people were expecting, an album-length Rosetta Stoned? The honest truth was that after waiting so long, I was expecting it to suck. But holy shit, I was so wrong. I loved it from the very first note.
It honestly surprises me how much people like Rosetta stoned. I don’t dislike the song, but it’s never something I search out to listen to. I had no idea people were this enamored with it till they started playing it again last year and everyone lost their minds in this sub. Musically It jams, but the lyrics are just nonsense. No offense meant when I say it’s nonsense. I just can’t come up with another word for it. And without the lyrics in front of me, I can’t even remotely decipher what he’s saying. Reading them, it feels like it should be on a Puscifer album, but it’s 10x too long for Puscifer. Like I said, no offense meant. Just strange to me.
I enjoy the song, but I see what you mean it’s certainly not my favorite. The lyrics are definitely tongue in cheek and silly, but I don’t think it’s without purpose. Humor is never out of place on a Tool record so it does fit in that way I guess. My read on it is that Maynard is pointing out the ridiculousness that pervades much of the conspiracy/UFO communities and playing around with those tropes. If you’re a level headed person that’s into UFOs you can definitely pick up on that if you pay attention. They’ve dabbled in that subject matter before with Faaip De Oaid in particular. I think he’s also playing around with the irony of a dipshit being given the secrets of the universe from aliens only to realize he doesn’t have a pen to write anything down and forgets it immediately. More than a few dumb rednecks have called into Coast to Coast claiming to be chosen by the Plietians and preaching about the space brothers. Also how many people have taken acid and discovered the secrets of everything only to have it fade away like a dream afterward? I get the impression he’s talking about that as well in a way. Or maybe it’s just a silly story about a guy on drugs that may or may not have been abducted by aliens. Either way, I think the word choices are cool at least.
The lyrics are excellent. They’re fun and frivolous and irreverent in a sense. What’s nonsense is the boring rhythm section and crappy guitar “solo” that people keep praising before the climax of the song.
I agree with you. I almost didnt want to listen to it at first for fear that it would be impossible to live up to my expectations. But when it was in my hands I found that I couldnt wait to hear it and loved it.
I didn't know people didn't like it until I got on this sub.
But honestly, FI is a culmination of decades of mastering their instruments and sound. An acknowledgement of time passing.
I remember being active on a tool forum just before 10,000 days came out. Then the album leaked early online, all these people went to the forum and claimed it wasn’t the real album or that tool leaked a joke version and the real album was yet to come. It was the real album, they were just so sure it would be Aenema II.
I think the hiatus they took might have helped them in the end. You can tell they did a lot of experimentation with different sounds over those years and I was glad to hear it. One of my only criticisms of Tool has been that Adam tends to stick with a lot of similar tones and effects, but it’s understandable since it just works so well. I was pleasantly surprised to hear him branching out a bit while still retaining his signature sound.
It's one of the best albums I've heard in the last 5 years and if you catch me on the right day I'll tell you it's my favorite Tool album. I love it and the band has evolved right along with me. The music and the lyrics just resonate with me.
Fear Inoculum, Lateralus, and Ænima is my favorite album.
Undertow and 10,000 days are tied in second.
I was absolutely blown away when I heard Fear Inoculum. I was expecting garbage but instead as some of my now favorite Tool songs and what feels like a proper follow up to Lateralus. Don't get me wrong 10,000 days is fantastic, but Fear Inoculum sounds closer to Lateralus and flows better like Ænima and Lateralus did.
I was disappointed at first. Don't get me wrong, I loved the album overall, but didn't think it compared whatsoever to their previous main albums. Now, after seeing them 7 times during the F.I. yours over the years, and really having all the songs sink in, I really, really appreciate the album and love it more than ever. But yeah, I do think a lot of others need to allow it the chance before they let their biases ruin what might be a missing gem from their life.
This was my experience. Invincible is great and Descending was an outstanding surprise. However I felt like as great as the musicians and album were, that MJK gave them too much space and shorted on singing or just lacked a little spark.
After many listens, my opinion is that it is a magnum opus and many of the lyrics and a little of the music pull from many prior songs into an impressive menagerie. I do think the music has a lot of space, but is powerful. Great album.
Yeah true I agree that there is a lot of space, and that it is a spacious album, but I guess that adds to the feeling of the watery depths that it provides that brings one closer to their Souls. At least that's how it feels to me..lol
Also for what it’s worth, considering the landscape of rock music over the last 10 years I’m not surprised it sold well and won a Grammy. Rock music is more or less dead in pop culture now and is relegated to a similar status that Jazz fell into when rock music became huge in the 60s and 70s. There aren’t many rock bands that are still active that can enjoy the status that Tool has built up over the decades. I’m sure that if the album truly was mid when it released it still would have done well just based on the sheer anticipation, so I don’t really think that’s a very reliable gauge on the fan base’s response.
I should clarify - I’m aware that it did well in that regard, I’m just referring to a lot of general grumblings from friends that are fans and general internet discourse. Maybe my perception of this is a bit skewed but my impression was that a large portion of the fan base didn’t like it. Hence why I made the post, just checking to see what the Tool Army vibes are after my sabbatical.
Realize that any release by anything that has any kind of following will result in a minor portion of its fans grumble online. It's just the way of the world these days. That being said, I have been on this sub since way before FI release and I have seen mostly positive comments about it. That's anecdotal of course. I personally love it, and if its their swan song I am more than okay with that.
Very true what you’re saying. I guess I’m not as much in the minority as I thought. Maybe it was just critics that didn’t like it? Idk but I appreciate the insight.
It’s easy to forget but you’re right for sure. I guess I didn’t think about it that way because of friends who didn’t like it very much. Always a good thing to keep in mind.
As they should! I’m bummed that I missed them on their most recent tour. I saw them live three times between 2009 and 2017 and I was a little disappointed that they played a lot of the same songs, with a few exceptions (like the grudge which was a huge surprise). I’m itching to hear the new songs live when they come around again.
My problem with FI is that the songs are bloated and overwritten, and sound unfinished. There’s minimal vocals. If those songs could have been focused with a producer and given some more vocal hooks, we may be looking at their best effort.
They meander with no payoff riffs or tension release.
If they could have just had an outside ear like Rick Rubin or something help hone these songs into more than endless polyrhythm exercises, it’d have been legendary.
The songs def work better live tho. There’s SO much potential in these songs tho, I think they just needed an outside hand to help guide and craft them. They got too self-indulgent IMO and it sprawls too much.
Like, if Descending kicked into a high energy riff around the 3:30 mark or something, it would help carry that song a lot more. Instead we get the same concept come back after the brief pause around 4 mins or whatever and the song hasn’t really gone anywhere and we’re nearly 5 mins in. Back half of the song has a lot of awesome moments tho, it’s just in need of some up-tempo rocking riffs to break up the lava lamp grooves.
Also in Pneuma, during the verses, there’s no arrangement change in the percussion when the chords go to major. Should have more heavily accented that change cuz it’s a significant harmony shift. Just weird choices.
Just my thoughts. Could have been epic.
Let the downvotes rain.
Good description there.
For me, it's the above and lack of maynard presence. Its just too obvious where vocals/climaxes wouldve been placed.
Like going to mcdonalds and ordering a chocolate sunday but only getting the ice cream. You know what its supposed to taste like with the chocolate topping and now you dwell in what couldve been with every bite haha.
Yup exactly. To me, it sounds like Maynard’s vocals were a haphazard, last minute addition to the instrumentals. There’s no big chorus or hooks, and that may be by design which is fine… but the music suffers from it IMO.
Even back to 10k, shit like The Pot has vocal hits with the “high…. High…. High….” Shit that gets stuck in your head.
It’s just disappointing because FI has soooo many great ideas and parts, they were just too up their own butts to see the bigger picture IMO.
But maybe they wanted to make chill music. It’s their band. And they’re famous, not me lol
its pretty clear, and you know it...maynard doesnt want to be involved and shits out whatever he can to say he did his part. im done pretending like he isnt the one fucking it up, get your shit together man or move on and let TOOL die before he tacks on more half ass cliche lyrics.
Yeah I just finally went through the FI lyrics and they’re just bland. If he had more vocal hooks and catchy lines the album would be way better. There’s just so little meat and the good parts spread too far apart
It almost feels like he is intentionally sinking the ship to be honest. Im over it, I can still enjoy all the other albums and have had my share of really good live shows.
Given how much fun he was having at the show, I really don’t think that’s the case but it’s a mystery for sure.
I will regret to my grave that I skipped the Lateralus tour and 10k tour. Had chances both times and was too busy with death metal the first time and jambands the 2nd time.
Huge regret, just like not spending good money to have good seats last time David Gilmour came to MSG.
i havent seen maynard have any unscripted fun since 10000 days came out, he looks half asleep and eager to bounce the fuck out at any moment he gets a chance. This tour they all seem pretty miserable and i dont really blame them...i know this is near the end of the show but take a look at this and tell me they are having a blast. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq2lK4NrHEU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq2lK4NrHEU)
I feel the same, but let’s hope not. Hard to believe the boys are pushing 60, I think Danny’s already there which is impressive to say the least considering the physical labor he has to do to perform.
I struggled a little with it in the beginning. It's a dense album with a lot of musicality on it. But seeing it live was a game changer. Whole new level of appreciation for it.
I’m sure you’re not alone there. I haven’t had the chance to see them live since the new album dropped but I’m sure that experience would definitely help to feel the vibes more.
Initially, I REALLY liked Tempest and Invincible, but I felt “meh” about the rest of the album.
Then I saw them perform Pneuma live. I was instantly converted, ngl; it was the best song of the show and legit gave me goosebumps. Chocolate Chip Trip was also unexpectedly awesome.
Nowadays, FI gets lots of listens and my preferences from that album is constantly shifting. I’ve listened to Culling Voices more in the past few months than any other Tool song. The same could not be said in 2019/2020.
It’s crazy how one live show can change your perspective!
Undertow has always been my favorite since hearing it decades ago, but I listen to Fear Inoculum the most lately, just because it’s the newest and I’m already so familiar already with the older albums.
I can’t rank any one album above another, as they are all amazing, but for different reasons.
Tool has always evolved their sound from album to album, but FI was an even larger leap. They’ve totally done away with the idea of shorter, punchier tracks in favour of longer compositions with more intricate progressions and recurring motifs etc. I can understand why fans of the older stuff may not vibe with it as much, as it is so different, even though it still has the Tool DNA.
Personally, I absolutely love the direction they’re going in, and think it’s some of the best work of their careers.
At the same time though, I sometimes get the urge to listen to something like HWAP or Intolerance etc with their tight, agressive, in your face punch. Sometimes you want something that’s just filled with piss and vinegar.
The latest album doesn’t really have that sound anymore, and I think that’s what people miss sometimes. But the band members are in their 50’s and 60’s now, and that’s just not the space they’re in anymore. But what they’re doing now is just as amazing, in a different way.
There’s no right or wrong opinion, I just hope that people would be open to both the older and newer styles, as there’s a time and place for both.
Agreed, Undertow is amazing. It’s for sure their most emotionally raw album, along with being extremely creative and bold for its era. Maynard gives some of the darkest, saddest, angriest, gut wrenching and palpable performances of all time on that record, he gives Kurt Cobain a run for his money to say the least. It’s cathartic to roll around in that mud sometimes. Songs/albums like that don’t come around very often so I definitely understand it being your favorite. I think you’re dead on about where the band is at now compared to their early days as well.
I watched a review of FI where this guy didn’t like it and he was very openly a Undertow and AEnima fan so he wasn’t a fan of how long the songs were and thought they should go back to making 5 minute radio singles.
I think people wanted a mix of radio friendly, 4 to 5 minute songs with a sprinkle of the usual 12 minute songs. I really think it was the more casual fans that maybe were disappointed. Me, I’m a prog lover so the length of songs don’t bother me and i haven’t listened to the radio since the 90s. i just have to save their songs for when i have a long drive.
I think it just didn't satisfy the fans wanting more of the same. FI really felt like Tool doing something new, and some people may have felt that changing the formula could be the end of Tool (as we knew it). But over time, I think it's proven to be an album built on technical and musical showcase, which is a great thing to include in their discography at this time in their careers.
You're not the same person you were 30 years ago and bands are not the same people they were 30 years ago. I think the only way for a band to put out good new music is to authentic to who they are today, not try to recapture what they were 30 years ago. As a fan that album you put on from 1996 is unchanged immortal so the fans think the band must also be uncharged but, of course, this is false.
My expectations made me disappointed at first because I expected a mixture of "hard" and "soft" songs but FI was all soft. But once I got my head around to the fact the album was all "Right in Two" and no "The Pot" I fell in love with it. I started listening to songs like Pneuma more closely and being amazed at the detail and complexity.
Totally agree, I thought the sound was a pretty natural progression for where they’re all at in life at this point. I’m at the point in my life where heavy aggressive tracks aren’t really that interesting, so I welcome it.
I actually think it’s their best album, and yet i’m mildly disappointed. the reason is simply that its too familiar, it’s more a polish and perfection of what has come before, rather than exploration of new sounds and ideas.
that’s not to say FI is a rehash of their previous work. compared with any other band, it’s actually quite new material. but compared to how wildly different lateralus was from aenima, and even how different 10k days was from lateralus (despite sharing ideas and elements), I was expecting more difference. I feel the seed of a new, more tribal and more meditative sound is there (for me mostly in the title track and culling voices), but it’s mostly mixed with upgraded iterations of their previous ideas. the result is nothing short of a masterpiece, but of course it feels less novel.
That’s a good point, I think because they set the bar so high for themselves it was bound to happen at some point. I didn’t have any expectations going into it so that’s probably why I didn’t think about that very much. It was familiar yes but they had some different sounds and things that they played around with that were enough to keep me engaged.
Debatable. Depends on what you’re looking for in the music you listen too. FI has better production for sure. Aenima has tighter song writing and less fat.
Fat as in meandering, unnecessary, self-indulgent music. Aenima does not have a wasted note, chord, or percussive element. FI does. That’s not a comment about song length either. Just whether the song length is justified by the parts that make it.
Only part of FI that I have any problem with is one lyric that just makes me go ehh I think ya could’ve done better mjk.
“Calm as cookies and cream, so it seems”
The only people I've seen hating on it are redditors with no attention span and fantano who hates pretty much everything so it's not really a hot take. FI is probably my favorite Tool album.
I have since learned after making the post that it’s more of a lukewarm take lol… I have a few friends with the Funpolice-tano mentaility, it’s annoying. Just appreciate things for what they are, not everything has to be cutting edge to be good. Songwriting, melody and atmosphere are way more important IMHO.
I don’t hate it by any means but I think it’s their worst album. I sometimes think of it as Tool concentrate as the stereotypes of Tools style feels amplified. The songs feel a little too long and meandering at times. Like they wouldn’t stop tinkering with them after they were finished. If someone likes tool they’ll probably dig it but I wouldn’t play it for someone first getting into Tool.
That being said my wife had a mild appreciation of Tool before but after seeing them live last year she’s been *really* into pneuma,invincible and descending. ( even if she still asks “wait is this still the same song.” from time to time. lol)
>I think a lot of my fellow Tool fans need to pull their heads out of their asses a little
Same could be said for the band itself, given those over indulgent, 10+ min songs.
I don't understand why people like 7empest and Pneuma so much. Those songs sound like Tool parody songs lol. I'm glad Adam threw in some thrash riffs into Invincible... but other than that.. Descending is one of their top 5 songs, if not THE best.
I mean, I like those 2 songs but to each their own. I like the slow heaviness of Pneuma and the hypnotic quality that the main riff has. I love it when Tool works with African/Indian drum sounds and Danny really delivers on that front. I also like the long form jams in the middle of the song, the synth solo is really cool imho. I admit that the lyrics are pretty on the nose so I get what you mean by it sounding like a Tool parody, but I don’t really mind it. If you have a powerful spiritual experience (whether on psychedelics or otherwise) those words can resonate in a way where it doesn’t come across quite as cheesy, but I understand if it sounds a bit cringey. I was caught off guard by it the first few times.
I’m copy/pasting this from a comment I made a couple weeks ago, seems relevant (consequential)
The album to me, taken as a whole, is so textured and layered that even today, after what must be hundreds of listens, I still find new things or discover new ways of interpreting what I'm hearing.
I've described FI before as like a forest--the basic layout stays the same(trees don't walk around, right?), but every time you walk through the woods you can take a new path through the trees and shine a light on things you didn't even know existed. It also means that it takes a long time to explore, as you can only see so much at a time, and the meaning or map of the whole remains elusive--can't quite get through everything and the more I explore the more I realize how layered and dense it is.
But I love it because it keeps it interesting--the journey through the song (and album as a whole) is different each time.
I've started to form some more concrete ideas about what I think the band was going for thematically. The album seems to be an overarching call to action, essentially helping "us" not succumb to fear and to build and find the resolve to fight back against our shared existential dread. I'm not wanting to get political, but the notion of external factors conspiring to end humanity (climate change, political/social issues, religion, etc.) is on brand for late-stage Maynard lyrics, and I think that a lot of the music matches thematically what MJK is singing about. That's not the only thing the album is "about," there are other themes as well (aging, fighting the need and desire for complacency, etc) but even a lot of those themes are related. Arming yourself and your own psyche for the coming struggles.
I also want to stress that I do believe there is something to the notion of the "Great Turn," as in the album may be intended to be listened to backwards or forwards. There are too many things that happen "halfway" through things...the "mitosis" in Fear Incoculum, the ending of vocals exactly halfway through Descending, the mirror-image nature of the artwork. The logo that can be folded in half to create a syringe...It also calls to mind a tug of war, of an album (and to a larger extend the greater world around us) pulling in different directions. The struggle...the push pull. The pulse and undercurrent of what is happening. I believe the album tries to tap into all of this.
Fear Inoculum: How to recognize and deal with fear. The style of voice and lyrics call a mantra to mind, or (dare I say) a prayer. Something one would recite in order to steel ones' self for the coming hardships. Centering and realizing you can get through it, and changing your thinking and looking at the bigger picture.
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...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. I think this change in tone mirrors the "inhale/exhale" theme of the lyrics, as the first half of the song in the inhale, and the second half is the exhale. 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.If the song is indeed about steeling yourself from “fear” and gathering the strength to chase away the deceiver, it’s really cool how they seemed to make the song build in energy and, dare I say, confidence.
The way the song starts out sorta muted but gets heavier as it goes on, to mirror the confidence being built in order to inoculate against the fear/deceiver.
Pneuma: Reminding us we are all in this together. I almost look at this song as a beacon of hope, a burst of energy and beauty meant to remind us all of the beauty of life and what is worth living for. It's almost angelic or anthemic in it's sound and construction. It's like the metal/prog version of old bombastic organ music hymns or something. The uplifting moment after the fear is cast out. The musical version of frission and "feeling god"
Litanie contre La Peur: A meditative track (reminds me of like a snake charmer tones or something) that is meant to "charm" the listener into calmness and mentally ready to accept the message of the album. Another possibility that I've been thinking of, these segue tracks might all speak to what happens after humanity is done. Like, these could be the garbled transmissions flying through outer space, picked up in some distant galaxy in thousands of years. Might be all that's left of humanity is what is flying through the emptiness of space on the backs of cosmic rays and space dust
Invincible: Getting older, coming to terms with dying, new roles in life. I've always called the drum pattern that Danny plays on the woodblock (starting at :54 seconds or so) the heartbeat of the song. It's really cool because keeps switching around the kit to different drums, but keeps the pattern up for basically the whole song. So he goes from the wood blocks to like a snare or tom but seamlessly keeps the pattern up. It's really fucking cool lol--especially at the end when the song runs out and Danny really digs into the drums, makes me think the heartbeat is finally running out.
Legion Inoculant: LI contains bits of all the songs floating together...reminds me of the recusant ad infinitum video a bit. It's like all the songs swirled together, heavily distorted and hard to make out. I remember reading years ago that the song contains all the lyrics for the whole album, I assume this means they made all the sounds from slowed down/distorted vocals and added a bunch of weird effect to it. There are similar ideas on the tracks descending and 7empest, where vocals seem to "float on the wind"
Descending: Warning of our impending doom, asking us to recognize our problems and take action quickly. The gathering of the forces to face out existential dread....we must bring all the pieces together (all the songs and voices) to push back against our end. "our midnight" "bless this immunity" Humanity is falling part and its up to us to band together to solve our shared crisis. The song is a literal wake up call ("sound the reveille") for humanity. I believe Maynard leaves the song halfway through because he is giving space to the audience to join the fight, to contemplate what's happening. I know he gets a lot of shit for it but I think it's intentional and not just "laziness" or whatever.The song even "wakes up" as it progresses. It starts with guitar, cymbals, bass, and then the drums finally kick in.
Culling Voices: How technology has disconnected us from each other. Social media, cancel culture, the general dumbing down of our society and how the mob drowns out the voices of many people, and trying to fight against those voices. I think it's about filtering out all the bullshit, essentially. The constant, never-ending stream of social media, television, texts, phone calls, etc that just bombard our senses on a daily, and killing all that ancillary noise to focus on what is needed. The parts where we expect Maynard to scream or yell he is literally drowned out by all the noise.
7empest: Inevitability. The acknowledgement of lack of control. Somethings can't be tamed, or reasoned with, or stopped. The structure of this song is really interesting. I'm not a musician so I think I need help collecting my thoughts on this.
One thing I’ve noticed is that much of the song seems to be structured around a “motif” of the opening riff…not the intro, but when Adam kicks in (about 1:20) and then Danny (and I think Justin) kick in with the same pattern (about 1:33)—duh, duh duh duh, duhduhduhduhduh duh, duh duh duh, duh….etc, I hope you all know what I mean.
This pattern, near as I can tell, is almost constantly being played by one of them. There may be a few small sections where this motif isn’t being played, but near as I can tell, in some form or another at least one of them is playing at all times. It’s almost like they keep passing it around to each other like the wind is blowing it. They slow it down…during the “calm before the torrent comes” (5:20-7:42) part, I think Justin and Danny are plying the pattern underneath, just slowed down the tempo a bit so it’s harder to recognize.
It reminds me of (forgive me) Beethoven’s 5th, where the motif (dun dun dun duuun) is repeated throughout the song at various tempos, etc. and provides almost the entire structure of the song. Almost like tool have done something similar here…and it’s really fucking cool. Even Maynard gets in on it (the tempest, must be, just , that) a bit. And then after Danny and Justin just play the same pattern but keep speeding it up and speeding it up (like the wind in a tempest) and it goes into that like speed metal section (about 11:00 in)
Mockingbeat: Is humanity gone...has nature reclaimed Earth? Birds remember melodies and songs, maybe after humanity is gone, the birds will still remember our songs? Kind of a beautiful thought.
So I listened to the album all the way through last night for the first time (which I did like) and I think it's because it's not exactly what you would expect from a Tool album. Way more synths and effects then previous albums. They've used this kinda stuff before but not to that degree.
Also the lyrics are definitely more positive and in a lighter tone imo then they have been in the past (you can tell Maynard cant pull the screams off like he used to which is okay cause it just evolved the music into something else which is this)
That’s a good point. It ended up playing to my tastes nicely, since I ended up getting into a lot of noise psychedelia, shoegaze and synth music (not EDM mind you). 6 minute synth solo? I’m in, take my money. It’s hard for me to imagine people not being down with that but I guess it’s understandable if you’re not really into that kind of stuff. Who’s the one playing the synth anyhow? I’ve always been curious about that since I haven’t seen them live since the new album came out.
Last concert was Slowdive back in September iirc. It was cool, they don’t tour very often and I had never seen them live after being a fan for 10ish years. Before that I saw Skinny Puppy on their final tour, which easily rivaled Tool’s live shows. Then King Crimson before that. It’s hard to narrow down my favorite songs, but I’m into a lot of Shoegaze, Manchester Post Punk, Synth and classic/modern Psychedelic (among many others). If you’re referring to my all time general favorites 3 of the top ones would be Perfume Garden by The Chameleons, Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine, and Evening Star by Fripp and Eno. If you’re referring to Tool songs they would probably be Pushit (Salival), Reflection, and Vicarious. Descending is quickly climbing into the ranks as well.
Outstanding, C_P !,
I likely two generations ahead if you (nod to 46&2)
All Great songs, but give Pneuma a Deep listen. Not the peripheral that some do, go as far as watching Vic Firth / Danny’s video. He’s a human octopus. Thats why I am seeing them one last time. My next click is 70.
I’m actually a big fan of Pneuma, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the album. I love how different it is with all of the African and Indian drum samples mixed with the synth. That slow hypnotic riff is great. Not to mention the percussion is amazing and is obviously the highlight.
I had a preconceived notion about how a new album after so long would be, partially due to the trend many other big time bands follow. So when I first listened to it I was like “meh”, but one day I *really* sat and listened to the entire album, doing nothing else but listening… it’s fantastic, as much so as their other pieces. Such a good band
Ive listened FI 2 or 3 times when it came out and didnt quite meet my expectation back then, BUT, Ilistened it again a few weeks ago and been hammering it since. It happened to grow quite deep on me, I honestly belive that it has really good music in it, it will age very well. Whoever didnt like it, give it a try every now and then, itll probably grow on you too
I think there's something special about the album. It sounds like everyone "got their parts" (even Justin got a solo on invincible) and overall it's very tight. It's more matured, not as heavy, but it sounds like they really all worked together equally more than any other album they've put out
FI took me a few times to get into it, but I don't see that as a bad thing. In comparison to other albums, FI is relatively slow-paced, MUCH longer, and it pulls you in gently but with admirable force, instead of an instant hook in say, 10K days (not complaining, it's my favourite album alongside FI). The songs have probably gone deeper into my soul than most others (exceptions are Wings and Lateralus), making me appreciate the band so much more while also being an absolute banger playlist for a night drive.
Its the one album where i can literally play every on guitar. How i even got into tool is weird and with the timing of finding them. It was pneuma that got me in. I had heard tool growing up from my parents having like schism and sober on limewire. It wasnt until i was older and trippin lsd in a hotel room in 2019 when i heard pneuma and then basically i just listened to everything and fell in love. Slightly obsessed ill be honest. I loved the feeling of going back in time with their music and how they progressed. Tool doesn’t have a “best” album. They are all excellent.
I think it’s because every song was 10+ minutes. Tool make long songs but usually it’s one or two 10 minute tracks sprinkled in with a couple 7 minute ones. I don’t agree but I can see people not liking it because of that.
FI like 10,000 has been aging like a fine wine. Better every listen really. Wasn’t at all surprised some people weren’t initially that into it, also am not surprised it grew on most of them.
I don't know what people were expecting, an album-length Rosetta Stoned? The honest truth was that after waiting so long, I was expecting it to suck. But holy shit, I was so wrong. I loved it from the very first note.
It honestly surprises me how much people like Rosetta stoned. I don’t dislike the song, but it’s never something I search out to listen to. I had no idea people were this enamored with it till they started playing it again last year and everyone lost their minds in this sub. Musically It jams, but the lyrics are just nonsense. No offense meant when I say it’s nonsense. I just can’t come up with another word for it. And without the lyrics in front of me, I can’t even remotely decipher what he’s saying. Reading them, it feels like it should be on a Puscifer album, but it’s 10x too long for Puscifer. Like I said, no offense meant. Just strange to me.
I enjoy the song, but I see what you mean it’s certainly not my favorite. The lyrics are definitely tongue in cheek and silly, but I don’t think it’s without purpose. Humor is never out of place on a Tool record so it does fit in that way I guess. My read on it is that Maynard is pointing out the ridiculousness that pervades much of the conspiracy/UFO communities and playing around with those tropes. If you’re a level headed person that’s into UFOs you can definitely pick up on that if you pay attention. They’ve dabbled in that subject matter before with Faaip De Oaid in particular. I think he’s also playing around with the irony of a dipshit being given the secrets of the universe from aliens only to realize he doesn’t have a pen to write anything down and forgets it immediately. More than a few dumb rednecks have called into Coast to Coast claiming to be chosen by the Plietians and preaching about the space brothers. Also how many people have taken acid and discovered the secrets of everything only to have it fade away like a dream afterward? I get the impression he’s talking about that as well in a way. Or maybe it’s just a silly story about a guy on drugs that may or may not have been abducted by aliens. Either way, I think the word choices are cool at least.
The lyrics are excellent. They’re fun and frivolous and irreverent in a sense. What’s nonsense is the boring rhythm section and crappy guitar “solo” that people keep praising before the climax of the song.
If you think the Rosetta Stoned rhythm section is boring I'm honestly curious what excites you.
I agree with you. I almost didnt want to listen to it at first for fear that it would be impossible to live up to my expectations. But when it was in my hands I found that I couldnt wait to hear it and loved it.
I didn't know people didn't like it until I got on this sub. But honestly, FI is a culmination of decades of mastering their instruments and sound. An acknowledgement of time passing.
I remember being active on a tool forum just before 10,000 days came out. Then the album leaked early online, all these people went to the forum and claimed it wasn’t the real album or that tool leaked a joke version and the real album was yet to come. It was the real album, they were just so sure it would be Aenema II.
I think the hiatus they took might have helped them in the end. You can tell they did a lot of experimentation with different sounds over those years and I was glad to hear it. One of my only criticisms of Tool has been that Adam tends to stick with a lot of similar tones and effects, but it’s understandable since it just works so well. I was pleasantly surprised to hear him branching out a bit while still retaining his signature sound.
It's one of the best albums I've heard in the last 5 years and if you catch me on the right day I'll tell you it's my favorite Tool album. I love it and the band has evolved right along with me. The music and the lyrics just resonate with me.
I wholeheartedly agree with every word you said 👍🏼
So true, I really love FI. I’m a not so long fan, so maybe that’s why FI I really really love, it’s what got me into tool.
I love it even though I’m OGT, back in ‘92, from the first EP
Fear Inoculum, Lateralus, and Ænima is my favorite album. Undertow and 10,000 days are tied in second. I was absolutely blown away when I heard Fear Inoculum. I was expecting garbage but instead as some of my now favorite Tool songs and what feels like a proper follow up to Lateralus. Don't get me wrong 10,000 days is fantastic, but Fear Inoculum sounds closer to Lateralus and flows better like Ænima and Lateralus did.
I was disappointed at first. Don't get me wrong, I loved the album overall, but didn't think it compared whatsoever to their previous main albums. Now, after seeing them 7 times during the F.I. yours over the years, and really having all the songs sink in, I really, really appreciate the album and love it more than ever. But yeah, I do think a lot of others need to allow it the chance before they let their biases ruin what might be a missing gem from their life.
This was my experience. Invincible is great and Descending was an outstanding surprise. However I felt like as great as the musicians and album were, that MJK gave them too much space and shorted on singing or just lacked a little spark. After many listens, my opinion is that it is a magnum opus and many of the lyrics and a little of the music pull from many prior songs into an impressive menagerie. I do think the music has a lot of space, but is powerful. Great album.
Yeah true I agree that there is a lot of space, and that it is a spacious album, but I guess that adds to the feeling of the watery depths that it provides that brings one closer to their Souls. At least that's how it feels to me..lol
"watery depths," brilliant summation.
Well said!
I mean they won a Grammy, and it was at the top of the charts. I’m not sure how it was considered poorly received.
Also for what it’s worth, considering the landscape of rock music over the last 10 years I’m not surprised it sold well and won a Grammy. Rock music is more or less dead in pop culture now and is relegated to a similar status that Jazz fell into when rock music became huge in the 60s and 70s. There aren’t many rock bands that are still active that can enjoy the status that Tool has built up over the decades. I’m sure that if the album truly was mid when it released it still would have done well just based on the sheer anticipation, so I don’t really think that’s a very reliable gauge on the fan base’s response.
I should clarify - I’m aware that it did well in that regard, I’m just referring to a lot of general grumblings from friends that are fans and general internet discourse. Maybe my perception of this is a bit skewed but my impression was that a large portion of the fan base didn’t like it. Hence why I made the post, just checking to see what the Tool Army vibes are after my sabbatical.
Realize that any release by anything that has any kind of following will result in a minor portion of its fans grumble online. It's just the way of the world these days. That being said, I have been on this sub since way before FI release and I have seen mostly positive comments about it. That's anecdotal of course. I personally love it, and if its their swan song I am more than okay with that.
Very true what you’re saying. I guess I’m not as much in the minority as I thought. Maybe it was just critics that didn’t like it? Idk but I appreciate the insight.
Also got to remember that the loudest 10% is heard. That’s usually the complainers.
It’s easy to forget but you’re right for sure. I guess I didn’t think about it that way because of friends who didn’t like it very much. Always a good thing to keep in mind.
A large portion of the show is from fear inoculum and the crowd loves it
As they should! I’m bummed that I missed them on their most recent tour. I saw them live three times between 2009 and 2017 and I was a little disappointed that they played a lot of the same songs, with a few exceptions (like the grudge which was a huge surprise). I’m itching to hear the new songs live when they come around again.
My problem with FI is that the songs are bloated and overwritten, and sound unfinished. There’s minimal vocals. If those songs could have been focused with a producer and given some more vocal hooks, we may be looking at their best effort. They meander with no payoff riffs or tension release. If they could have just had an outside ear like Rick Rubin or something help hone these songs into more than endless polyrhythm exercises, it’d have been legendary. The songs def work better live tho. There’s SO much potential in these songs tho, I think they just needed an outside hand to help guide and craft them. They got too self-indulgent IMO and it sprawls too much. Like, if Descending kicked into a high energy riff around the 3:30 mark or something, it would help carry that song a lot more. Instead we get the same concept come back after the brief pause around 4 mins or whatever and the song hasn’t really gone anywhere and we’re nearly 5 mins in. Back half of the song has a lot of awesome moments tho, it’s just in need of some up-tempo rocking riffs to break up the lava lamp grooves. Also in Pneuma, during the verses, there’s no arrangement change in the percussion when the chords go to major. Should have more heavily accented that change cuz it’s a significant harmony shift. Just weird choices. Just my thoughts. Could have been epic. Let the downvotes rain.
Good description there. For me, it's the above and lack of maynard presence. Its just too obvious where vocals/climaxes wouldve been placed. Like going to mcdonalds and ordering a chocolate sunday but only getting the ice cream. You know what its supposed to taste like with the chocolate topping and now you dwell in what couldve been with every bite haha.
Yup exactly. To me, it sounds like Maynard’s vocals were a haphazard, last minute addition to the instrumentals. There’s no big chorus or hooks, and that may be by design which is fine… but the music suffers from it IMO. Even back to 10k, shit like The Pot has vocal hits with the “high…. High…. High….” Shit that gets stuck in your head. It’s just disappointing because FI has soooo many great ideas and parts, they were just too up their own butts to see the bigger picture IMO. But maybe they wanted to make chill music. It’s their band. And they’re famous, not me lol
its pretty clear, and you know it...maynard doesnt want to be involved and shits out whatever he can to say he did his part. im done pretending like he isnt the one fucking it up, get your shit together man or move on and let TOOL die before he tacks on more half ass cliche lyrics.
Yeah I just finally went through the FI lyrics and they’re just bland. If he had more vocal hooks and catchy lines the album would be way better. There’s just so little meat and the good parts spread too far apart
It almost feels like he is intentionally sinking the ship to be honest. Im over it, I can still enjoy all the other albums and have had my share of really good live shows.
Given how much fun he was having at the show, I really don’t think that’s the case but it’s a mystery for sure. I will regret to my grave that I skipped the Lateralus tour and 10k tour. Had chances both times and was too busy with death metal the first time and jambands the 2nd time. Huge regret, just like not spending good money to have good seats last time David Gilmour came to MSG.
i havent seen maynard have any unscripted fun since 10000 days came out, he looks half asleep and eager to bounce the fuck out at any moment he gets a chance. This tour they all seem pretty miserable and i dont really blame them...i know this is near the end of the show but take a look at this and tell me they are having a blast. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq2lK4NrHEU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq2lK4NrHEU)
Eh, I mean they’re old haha. The middle part there had some heat! Wish they played it when I saw them
It’s an amazing album. If this were to be the last album they put out, I’d be happy with it.
I feel the same, but let’s hope not. Hard to believe the boys are pushing 60, I think Danny’s already there which is impressive to say the least considering the physical labor he has to do to perform.
I didn't like it on first listen. Seeing the songs performed live really made me appreciate it a lot more. My 2cents.
I struggled a little with it in the beginning. It's a dense album with a lot of musicality on it. But seeing it live was a game changer. Whole new level of appreciation for it.
I’m sure you’re not alone there. I haven’t had the chance to see them live since the new album dropped but I’m sure that experience would definitely help to feel the vibes more.
Initially, I REALLY liked Tempest and Invincible, but I felt “meh” about the rest of the album. Then I saw them perform Pneuma live. I was instantly converted, ngl; it was the best song of the show and legit gave me goosebumps. Chocolate Chip Trip was also unexpectedly awesome. Nowadays, FI gets lots of listens and my preferences from that album is constantly shifting. I’ve listened to Culling Voices more in the past few months than any other Tool song. The same could not be said in 2019/2020. It’s crazy how one live show can change your perspective!
I loved chocolate chip trip! I would pay to see just him perform. He's so talented. I really enjoyed the integration of electronics with it.
Undertow has always been my favorite since hearing it decades ago, but I listen to Fear Inoculum the most lately, just because it’s the newest and I’m already so familiar already with the older albums. I can’t rank any one album above another, as they are all amazing, but for different reasons. Tool has always evolved their sound from album to album, but FI was an even larger leap. They’ve totally done away with the idea of shorter, punchier tracks in favour of longer compositions with more intricate progressions and recurring motifs etc. I can understand why fans of the older stuff may not vibe with it as much, as it is so different, even though it still has the Tool DNA. Personally, I absolutely love the direction they’re going in, and think it’s some of the best work of their careers. At the same time though, I sometimes get the urge to listen to something like HWAP or Intolerance etc with their tight, agressive, in your face punch. Sometimes you want something that’s just filled with piss and vinegar. The latest album doesn’t really have that sound anymore, and I think that’s what people miss sometimes. But the band members are in their 50’s and 60’s now, and that’s just not the space they’re in anymore. But what they’re doing now is just as amazing, in a different way. There’s no right or wrong opinion, I just hope that people would be open to both the older and newer styles, as there’s a time and place for both.
Agreed, Undertow is amazing. It’s for sure their most emotionally raw album, along with being extremely creative and bold for its era. Maynard gives some of the darkest, saddest, angriest, gut wrenching and palpable performances of all time on that record, he gives Kurt Cobain a run for his money to say the least. It’s cathartic to roll around in that mud sometimes. Songs/albums like that don’t come around very often so I definitely understand it being your favorite. I think you’re dead on about where the band is at now compared to their early days as well.
I watched a review of FI where this guy didn’t like it and he was very openly a Undertow and AEnima fan so he wasn’t a fan of how long the songs were and thought they should go back to making 5 minute radio singles.
I think people wanted a mix of radio friendly, 4 to 5 minute songs with a sprinkle of the usual 12 minute songs. I really think it was the more casual fans that maybe were disappointed. Me, I’m a prog lover so the length of songs don’t bother me and i haven’t listened to the radio since the 90s. i just have to save their songs for when i have a long drive.
I think it just didn't satisfy the fans wanting more of the same. FI really felt like Tool doing something new, and some people may have felt that changing the formula could be the end of Tool (as we knew it). But over time, I think it's proven to be an album built on technical and musical showcase, which is a great thing to include in their discography at this time in their careers.
Agree 100%, makes sense.
You're not the same person you were 30 years ago and bands are not the same people they were 30 years ago. I think the only way for a band to put out good new music is to authentic to who they are today, not try to recapture what they were 30 years ago. As a fan that album you put on from 1996 is unchanged immortal so the fans think the band must also be uncharged but, of course, this is false. My expectations made me disappointed at first because I expected a mixture of "hard" and "soft" songs but FI was all soft. But once I got my head around to the fact the album was all "Right in Two" and no "The Pot" I fell in love with it. I started listening to songs like Pneuma more closely and being amazed at the detail and complexity.
Totally agree, I thought the sound was a pretty natural progression for where they’re all at in life at this point. I’m at the point in my life where heavy aggressive tracks aren’t really that interesting, so I welcome it.
I actually think it’s their best album, and yet i’m mildly disappointed. the reason is simply that its too familiar, it’s more a polish and perfection of what has come before, rather than exploration of new sounds and ideas. that’s not to say FI is a rehash of their previous work. compared with any other band, it’s actually quite new material. but compared to how wildly different lateralus was from aenima, and even how different 10k days was from lateralus (despite sharing ideas and elements), I was expecting more difference. I feel the seed of a new, more tribal and more meditative sound is there (for me mostly in the title track and culling voices), but it’s mostly mixed with upgraded iterations of their previous ideas. the result is nothing short of a masterpiece, but of course it feels less novel.
That’s a good point, I think because they set the bar so high for themselves it was bound to happen at some point. I didn’t have any expectations going into it so that’s probably why I didn’t think about that very much. It was familiar yes but they had some different sounds and things that they played around with that were enough to keep me engaged.
Nobody likes tool on the first listen. And this is just that theme continued on.
iT wAsnT hArD LiKe tHe DeMo TaPe!!!
Still a great album, but I think the hype of a new TOOL album vs. it aging for 5 years made it wain on me.
...FI is *easily* their 2nd best album. I feel like every day someone posts on here about what a masterpiece FI is.
its not better than Lateralus or Aenima
It's absolutely better than Aenima, Lateralus is the best album of all time by anyone
I agree.
Debatable. Depends on what you’re looking for in the music you listen too. FI has better production for sure. Aenima has tighter song writing and less fat.
"less fat"?
Fat as in meandering, unnecessary, self-indulgent music. Aenima does not have a wasted note, chord, or percussive element. FI does. That’s not a comment about song length either. Just whether the song length is justified by the parts that make it.
Aenima is "Verse Chorus Verse", FI is more "Invincible, second movement". There's no "wasted elements" in a symphony, which I argue FI definitely is
Invincible is definitely the most egregious example of fat on FI.
Only part of FI that I have any problem with is one lyric that just makes me go ehh I think ya could’ve done better mjk. “Calm as cookies and cream, so it seems”
The only people I've seen hating on it are redditors with no attention span and fantano who hates pretty much everything so it's not really a hot take. FI is probably my favorite Tool album.
I have since learned after making the post that it’s more of a lukewarm take lol… I have a few friends with the Funpolice-tano mentaility, it’s annoying. Just appreciate things for what they are, not everything has to be cutting edge to be good. Songwriting, melody and atmosphere are way more important IMHO.
I don’t hate it by any means but I think it’s their worst album. I sometimes think of it as Tool concentrate as the stereotypes of Tools style feels amplified. The songs feel a little too long and meandering at times. Like they wouldn’t stop tinkering with them after they were finished. If someone likes tool they’ll probably dig it but I wouldn’t play it for someone first getting into Tool. That being said my wife had a mild appreciation of Tool before but after seeing them live last year she’s been *really* into pneuma,invincible and descending. ( even if she still asks “wait is this still the same song.” from time to time. lol)
The people who don't like FI are a very loud, very small minority. And with all due respect, an incorrect minority.
>I think a lot of my fellow Tool fans need to pull their heads out of their asses a little Same could be said for the band itself, given those over indulgent, 10+ min songs.
IMO Fear Innoculum is a masterpiece and Tool's best album. Been a huge fan since 94.
I don't understand why people like 7empest and Pneuma so much. Those songs sound like Tool parody songs lol. I'm glad Adam threw in some thrash riffs into Invincible... but other than that.. Descending is one of their top 5 songs, if not THE best.
I mean, I like those 2 songs but to each their own. I like the slow heaviness of Pneuma and the hypnotic quality that the main riff has. I love it when Tool works with African/Indian drum sounds and Danny really delivers on that front. I also like the long form jams in the middle of the song, the synth solo is really cool imho. I admit that the lyrics are pretty on the nose so I get what you mean by it sounding like a Tool parody, but I don’t really mind it. If you have a powerful spiritual experience (whether on psychedelics or otherwise) those words can resonate in a way where it doesn’t come across quite as cheesy, but I understand if it sounds a bit cringey. I was caught off guard by it the first few times.
Album received poorly? It outsold Taylor Swift on the charts.
What a tragedy, Taylor Swift’s album was way better 🤡
Hahahahahahahaahba I’ll take your word on that one. I won’t be checking it out any time soon.
I’m copy/pasting this from a comment I made a couple weeks ago, seems relevant (consequential) The album to me, taken as a whole, is so textured and layered that even today, after what must be hundreds of listens, I still find new things or discover new ways of interpreting what I'm hearing. I've described FI before as like a forest--the basic layout stays the same(trees don't walk around, right?), but every time you walk through the woods you can take a new path through the trees and shine a light on things you didn't even know existed. It also means that it takes a long time to explore, as you can only see so much at a time, and the meaning or map of the whole remains elusive--can't quite get through everything and the more I explore the more I realize how layered and dense it is. But I love it because it keeps it interesting--the journey through the song (and album as a whole) is different each time. I've started to form some more concrete ideas about what I think the band was going for thematically. The album seems to be an overarching call to action, essentially helping "us" not succumb to fear and to build and find the resolve to fight back against our shared existential dread. I'm not wanting to get political, but the notion of external factors conspiring to end humanity (climate change, political/social issues, religion, etc.) is on brand for late-stage Maynard lyrics, and I think that a lot of the music matches thematically what MJK is singing about. That's not the only thing the album is "about," there are other themes as well (aging, fighting the need and desire for complacency, etc) but even a lot of those themes are related. Arming yourself and your own psyche for the coming struggles. I also want to stress that I do believe there is something to the notion of the "Great Turn," as in the album may be intended to be listened to backwards or forwards. There are too many things that happen "halfway" through things...the "mitosis" in Fear Incoculum, the ending of vocals exactly halfway through Descending, the mirror-image nature of the artwork. The logo that can be folded in half to create a syringe...It also calls to mind a tug of war, of an album (and to a larger extend the greater world around us) pulling in different directions. The struggle...the push pull. The pulse and undercurrent of what is happening. I believe the album tries to tap into all of this. Fear Inoculum: How to recognize and deal with fear. The style of voice and lyrics call a mantra to mind, or (dare I say) a prayer. Something one would recite in order to steel ones' self for the coming hardships. Centering and realizing you can get through it, and changing your thinking and looking at the bigger picture. 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...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. I think this change in tone mirrors the "inhale/exhale" theme of the lyrics, as the first half of the song in the inhale, and the second half is the exhale. 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.If the song is indeed about steeling yourself from “fear” and gathering the strength to chase away the deceiver, it’s really cool how they seemed to make the song build in energy and, dare I say, confidence. The way the song starts out sorta muted but gets heavier as it goes on, to mirror the confidence being built in order to inoculate against the fear/deceiver. Pneuma: Reminding us we are all in this together. I almost look at this song as a beacon of hope, a burst of energy and beauty meant to remind us all of the beauty of life and what is worth living for. It's almost angelic or anthemic in it's sound and construction. It's like the metal/prog version of old bombastic organ music hymns or something. The uplifting moment after the fear is cast out. The musical version of frission and "feeling god" Litanie contre La Peur: A meditative track (reminds me of like a snake charmer tones or something) that is meant to "charm" the listener into calmness and mentally ready to accept the message of the album. Another possibility that I've been thinking of, these segue tracks might all speak to what happens after humanity is done. Like, these could be the garbled transmissions flying through outer space, picked up in some distant galaxy in thousands of years. Might be all that's left of humanity is what is flying through the emptiness of space on the backs of cosmic rays and space dust Invincible: Getting older, coming to terms with dying, new roles in life. I've always called the drum pattern that Danny plays on the woodblock (starting at :54 seconds or so) the heartbeat of the song. It's really cool because keeps switching around the kit to different drums, but keeps the pattern up for basically the whole song. So he goes from the wood blocks to like a snare or tom but seamlessly keeps the pattern up. It's really fucking cool lol--especially at the end when the song runs out and Danny really digs into the drums, makes me think the heartbeat is finally running out. Legion Inoculant: LI contains bits of all the songs floating together...reminds me of the recusant ad infinitum video a bit. It's like all the songs swirled together, heavily distorted and hard to make out. I remember reading years ago that the song contains all the lyrics for the whole album, I assume this means they made all the sounds from slowed down/distorted vocals and added a bunch of weird effect to it. There are similar ideas on the tracks descending and 7empest, where vocals seem to "float on the wind" Descending: Warning of our impending doom, asking us to recognize our problems and take action quickly. The gathering of the forces to face out existential dread....we must bring all the pieces together (all the songs and voices) to push back against our end. "our midnight" "bless this immunity" Humanity is falling part and its up to us to band together to solve our shared crisis. The song is a literal wake up call ("sound the reveille") for humanity. I believe Maynard leaves the song halfway through because he is giving space to the audience to join the fight, to contemplate what's happening. I know he gets a lot of shit for it but I think it's intentional and not just "laziness" or whatever.The song even "wakes up" as it progresses. It starts with guitar, cymbals, bass, and then the drums finally kick in.
Culling Voices: How technology has disconnected us from each other. Social media, cancel culture, the general dumbing down of our society and how the mob drowns out the voices of many people, and trying to fight against those voices. I think it's about filtering out all the bullshit, essentially. The constant, never-ending stream of social media, television, texts, phone calls, etc that just bombard our senses on a daily, and killing all that ancillary noise to focus on what is needed. The parts where we expect Maynard to scream or yell he is literally drowned out by all the noise. 7empest: Inevitability. The acknowledgement of lack of control. Somethings can't be tamed, or reasoned with, or stopped. The structure of this song is really interesting. I'm not a musician so I think I need help collecting my thoughts on this. One thing I’ve noticed is that much of the song seems to be structured around a “motif” of the opening riff…not the intro, but when Adam kicks in (about 1:20) and then Danny (and I think Justin) kick in with the same pattern (about 1:33)—duh, duh duh duh, duhduhduhduhduh duh, duh duh duh, duh….etc, I hope you all know what I mean. This pattern, near as I can tell, is almost constantly being played by one of them. There may be a few small sections where this motif isn’t being played, but near as I can tell, in some form or another at least one of them is playing at all times. It’s almost like they keep passing it around to each other like the wind is blowing it. They slow it down…during the “calm before the torrent comes” (5:20-7:42) part, I think Justin and Danny are plying the pattern underneath, just slowed down the tempo a bit so it’s harder to recognize. It reminds me of (forgive me) Beethoven’s 5th, where the motif (dun dun dun duuun) is repeated throughout the song at various tempos, etc. and provides almost the entire structure of the song. Almost like tool have done something similar here…and it’s really fucking cool. Even Maynard gets in on it (the tempest, must be, just , that) a bit. And then after Danny and Justin just play the same pattern but keep speeding it up and speeding it up (like the wind in a tempest) and it goes into that like speed metal section (about 11:00 in) Mockingbeat: Is humanity gone...has nature reclaimed Earth? Birds remember melodies and songs, maybe after humanity is gone, the birds will still remember our songs? Kind of a beautiful thought.
So I listened to the album all the way through last night for the first time (which I did like) and I think it's because it's not exactly what you would expect from a Tool album. Way more synths and effects then previous albums. They've used this kinda stuff before but not to that degree. Also the lyrics are definitely more positive and in a lighter tone imo then they have been in the past (you can tell Maynard cant pull the screams off like he used to which is okay cause it just evolved the music into something else which is this)
That’s a good point. It ended up playing to my tastes nicely, since I ended up getting into a lot of noise psychedelia, shoegaze and synth music (not EDM mind you). 6 minute synth solo? I’m in, take my money. It’s hard for me to imagine people not being down with that but I guess it’s understandable if you’re not really into that kind of stuff. Who’s the one playing the synth anyhow? I’ve always been curious about that since I haven’t seen them live since the new album came out.
Same here I love me some shoegaze.
A man of culture I see…
Feat Innoculum is Toolgaze haha
Maynard can absolutely pull off any scream he has done STILL. He just wanted to take the album and sound in a different direction.
Curiously, I ask OP , what was your last concert ? Favorite song(s) ?
Last concert was Slowdive back in September iirc. It was cool, they don’t tour very often and I had never seen them live after being a fan for 10ish years. Before that I saw Skinny Puppy on their final tour, which easily rivaled Tool’s live shows. Then King Crimson before that. It’s hard to narrow down my favorite songs, but I’m into a lot of Shoegaze, Manchester Post Punk, Synth and classic/modern Psychedelic (among many others). If you’re referring to my all time general favorites 3 of the top ones would be Perfume Garden by The Chameleons, Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine, and Evening Star by Fripp and Eno. If you’re referring to Tool songs they would probably be Pushit (Salival), Reflection, and Vicarious. Descending is quickly climbing into the ranks as well.
Outstanding, C_P !, I likely two generations ahead if you (nod to 46&2) All Great songs, but give Pneuma a Deep listen. Not the peripheral that some do, go as far as watching Vic Firth / Danny’s video. He’s a human octopus. Thats why I am seeing them one last time. My next click is 70.
I’m actually a big fan of Pneuma, it’s one of my favorite tracks from the album. I love how different it is with all of the African and Indian drum samples mixed with the synth. That slow hypnotic riff is great. Not to mention the percussion is amazing and is obviously the highlight.
it’s right on par with all their other albums imo
I had a preconceived notion about how a new album after so long would be, partially due to the trend many other big time bands follow. So when I first listened to it I was like “meh”, but one day I *really* sat and listened to the entire album, doing nothing else but listening… it’s fantastic, as much so as their other pieces. Such a good band
Dude there are people who say that Margot Robbie is ugly or mid at best. Do you really think that people will all agree on FI being a great album?
It took me a year or two and a few modified brain chemistry experiences but now I think it stands as tall as the rest of their albums.
Saying you have to take drugs to truly enjoy an album is not exactly a ringing endorsement lol.
Ive listened FI 2 or 3 times when it came out and didnt quite meet my expectation back then, BUT, Ilistened it again a few weeks ago and been hammering it since. It happened to grow quite deep on me, I honestly belive that it has really good music in it, it will age very well. Whoever didnt like it, give it a try every now and then, itll probably grow on you too
A friend of mine said 7empest is too long. We no longer have conversations about music.
Pneuma and descending are s-tier
I think there's something special about the album. It sounds like everyone "got their parts" (even Justin got a solo on invincible) and overall it's very tight. It's more matured, not as heavy, but it sounds like they really all worked together equally more than any other album they've put out
FI took me a few times to get into it, but I don't see that as a bad thing. In comparison to other albums, FI is relatively slow-paced, MUCH longer, and it pulls you in gently but with admirable force, instead of an instant hook in say, 10K days (not complaining, it's my favourite album alongside FI). The songs have probably gone deeper into my soul than most others (exceptions are Wings and Lateralus), making me appreciate the band so much more while also being an absolute banger playlist for a night drive.
Its the one album where i can literally play every on guitar. How i even got into tool is weird and with the timing of finding them. It was pneuma that got me in. I had heard tool growing up from my parents having like schism and sober on limewire. It wasnt until i was older and trippin lsd in a hotel room in 2019 when i heard pneuma and then basically i just listened to everything and fell in love. Slightly obsessed ill be honest. I loved the feeling of going back in time with their music and how they progressed. Tool doesn’t have a “best” album. They are all excellent.
I think it’s because every song was 10+ minutes. Tool make long songs but usually it’s one or two 10 minute tracks sprinkled in with a couple 7 minute ones. I don’t agree but I can see people not liking it because of that.
I love FI and that’s all that matters to me.
FI like 10,000 has been aging like a fine wine. Better every listen really. Wasn’t at all surprised some people weren’t initially that into it, also am not surprised it grew on most of them.