If any album would drag me out of my extended hiatus from this blog (it's been over a year since my last review), it would be Tool's first album in thirteen years, Fear Inoculum. To be honest, I became really, really burnt out with writing reviews because the process - listening, taking notes, writing, and publishing - became overbearing with work and school schedules taking priority. I was working on a post for my album of the year list for 2018 that I never finished (this list was still published on my Instagram, as it is every year). I also found myself placing technical skill and musical excellence over the actual enjoyment I received from listening to music in the first place, which, as one might expect, defeats the entire purpose of writing reviews and running a music blog in the first place. I'm back, however, and I intend to write reviews more frequently, although they will not be nearly as comprehensive or long-winded as those I have published before.
I don't really think that Tool needs an introduction, nor do I think that the hype and hysteria around this album among the general public needs to be addressed either. Personally, I have been listening to Tool since I was a kid (thanks Dad), and Tool has always had a solid place in my musical development. As a result of this, along with the monstrous amount of hype around Tool's first release in over a decade, I was skeptical of Tool's new album. I wasn't sure if it would meet my expectations, along with the expectations of millions of others on the internet with similar concerns. I purposefully walled myself off from any sort of information about the album until such information was released by the band. I didn't listen to the live versions of any songs from the album before I had access to the whole album (these songs being "Invincible", "Descending", and "Chocolate Chip Trip"), as I didn't want to take anything on until I had access to Fear Inoculum in its entirety. I don't regret this decision at all. Fear Inoculum is a monolithic achievement that displays not only musical maturity, but also crystal clear production, a clear sense of direction, and, perhaps most importantly, acknowledgement from Tool that they have a clear understanding of themselves as musicians. Fear Inoculum not only lives up to the expectations that I had for a Tool album in 2019, but exceeds them.
The album starts off with the title track, the first single that released from the album. "Fear Inoculum" features a gradual introduction, displaying a subtle, more mature Tool. Justin Chancellor's bass tone on this track (on this entire album in its entirety, for that matter), is absurdly clean. Danny Carey's drumming, less progressive and more tribal than on other tracks, is also clean and crisp. The verses of this track slowly build up the massive choruses, which then of course leads to an excellent bridge pass the six minute mark. This song follows a generally traditional song structure, well, as traditional as one can get within a 10 minute time-frame. This song serves as a great introduction to what will come on Fear Inoculum, and while not my favorite on this album, is an excellent track all together.
Following the title track is "Pneuma", the first entirely new song(to everyone else who has listened to the live songs and the first single). "Pneuma" serves as, for all intents and purposes, the spiritual successor to "Schism" from Tool's 2001 album Lateralus. The heart and soul of this song is Chancellor's bass riff, which follows a brief guitar intro by Adam Jones. I am not quite sure what you would call the section of the song that occurs around 5:40, but this section (which repeats a few times throughout the song) is not only extremely heavy, but is a masterful display of some of the absolutely insane drumming on this record. Adam Jones doubles down on Chancellor's essential riff after his guitar solo in this song, only leading to what I would describe as a breakdown of sorts at the nine minute and forty second mark. This flows effortlessly into the final chorus in an excellent display of musicianship from Carey, Jones, and Chancellor. Finishing off with another section like the one that occurs at around 5:40, then slowing to silence, this song is concluded almost perfectly.
The next major track on the album (after the segue "Litanie contre la Peur"), "Invincible", has grown on me significantly since my first listen. This song is unique because Maynard James Keenan seems to be absolutely introspective on this song. While the lyrics directly address a "warrior struggling to remain consequential", these lyrics metaphorically reflect the situation that Tool finds themselves in with the record at hand. This track is about getting older and recognizing one's place in the world, especially in reference to Tool's place in the current music industry. A great deal of people have lobbed insults at the band over the release of this album, with Keenan even receiving death threats during the recording process, yet this song is about not only persisting, but acknowledging the past. The instrumental aspects of this song follow suit: starting off with a mid-tempo section and gradually growing heavier and faster throughout the song , reinforcing Tool's resilience and strength at around the six minute mark, the song begins to really take its full form, with Adam Jones having an excellent solo perfectly placed in the mix. Eventually, the song reaches its instrumental climax, a breakdown that is one of the heaviest moments on the album, one that absolutely blew me away, and continues to blow me away, even after over a dozen listens.
Following "Invincible" is another segue, "Legion Inoculant", and then "Descending", another song that was played live before the release of the album. "Descending" features one of my favorite guitar solos on the album past the seven minute mark. This is one of the most progressive and melancholy tracks on the album, displaying Tool's well known cohesiveness. Everything seems to make sense with regards to this track. I won't say much more about this track because I feel that any description that I may have may not accurately capture the movements and progressions that take place, as well overall atmosphere that is wrapped around this song like a warm, fuzzy, progressive blanket. Go listen. I think you'll like it.
"Culling Voices" is a slow burner, up until about the half way point that is. Keenan's hushed refrain of "don't you dare point that at me" becomes more aggressive, leading to a heavy instrumental breakdown and finale. This is my least favorite track on the album, yet it is still an excellent song in its own right.
"Chocolate Chip Trip" follows, an instrumental track only consisting of odd synths and drumming by Danny Carey. This track is essentially a trippy drum solo and is a welcome reminder that Tool is still really, really weird. I love it.
"7empest" is the final track of the physical release and the final real song on the album. This track harks back to Tool's past, sounding like a mix of what you would find on all of the band's previous releases. Adam Jones' guitar work shines above all other tracks on this album on "7empest" with his aggressive, biting tone doubling down on everything heavy Tool has ever written. Especially after the eleven minute mark, Adam Jones flexes on all of us how much better he is at writing great music than all of us losers. This song is not only the best song on the album, but is certainly one of the best that Tool has ever written. It is also the most accessible song on the album, which is surprising at its almost sixteen minute length. This track harks back, more so than any of the others on the album, to the days of Opiate and Undertow, where we saw Tool at their most aggressive, raw, and unfiltered. From the moment that Adam starts playing after the short, soft intro, you know you're in for a ride, especially when you hear Keenan state "Fuck, here we go again". I love it. It's not only refreshing, given the current musical climate with bands of Tool's renown and impact, but it is transcendental. If Tool had just released this song, even after a thirteen year gap, I would have been entirely satisfied.
Everything about this album works. The production on the drums is the some of the best drum production I have ever heard. The production on the album in its entirety is the best I have heard all year. At this point, I may sound like I'm geeking out or just lobbing praise at the band, and that's because that's exactly what I'm doing. This album is phenomenal, a modern-day masterpiece in progressive metal. Even after all the years of musical exploration, from Death Metal to Death Grips, Industrial to New Wave, from Underground Hip-hop to Baroque Pop, this is one of the best albums I have ever heard.
10/10. Did you expect anything different?
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