Fear Inoculum

Fear Inoculum

by Tool
Fear Inoculum

Fear Inoculum

by Tool

CD(Expanded / Special Edition)

$37.99 
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Overview

With almost 13 years and four months between releases -- an interminable wait for their devoted legion of fans -- enigmatic alt-metal band Tool finally returned at the end of summer 2019 with their long-awaited fifth album, Fear Inoculum. Clocking in at 80 minutes with just seven official tracks, this is less a straightforward rock record and more a mind-bending journey, borrowing a classical approach that trades traditional constructs heard on early radio staples like "Stinkfist" and "Sober" for something akin to movements within a symphony. Much like the directional shift that occurred around the time of 2001's Lateralus, Fear Inoculum expands on 10,000 Days' alternative, prog-metal jam band design while recapturing some of the excitement and freshness from their commercial peak during the AEnima/Lateralus years. Seamless arrangement and complex artistry set the album in typically ambitious territory for vocalist/lyricist Maynard James Keenan, guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor, and percussion wizard Danny Carey, who are at the peak of their collective musicianship (Carey's instrumental drum showcase, "Chocolate Chip Trip," is simply on another level). Not surprisingly, after over a decade, the foursome have matured, presenting an older, wiser perspective born of a well-adjusted shift into the hard-won comforts of adulthood. Complex metaphors about sodomy, allusions to alien abductions, and sophomoric inside jokes have been set aside, resulting in serious ruminations on aging and their legacy ("Invincible"), as well as a vested interest in humanity's future ("Descending"). They cast away negativity on the hypnotic title track, a trance-like prayer to immunize against evil and those ills that might drag us down. Instead of lusting for an apocalyptic purge a la the misanthropic "AEnima," Keenan laments society's downhill trajectory on "Descending," flipping his usual script with a late-song twist that pleads for us to save ourselves before it's too late. Shunning the fatalistic on album highlight "Pneuma," he urges listeners to break free, liberate the titular spirit, and unite as one, while Jones, Chancellor, and Carey build the hulking track to a shiver-inducing close over the span of 12 minutes. While these track times are imposing (epic closer "7empest" is a whopping 15 minutes of elevated metal exploration), the thrill of the trip is so well executed and beautiful that constructs of time and space evaporate and help Fear Inoculum feel like a brisker listen than Lateralus or 10,000 Days. As with everything associated with Tool, fans will likely spend the next 13 years and four months dissecting the complex time signatures, layered lyrics, and the symbol-loaded album artwork, which are crucial aspects to the esoteric band's enduring appeal. Considering the long gap between albums, there was a lingering fear that they couldn't live up to their own hype or legacy. Fortunately, Tool managed to improve and perfect their sound even further, resulting in one of the strongest statements in their catalog. Whether 10,000 days or the actual 4,868, Fear Inoculum was well worth the wait. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

Product Details

Release Date: 12/13/2019
Label: Rca
UPC: 0190759758229
Rank: 477

Tracks

  1. Fear Inoculum
  2. Pneuma
  3. Invincible
  4. Descending
  5. Culling Voices
  6. Chocolate Chip Trip
  7. 7empest

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Tool   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Jun Murakawa   Assistant Engineer
Pete Lewis   Guitar Technician
Mat Mitchell   Tracking
Jon Nicholson   Drum Technician
Danny Carey   Composer,Group Member
Wesley Seidman   Assistant Engineer
Adam Jones   Composer,Group Member,Art Direction,Video Director
Alex Grey   Concept,Video Director
Bruce Jacoby   Drum Technician
Mackie Osborne   Design
Matthew Santoro   Design,Visual Direction
Sacha Dunable   Guitar Technician
Morgan Stratton   Assistant Engineer
Dominic Hailstone   Design,Visual Effects Designer
Ann Chien   Producer
Dan Druff   Guitar Technician
Travis Shinn   Photography
Lee Young   Photography
Joe Slaby   Drum Technician
Andrew Means   Tracking
Greg Foeller   Assistant Engineer
Tim Dawson   Tracking,Guitar Technician
Ryan "Junior" Kittlitz   Drum Technician
Scott Dachroeden   Guitar Technician
Alex Landeen   Photography
Garrett Lubow   Assistant Engineer
Joyce Su   Design,Artwork,Visual Effects Designer
Sean Cheetham   Portraits
Ryan Tottle   Design,Visual Effects Designer
Scott Moore   Assistant Engineer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
Kevin Mills   Assistant Engineer
Lustmord   Tracking
Justin Chancellor   Composer,Group Member
Maynard James Keenan   Composer,Group Member
Joe Barresi   Mixing,Engineer
Tool   Composer,Producer
Kristin Burns   Photography
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