Tool - FEAR INOCULUM

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Everyone has an opinion. I don't agree with the ones that say it's their worst - I like it more than Undertow and 10,000 Days, but it's a notch below the excellence of Lateralus and Aenima. Like all Tool albums, it's one that's grown to be strong and stronger with repeat listens.

Despite being 92 minutes of music, it does feel like a short album to me, but I don't really see that as a negative. Of the 6 "songs" on the album, I think they're all pretty great except for Culling Voices, which I reckon is the worst song they're written since Undertow.

Unsurprisingly though, it's easily my favorite album of 2019.
 
Demonic Ascent said:
Spotify has it listed as 96 minutes that's a pretty decent album length. The length of the album doesn't worry me, I'd prefer they produce something of high quality than add filler just to get the numbers up.
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They threw in like 6 extra songs of synth sounds for online release. Not great listening.
 
Cyzzametimbres said:
They threw in like 6 extra songs of synth sounds for online release. Not great listening.
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Looks like 3 extra songs (or 6 minutes) vs the album. So the album still runs 79 minutes which is not short and in the old days would have been considered a double album at that length.
 

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Demonic Ascent said:
Looks like 3 extra songs (or 6 minutes) vs the album. So the album still runs 79 minutes which is not short and in the old days would have been considered a double album at that length.
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Its 5 long songs and another song that I usually skip now and a drum solo that I skip. I’ve got the cd. Listened to it probably 30+ times since it was released. I like the 5 songs but doesn’t feel like enough after 13 years.
 
Nostradumbass said:
Nope.
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Vocals are rare and when they are there they are mostly boring. Musically its not all that interesting either.

The people who like this album are no different to the people who like the irishman. They have convinced themselves it must be good because of the previous body of work, long wait and good critic reviews. But this album is frankly boring. Im going back to old tool albums and live recordings to compare. They are utterly brilliant. This doesnt hold a candle to it.
 
Seeds said:
The people who like this album are no different to the people who like the irishman. They have convinced themselves it must be good because of the previous body of work, long wait and good critic reviews. But this album is frankly boring. Im going back to old tool albums and live recordings to compare. They are utterly brilliant. This doesnt hold a candle to it.
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I both liked the album, and didn't really like the Irishman - what now?

It's ok that you don't like the album - to criticise others opinions as being sheeplike or delusional is poor form.
 
Seeds said:
Vocals are rare and when they are there they are mostly boring. Musically its not all that interesting either.

The people who like this album are no different to the people who like the irishman. They have convinced themselves it must be good because of the previous body of work, long wait and good critic reviews. But this album is frankly boring. Im going back to old tool albums and live recordings to compare. They are utterly brilliant. This doesnt hold a candle to it.
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Not that interesting musically? Hmmmm ok. You have your opinion and I have mine. I think it's a brilliant album. If it was mediocre I'd say it is but it isn't. The Irishman was terrible.
 

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Seeds said:
No his brother is bang on. Its the worst tool album by far.
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The 6 "proper" songs are brilliant and total to over 70 minutes of new Tool. I'd take that any day.

And there is a huge difference between it's possible rankings within the Tool catalogue and it being deemed not even worth listening to. If you remember 10000 days was shat on at release too. If you think this album is not even worth listening to... well I dunno.

Things we could have hoped for:

Distinct Tool sound: Check. Put this on and IMMEDIATELY any Tool fan would recognise it as the new album.

Not soft (Like APC's latest): Check. This has some of the heaviest and best guitar riffs in Tools catalogue.

Intricate song layering: Check. If you love when Tool take a riff and change it subtly this album is for you.

Maynard's voice to hold up: Check. Let's be real. He's struggled since 2012. Vocally, although definitely not as prominent on this album his singing is on point. Yes it's missing any huge scream moments but I had no false hope there would be. There's a awesome hint during 7empest.

It's the best album we could have hoped for after their absence for so ling
 
Cyzzametimbres said:
The music is fine there’s just not enough of it. Take out the drum solo and there’s only 6 tracks and 1 of those is mostly just Adam and Maynard. I was expecting a double album after 13 years.
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I'll absolutely agree here. 6 tracks wasn't enough. However those six tracks give 70 odd minutes of new music. They could have split Descending in two and now magically we have 7 haha.
 
skipjack said:
The 6 "proper" songs are brilliant and total to over 70 minutes of new Tool. I'd take that any day.

And there is a huge difference between it's possible rankings within the Tool catalogue and it being deemed not even worth listening to. If you remember 10000 days was shat on at release too. If you think this album is not even worth listening to... well I dunno.

Things we could have hoped for:

Distinct Tool sound: Check. Put this on and IMMEDIATELY any Tool fan would recognise it as the new album.

Not soft (Like APC's latest): Check. This has some of the heaviest and best guitar riffs in Tools catalogue.

Intricate song layering: Check. If you love when Tool take a riff and change it subtly this album is for you.

Maynard's voice to hold up: Check. Let's be real. He's struggled since 2012. Vocally, although definitely not as prominent on this album his singing is on point. Yes it's missing any huge scream moments but I had no false hope there would be. There's a awesome hint during 7empest.

It's the best album we could have hoped for after their absence for so ling
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Apcs latest was much better. I had that on high rotation for a good two months. This tool album didnt even last a week for me and I have had some of their other albums on high rotation for 15 years.

It is softer then other tool albums. It doesnt have great vocals which is usually the highlight of tool. The music is very repetitve. Not a lot is changing or going on in the songs. Tempest is awfully boring and bland and not all that heavy either. I do not get why people like it. There are two songs on this album alone that are better. But none of the songs build to anything. Thats the point of long songs. They build to a big ending. None of them do it. They just slowly putter out and you sit there with 5 mins of the track to go thinking can we just kill this all ready. You have already done those cords for 5 mins. We dont need it anymore.
 
Seeds said:
Im sorry but this must be spam. They are all terrible endings.
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Uhhh, the endings of Fear, Pneuma, Invincible and Culling Voices are excellent and true crescendos to what has come before them! Not sure what you want from them. No wait I probably do. A huge vocal payoff moment / scream. Agreed they don't have that.

Let's play a different game. Which endings of other Tool songs do you like?

I cannot believe you criticise this album for being too soft yet like the APC new album? I feel like you are joking with us. APC album was written on piano and it shows.


But in the end - music is subjective. If you don't like it. That's okay. I love it and can't wait to see them again in Feb
 
BIRDBRAIN said:
Honestly it took me a lot longer than a week to fully digest this album. Is it as good as Aenima or Lateralus? Nope, but I'm still playing the absolute shit out of it in the car, can't get enough of it actually.
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Lateralus is perfection but I'm really enjoying this record.
 
Imagine ranting about being objectively right or wrong and then posting utter shit like this:

Seeds said:
The music is very repetitve. Not a lot is changing or going on in the songs. Tempest is awfully boring and bland and not all that heavy either. I do not get why people like it.
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There is more "going on" in 7empest alone than there is on most albums. It introduces motifs early on and then iterates on them later in the track, both calling back but also evolving. The final verse is a brilliant vocal performance and one of the best denouements of a track I've ever heard.

Maybe your hearing just isn't functioning as well as it did 20 years ago. They are making subtle changes to riffs all throughout the album. Descending during the build up, around 9:40 on they play that bit slightly differently each time, and then hit a particular harmony around 10:20 that is both very subtle but also extremely satisfying.

The things you say you are looking for are there, all through the album (All through FI, Pneuma, Invincible, Descending, and 7empest anyway) you just don't appear to be hearing them. I wouldn't usually make a post stating that someone's subjective view is wrong like this btw, but since you have no concerns about stating that your opinion > everyone else's without any kind of justification, I'm not going to feel too bad about it.
 
Solid album! ...could have had a couple more songs as mentioned above.
not Tool's best album but still great...looking forward to the concert.
don't care much for the instumentals I must say..the don't really lead into the next song like on other albums.
the lack of a solid scream/yell(even a distorted one) in any song is the thing that stands out to me from this album.
oh well...still flogging it!
'Descending' is a killer tune!
 

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Tool - FEAR INOCULUM

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