Fear Inoculum

It's hard to explain or describe a TOOL album. You have to listen to it for yourself and you have to listen to it multiple times at that to truly understand it. There are a lot of complaints that Fear Inoculum is too derivative of their previous works, and it's true that you will find distinct glimmers of past albums in the songs (eg. 7empest has an unmistakable Undertow influence, and Pneuma sounds kin to something off of Lateralus) but I don't see this as anything to criticize. There is nothing wrong with a band invoking their own sound and the songs still have plenty of their own flavor to add to the mix. I admit I didn't love the album the first time I heard it, but even with TOOL being my favorite band I can't honestly say I've loved ANY of their albums on a first listen (except for Ænima, that album killed right out of the gate). It takes time and patience and openness to let their music sink in and take hold. Now I adore this album. I wouldn't say it's their very best work, but at no point did I expect or need it to be. They've already hit that benchmark (again, Ænima). I just needed this to be good and to be TOOL. And it is most definitely both. Maynard's role takes a bit of a backseat on this outing, which can be a difficult adjustment at first. The lyrics are good (great, in a couple of spots) but overall, he has held back quite a bit compared to previous efforts. I don't know if this was intentional (or just a lack of interest on his part) but in return, you'll get to see other members like Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor really shine and get some long overdue spotlight. The songs are definitely long, even by TOOL's standards (the shortest proper song on the album clocks in at about 10:05) but as is typical with this band, they are so engrossing and engaging that once they've fully wrapped around your brain, you'll barely notice. The only exception to this, I feel, is 7empest. While I genuinely love this song, it may be the first track from TOOL that I've ever felt was longer than it needed to be. Not egregiously so, by any stretch, but I still find myself briefly zoning out somewhere in the middle of it. The one element that I feel truly falls flat on this album is optional "interlude" tracks. In TOOL's past catalogue, most of the albums have contained segue tracks that are usually soundscapes or short instrumentals of a sort that provide a connective tissue between the main tracks, either serving as an intro or outro to an actual song, or simply a transition from one song to the next. This creates a cohesive listening experience when you put the album on and play it through from start to finish. Most of their albums feel like they were meant to be listened to as one complete work, rather than a collection of songs. But Fear Inoculum is not like that. The songs feel separate and, for the most part, do not flow from one into another. In and of itself this is ok, but this time the included interludes feel extremely tacked on. They each feel like the band was just messing around in the mixing booth and then said "Hey, this is neat. Let's throw it on the album." Even Chocolate Chip Trip, which on the first couple of listens turns into a surprisingly fun three-minute Danny Carey drum solo, begins to wear thin after a short while. These interludes do not hurt the overall production, exactly, but they really don't feel necessary at all and I often find myself skipping over them. If you're trying to scale all of TOOL's albums on a self-contained best-to-worst spectrum, Fear Inoculum may actually be one of their worst albums. But any band that can claim THIS as their worst album, is clearly one of the greatest bands to ever exist. It is a phenomenal effort, especially after 13 years, and miles above anything else out there right now. If you are new to this band, this MAY not be the best place to start (*cough* Ænima) but if you already love TOOL, I think this album will assuredly find a place in your heart.

Tool fans are a protective bunch, and I am a fan. I know from experience as a King Crimson fan as well just how protective we fans can be. I once saw a KC fan yell at a tourist for taking Robert Fripp's photo during one of his famous soundscapes performances. That was the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center (called Brookfield Place today) in 1999. I get it. Don't criticize our favorite bands. They are critic-proof. Tool are back and they have met our expectations. Fear Inoculum is great. I can't really put together a cohesive review, but I wanted to share my notes. I have thought about this since 2001, and I think it has to be said that the band has been going easy on us this century. They haven't been as challenging or revolutionary as they were in their first six years. Tool, even when not smashing through walls, is impressive. Parabola is one of the most incredible tracks I've heard this century, yes. And I love Invincible, self-reflexive as it is. But overall, Tool has mellowed a little into an art rock band that impresses with their musicianship, but doesn't quite reach the heights of the albums of my infancy. I came into this world in 1973. You know that year. Houses of the Holy. Dark Side of the Moon. Selling England. Tubluar Bells. For Your Pleasure. Larks' Tongues in Aspic. Brain Salad Surgery. The following year had The Lamb and Starless and Bible Black. As much as we want to place Tool with them, we can't. Tool are influenced by some of these greats. And it seems more apparent than ever on Fear Inoculum. Most of the main tracks are spaced apart by instrumental tracks that quote some of their earlier works. And I agree - ambitious, epic songs should have space between them on an album. So bravo to the boys for making an album. If you play it all the way through, there will be chances to take a breath. But I still think it is an accessible album, despite the length. 10,000 Days is not the easiest of listens. Fear Inoculum is really smooth and easy by comparison, like an irish whiskey on the rocks. The compositions tick all the boxes: time changes, strong solos, Maynard's impeccable vocals, and one of the best drummers and bassists in rock. The lyrics, as usual since Lataurus, are not all that great, but they are fine. And the songs this time out have a more consistent tempo. There aren't many fast sections here (nothing like Bottom or Grudge). No need to dive into the photos and lyrics like this is a Rush album. Not many hidden meanings. It's just four amazing musicians making their work seem easy. And that is not a negative criticism. When I listen to Fear Inoculum, I hear a band that has composed and prepared for so long, recording the songs must have been a relief. I hear a relaxed art metal band. Is that nuts? I get it. I'm past the age of giving a crap, and so are these four talented guys who are decade ahead of me. They slaved over these compositions, looked back, realized that a lot of them are in odd numbered time signatures (involving a lot of 7s), and said screw it, they might be slower but they are all up to our standards. And that's really what I want to stress here. This is a Tool album. Like every other studio record they put out, it lives up to the hype and their high standards. We can't take that for granted. Despite my gripes about this album being accessible, I'm having a very hard time deciding if it is better than Lateralus. If it is, it's their third best full length album. If not, it's their second weakest. This? Weak? I gave it five stars. Time for another listen.

I’ve been waiting years for this release. Initially reluctant to pay the price but I imported one from the USA at a considerable saving over the UK/European price. I also had the day off work to listen it fully on the day of release. So I’ve now had several weeks of listening to it. There are few albums that ever truly lift me and really make the hairs stand up on your neck, but this is one of them. I love longer songs that take a while to develop. Whether it be Led Zep, Deep Purple, Type O Negative, Elder, or Jethro Tull etc - I like to sit down and just absorb their craft. Tool have just nailed it with this release. All 4 musicians are at their peak here. DC produces the most amazing display of polyrhythms (as always), JC works in tandem with him to be what I believe is the best rhythm section in any band at the moment, AJ produces riff after riff of drop D goodness (and some nice solos) and MJK goes through a range of emotionally charged vocals (although never quite reaches the intensity of earlier works eg Sober). The production is absolutely top notch. This isn’t an album to just dip into, you need to sit down, give it time with no distractions, and you’ll be richly rewarded. I was driving home today and got stuck in a traffic queue on the M62. But I didn’t care as it meant that I got to listen through the whole album again. I’ve often found myself sitting in the car park at work refusing to go in until the current track finishes. I thought Agent Frescos A Long Time Listening was going to be my album of the decade but it may now be a tie with Fear Inoculum. Just amazing.

Después de varias escuchas para asimilar la música que estaba escuchando (sorprendiéndome a cada momento del virtuosismo de Tool) puedo decir que de momento es el disco que más me mete en la espiral de Tool. Madurez compositiva, genialidad a raudales y un cuidado por el más mínimo detalle. No quiero comparar con otros discos anteriores porque todos son únicos. Y afortunadamente después de 13 años de espera se confirma la altura musical de Tool. Mucha espera pero hay canciones en este disco que por ellas mismas lo valen. En cuanto a la edición especial me parece muy cuidada, preparada para el disfrute de todo fan de Tool. En fin, lo único que puedo recomendar es escuchar la música de Tool sin prejuicios, dejarse llevar por la aventura musical de sus canciones y gozar de una experiencia tan sublime.

Fear Inoculum hat sicher nicht die Eingängigkeit und Aggressivität der bisherigen Tool-Klassiker Ænima oder Lateralus, aber es besticht durch einen fantastischen Sound, sehr lange, dynamische und sorgfältig arrangierte Songs und einen Knaller (7empest) am Ende. Nachdem ich Fear Inoculum zum ersten Mal komplett gehört hatte war mir klar, dass es sehr geteilte Reaktionen hervorrufen wird. Alles auf dem Album klingt zwar nach Tool, aber doch ist es irgendwie ganz anders als seine Vorgänger und damit für alle, die nach dem, für meinen Geschmack etwas lauen, 10000 Days ein Album im Stil von Undertow, Ænima oder Lateralus erwartet hatten, vielleicht eher eine Enttäuschung. Für mich ist es alles andere als das. Es ist für mich das epische Tool-Album, zwar anders, als die Grammy dekorierten Vorgänger, aber keinen Deut schlechter. Es ist ein Album zum konzentrierten Zuhören, zum Entdecken, aber vor allem zum Genießen, denn der eher gemächliche Songaufbau und das relativ niedrige Tempo der sechs Nummern lassen den Songs viel Luft zum Atmen (Pneuma!). Dazu kommt die Liebe zum Detail, die man dieser Produktion in jeder Sekunde anhört. Der gesamte Mix ist extrem klar, präsent, greifbar, tight und aufgeräumt - man könnte auch sagen trocken, aber dennoch besitzt er eine unglaubliche räumliche Tiefe. Wenn Danny Carey bei den Breaks über die Toms fliegt, hat man das Gefühl im Aufnahmeraum direkt vor dem Drumset zu stehen. Bass und Bassdrum drücken dann, wenn sie es müssen und das gemeinsam mit den sehr durchsetzungsstarken, aber nie spitzen oder matschigen Gitarren von Adam Jones. Und über allem schweben die Gesangslinien von MJK, wie man sie in dieser Form bisher vielleicht eher von A Perfect Circle kannte. Der Sound des Albums ist für mich eine neue Referenz im Rock/Metal-Bereich und gerade die Gitarren gefallen mir sehr viel besser als auf 10000 Days. Für mich klingen sie eher nach Ænima, nur noch präsenter und differenzierter. Ich habe das Album mittlerweile weit über zehn Mal gehört und meiner Meinung nach gibt es darauf sehr viele Parts, die einfach nur unglaublich gut klingen und immer wieder ein Grinsen auf mein Gesicht zaubern. Mich stört es nicht, dass die Songs eigentlich keine Hooks besitzen, die direkt ins Ohr gehen – ich habe mich beim Hören trotzdem sofort „zu Hause“ gefühlt. Oft ist es ja so, dass man zunächst etwas fremdelt, wenn Musik nicht gleich den Ohren schmeichelt. Hier nicht. Für mich ist Fear Inoculum komplex, aber trotzdem rund und das macht es im Zusammenspiel mit der genialen Produktion zu einem wirklich epischen Album und ich freue mich, das Tool genau dieses Album gemacht haben und kein neues Ænima oder Lateralus - denn die beiden bleiben mir ja immer noch für die etwas härteren Momente im Leben. Zum Schluss noch eine kleine Anmerkung zur Vermarktung des Albums. Ich muss zugeben, dass ich hinsichtlich des doch relativ hohen Preises eine Zeit überlegt hatte, ob ich das Album in physischer Form vorbestellen soll. Im Nachhinein bin ich jedoch froh, dass ich es getan habe, denn mit Sicherheit hätte ich es mir nach dem offiziellen Release-Datum doch noch gekauft – nur dann wohl zu einem noch höheren Preis. Den Preisunterschied zum US-Markt finde ich zwar nach wie vor zu extrem, das Artwork des Albums ist aber sehr gut gelungen und entschädigt etwas.

Ca fait 13 ans qu'on l'attend donc forcément on a la dalle! Déjà le packaging, c'est beau! (c'est très cher aussi, 80€ pour 50$ outre atlantique ça fait cher le voyage en avion...). Je m'attendais pas à un aussi beau coffret. C'est dans la lignée des packages originaux depuis Aenima mais cette fois avec un écran au milieu qui se recharge par USB (pas très utile mais ajoute définitivement à l'ensemble. Le livret est super beau. Téléchargement inclus mais seulement en MP3 malheureusement. Que dire de l'album, un peu déçu au premier abord. Je connaissais déjà Descending et Invicible (un concert US sur Youtube et le Hellfest), j'aimais beaucoup ces deux chansons mais je n'avais pas écouté Fear Inoculum en entière. J'ai écouté l'album sans être attentif aujourd'hui au travail et j'étais un peu mitigé. Puis j'ai pris le temps de l'écouter comme il se doit ce soir... C'est simplement fantastique, je trouve. C'est du tool aucun doute mais cet album apporte une vraie évolution sur le son de Lateralus et évidement 10,000 Days puisque le son n'avait pas vraiment évolué. Cet album se bonifie au fur et à mesure des écoutes. C'est pour moi un vrai plaisir d'avoir enfin du nouveau Tool dans les oreilles! Ya que Tool en mettant leurs albums sur les plateformes de streaming pour prendre la 1ère place du Billboard rock pour Aenima sorti en 96, la 2ème place pour Lateralus sorti en 2001, la 4ème place pour 10,000 Days sorti en 2006 et la 5ème place pour Undertow sorti en 1993! Tout ça la 1ère semaine!

随分と在庫が安定してきたのか、11月24日時点で、北米のAmazonなら38.90ドルで購入可能です。送料含めても5000円するかしないかで買えるので、HDプレーヤー付きが欲しいのであれば、こちらで購入をオススメします。 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VGTYTBF/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_AaI2DbH4Z8033 内容については言わずもかな凄まじいです！