Fear Inoculum
by Tool

From Cargusbralem 09/06/2019 17:01 | #242285 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Ok, so screw the Fantano review, I'm giving my own feedback now. I'm not the biggest Tool fan, but as far as comebacks go this is a pretty good one (7/10). They are not reinventing the wheel or anything with this record, but that's because they don't need to. It all feels very Tool, which I would describe as some sort of "meditative" prog metal. Long songs, big build-ups, and an overall slow pace. Tool is for patient metalheads, on a couple of levels. I think the 13 year wait has satisfied the hype, but IMO not exceeded it. I have listened to the album about 4 times now, perhaps my rating might go up with more listens.

Favourites: Pneuma, Invincible, Culling Voices

From LedZep TOP 100 COMMENTER 08/31/2019 12:17 | #241998 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Note: please listen to the digital version with 10 songs, those intermissions are an essential part of the album.
Now first of all, I've listened to this only 3 times, and 2 of those listens were at work. It's definitely not enough to write a final review, but I've got a few things I wanted to say anyway.
I don't remember when was the last time that a highly anticipated album clicked with me right away. Damn, Currents, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, Eat the Elephant, even Sciences after first few listens have all disappointed me deeply. I'm definitely the guy who gets on "this is gonna be great" bandwagon and then falls on the rails and is run over by reality. That being said, Damn is the only album I could compare Fear Inoculum to in terms of anticipation. Not only did Kendrick/Tool fans already proclaim the album a masterpiece before it was released, but everybody else jumped onboard the hype train too. And it’s so hard to meet that crazy high criteria.
I’m a big fan of Tool’s work, but when the album was announced I was very worried. Eat the Elephant was decent but not very good, Maynard is not a singer he once was, and I wasn’t sure whether he’s still the songwriter that he was. Pretty much the same goes for the rest of the band, cause 13 years is a long time.
I haven’t listened to Invincible and Descending live recordings on purpose. Then the single dropped, and what I thought about the single on the first listen is applicable to album too, so I’ll talk about the album here. First reaction was: this is definitely Tool. For the better or for the worse. Some of the riffs and parts of songs sound very familiar, even recycled. I wasn’t surprised by pretty much anything except the songs’ length. I didn’t really like the safe approach, although the songs were pretty good. However after 3 listens I now stand corrected. It’s not rehashing the good stuff, it’s a natural progression from 10000 Days into even more prog rock/metal territory. The longer songs make sense now, and even though I still think some are too long, they are helluva consistent. Riffs definitely sound like classic Adam Jones, but in a much more positive sense than I initially thought. Danny’s drum work is too good to describe with words, you’ll just have to listen. Justin’s basslines are as adventurous as always, and Maynard vocals are on point although a bit weaker than on past releases. It could be more unpredictable, but I feel like the fans and critics as well as people who've just discovered Tool will all be satisfied. I can say that I’m satisfied for now and am much more positive about the release than on first listen. 7empest and Pneuma are currently favourites, but the whole thing is so consistent. Of course you have to give it 10-15 spins before final judgment, but I’m personally seeing this as a serious AOTY contender.

From PinkZeppelin 09/27/2019 03:45 | #243105 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I don't understand the hate this album's getting. Sure it's a little long and not incredibly exciting right off the bat, but if you take the time to sit and listen you realize the build ups are truly epic. Every one of the songs builds up to an amazing crescendo, and the album does the same, ending on 7empest which is incredibly good. The interludes are the weak part of the album, but I definetly don't mind them and they are interesting.

From infinitejester 09/05/2019 18:17 | #242245 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

Every time Tool or Radiohead have ever made an album, my first few listens are always “wow, boring. This is the worst one ever.” But they always grow on me and I find myself immersed in the layers involved and will eventually find myself loving it.
So I’m not surprised by my first thoughts on the album. Seems to drag on. But I remember thinking the same about Lateralus when it first came out. So I shall listen and wait for it to come as it always has. I’ve found that the albums that I love right off the bat are ones I get burned out on quicker.

„And if the end of the world is nigh, at least now we have its soundtrack“ - from Kate Hutchinson‘s Review in The Guardian