New Tool
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=120844
Printed Date: May 04 2024 at 07:53
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: New Tool
Posted By: Sentient Ear
Subject: New Tool
Date Posted: August 30 2019 at 12:52
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So, this had to be done. Reviews are fun to look into but I'm curious to get more of a discussion going and really delve into some different perspectives on the specifics. What are your thoughts (and gut feelings) on Fear Inoculum? What are your favorite and least favorite things about the album (both individual tracks and particular aspects of the music)? How does it hold up to the rest of the discography in your opinion? How do you feel about the overall lyrical content? What about the instrumental track? If you've gotten the limited edition copy, how are you liking it? And how's your general experience of this long-awaited release day? More questions/aspects to open up to discussion are welcome! Anticipated spoiler warning for the thread ahead. Happy Tool Day!
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Replies:
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 30 2019 at 13:44
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Not a big Tool fan, and I'm sure I'll get some death threats writing this, but I think Fear Innoculum is horrible. Repetitive, droning, trancey nonsense that does nothing for me. No question that all band mates are talented musicians (Carey more so than others) and it's awesome that they are under no constraints to put out an album in a certain time. But seriously? Sounds like a garage band jamming to me. Something that could have been written on the spot. And what puzzles me more are the accolades of praise this album will receive. I'm sure it will be ranked as PA 2019 album of the year. |
Posted By: enigma
Date Posted: August 30 2019 at 16:55
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I’m still forming my opinion after 4 listens, but here’s some background... I bought each of the Tool albums as they were released; I was a few weeks late buying both Undertow and AEnima but the others were on day of release. This means I had to time to digest each album in real time before the next one came out, and I also went through their evolution with them (I think starting with Lateralus or 10,000 days might cloud your enjoyment and judgement of the earlier releases as you already know what comes next in their evolution) Of all the albums, Undertow and Fear Inoculum are the ones where I found real pleasure on first listen. The others took many listens over months and even years to fully appreciate. The shorter songs on Undertow made it easy to digest (I was into Ride the Lightning era Metallica at the time So was used to chugging guitars) As for Fear Inoculum, on first listen I found it beautiful, I already had been playing the title track to death throughout the last few weeks so was tuned into the new gentler sound. With each listen I discover a new favourite track, the current favourite is Descending; I just love the extended guitar ‘solo’ that starts around 7 minutes with the slide and just takes off. I think the album has a distinct sound which means several of the tracks can sound similar and have similar structures but I’m loving it and finding real beauty in there that is different to previous releases. Now whether this immediacy means it won’t have the staying power of AEnima and Lateralus only time will tell, but for me at least is hasn’t left me scratching my head in the same way AEnima, Lateralus and 10,000 Days did in their early listens. |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: August 30 2019 at 18:07
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I like it on initial listen. It doesn't seem to have that "epicness" that their two previous albums have, but it's pretty high quality all the way through. I don't think Carey has ever played better either. First listen grade - 3/5. Will continue to listen as time goes forward. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 01:16
| I didn't know about it until I saw this thread! The price on Amazon UK for the CD is ridiculous so I will have to content myself with streaming it. |
Posted By: Frenetic Zetetic
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 01:29
Watch the joke be the guys purposely made it bad to prove hype sells, lol. I've yet to hear it. It's like $45 USD, correct? I keep hearing unless you purchase digital it's a hefty price. ------------- "I am so prog, I listen to concept albums on shuffle." -KMac2021 |
Grumpyprogfan wrote:Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 03:08
More like $145 USD. I'll wait for the non-special edition.
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Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 06:30
| The Zon currently has it for $189.99 USD. What a deal. |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 07:10
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"Watch the joke be the guys purposely made it bad to prove hype sells." Interesting thought FZ.
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Posted By: enigma
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 09:53
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It was £75-£90 here in UK. That was the actual price on Amazon, HMV, Rough Trade etc. £80 is currently 97 US dollars, so we were totally ripped off here in Europe. But hopefully when mine arrives (I paid £75) it will be a nice addition to my collection. |
Posted By: Tapfret
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 11:22
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Just read the amazon description. That high cost CD has a built-in rechargeable 4" video screen. ------------- https://www.last.fm/user/Tapfret" rel="nofollow">  https://bandcamp.com/tapfret" rel="nofollow - Bandcamp |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 13:08
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Heard it. Best tracks: "Pneuma," "Invincible," "Descending." FI is a much better album overall than 10,000 Days. They just took far too long to release it. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: enigma
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 14:54
| The second half of Descending is utterly sublime (7 mins in). The moment Adam’s slide guitar starts, to the build up to Danny’s gong strikes then on to the end is perfection in my opinion. |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 17:29
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Never been a Tool fan 'cept for a couple songs.......This one will make me want all their albums. Problem is I try and only do vinyl, hoping a vinyl version gets released. -------------   
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: August 31 2019 at 23:05
| I'm still wondering if I want to check it out. So far I have only heard Lateralus, and even though I found it very good (every single track is at least good), nothing really stuck with me... there were no real highlights, so I have not had the urge to check out their other albums... still, I really liked the last Perfect circle album (not as perfect, but there are songs that I find more distinguishable). |
Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: September 01 2019 at 12:23
| Interesting that the CD version doesn't have the bonus tracks/interludes. I wonder if they'll be on the vinyl. |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: September 01 2019 at 17:24
Didn't realize this. How dumb. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: September 02 2019 at 05:05
| Had a first listen yesterday. I kind of expected some progression in the 50 years or so since 10,000 days but it's the same Tool sound. I'll have a few more listens to gauge a proper opinion. |
Posted By: Prog-jester
Date Posted: September 02 2019 at 17:11
I AM a fan and I agree with you on every word. I didn't expect them to come up with something entirely new and different, so I was ready for all the same riffs and structures. Guess I wasn't ready for the laziest Tool record ever though! Maynard in particular is barely on the album - he's notoriously absent from all climaxes and codas, so Adam Jones steps in and plays...what is that, is that a GUITAR SOLO in my Tool, wtf?? MJK meanwhile sounds awaken only on 1/3 of the last track, every other time he's like half asleep or wasted on his own wine/ego. On top of that, all the songs are like twice longer than they should've been, with no real progression - sounds like they're just jamming indeed - and no real hooks to hum along. And I thought the title track was weak! Now I'm sure this is the only song they put some effort into here. Anyway, I'm feeling a weak 1 to a light 2, tran- |
Posted By: Grumpyprogfan
Date Posted: September 02 2019 at 17:55
| Thanks for the kind words P-j. Did not expect fans to agree with me. Some of the drumming is killer. |
Posted By: enigma
Date Posted: September 11 2019 at 16:49
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I’ve been playing this, along with revisiting their other albums for comparison, a couple of times a day since it was released. I know this is likely to be an unpopular opinion but personally I think it is their best album along with Ænima. In fact FI is currently my favourite, but Ænima has 23 years worth of listens to prove its longevity. It is a different style of album to their previous efforts, a more relaxing and less cluttered listening experience. There is a beauty to it that Really allows me to bask in all the subtle details. Whilst I understand the grievances some people have with it, they are opinions which I personally do not share. Over time my love of it may fade, but at the present time, it is getting better with every listen and is putting a massive grin on my face during my commute to and from work each day. |
Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: September 12 2019 at 04:13
 ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Jeffro
Date Posted: September 12 2019 at 04:45
I like Tool in small doses but they are one of those bands that I feel like if I've heard one of their albums, I've heard them all.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: September 12 2019 at 12:58
| ^ So far, I have only got Lateralus (the best rated one from them at the moment I bought it, and among the best rated prog metal albums, at least in MetalMusic Archives), and I did like the album... mostly, I liked just about all the songs. But there were no particular highlights, either, so I hardly feel any urge to go back to that album, or any particular song from it. So, I might actually consider there's not much more to find from them in their other albums? |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: September 13 2019 at 00:14
| Yes it sounds like everything else they've done. I do like it though and will try and pick up a reasonably price CD of it should one ever get released. |