TOOL’s “Fear Inoculum” Review
As I was listening to Tool’s FEAR INOCULUM track a couple of days ago, there were over a hundred images registering in my mind that I’m sure as hell I would barely recall when I reached my sixties – without the music of Tool. It’s damn hallucinating, in a very good way.
A friend introduced me to Tool during the time I was listening to metal bands such as Strife, Amorphis, Lost Souls, Messhugah and Mayhem. That was circa 2001-2002, I was an eighteen year old college sophomore. As a metalhead myself, and a guitarist of a power metal band, I thought that I need to step up my metal music because I was stuck in the music of my metal-rock heroes Megadeth, Motley Crue, Skid Row, Guns n’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot and Deftones.
“Here. Give this a shot!” My friend said. The album’s name is Lateralus. “What the hell is Lateralus?” I replied. My friend snorted like it was a stupid question to ask from a skinny long haired teenager wearing lashed out faded jeans and messed up chucks. He gave me his discman, “go to track number five.” He said before he left me at the school corridors for he needs to go to his next class.
The song title is Schism. And after barely seven minutes, my take on metal music will never be the same. My first thought after I listened to Tool was, “what the f*ck happened?”
Listening to Tool is not just listening to music but a weirdly delightful experience. The band’s instrumental elements are a huge factor to put Maynard Keenan’s lyrical deftness at the highest. Tool’s music is dark, psychedelic, and moving. And decade after decade, they proved their unmatched worth in music.
I listened to Fear Inoculum track three times in a row. Should I say I liked it?
Prior to this new album, in fact, I did not expect this one because what’s been in my mind is the announcement from Deftones that their new album is about to drop sometime in 2019; I believe that either Undertow or Lateralus could be the band’s magnum opus. But now, I think not. Fear Inoculum is like an opium. I did absolutely nothing whilst listening to this masterpiece. Everything is just perfect. It’s f*ckin’ magic. An out of body experience. From the rhythm, drums to the ever hallucinating singing style of Keenan; if Hip Hop has Mobb Deep, Rock has Portishead, Poetry has Bukowski, Metal is blessed with Tool. In fact, Tool is Tool. No one could match the band’s ingenious contributions in music.
Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy
Hell, it’s just too good to be alive.
Thank you, Tool.
Juan Bautista Stories 