Tool Fear Inoculum impressions

Exactly Greg!
When A7X released the Stage with only 1 hours notice to the general public, I found most stores had lots of copies of regular CD that day.
In fact FYE was selling it at $9.99!

I found this Tool marketing release to be a little baffling to say the least.

It’s a shame how compressed the new album is. Also sad how compressed the remasters for download are.
Looking at the DR DB it’s easy to see the affect of the Loudness Wars; Tool CDs released in the 90s have lower compression, thus better dynamic range. Albums released after 2000 are super compressed. It really hurts the music of a band like tool where there are polyrhythms which cant be fully appreciated, bass and kick drums compressed together, and vocals in the middle of it all.

At least, I have a couple of original CD releases. Hearing how compressed the streaming is, I’ll pick up the other CDs.

With regard to the new album, it will take a few listens before I make a judgment.

Well, I spoke too soon. The new album is sounding very good. It’s a good mix and well produced despite what the DR scale indicates.
I’m listening to hirez on Qobuz and liking most of the tracks after playing it twice.

I am still on my first listen, got halfway through but it was time for dinner.  I will start from the beginning again tomorrow.  I may need a few listens to really warm up to it.  

Lowrider.

Just goes to show that numbers are not always the be all and end all of it.
Glad it is growing on you.
As soon as vinyl available at a fair price in the 🇺🇸 I will be buying it.