Tool Fear Inoculum impressions

So far I've gotten through about  3/4 of it on the way home from work but what i HAVE heard made me either spontaneously drive off the road caught in the daze or partially loose the ability to control anything at all. In other words in made a huge impression in a very first listen which Tool has not been known for from past releases, st least not top me. I think it may become my favorite 😮 and I'll be the first to say that i never thought in a million years,  that would be the case. Aenima was brilliant but this might be better. I'd like to think that people who enjoy their music have grown just as much as the musicians themselves and expecting a rehash of the past is not something anyone should've been counting on, especially from Tool. Besides the overtly compressed mix,  the production isn't half bad i think but i have yet to actually sit down in front of an actual system and listen. In any case the new album did not disappoint. In fact, It's surpassed any expectations

@uberwaltz,  No offense taken. I know exactly what you meant. I'm with you 100%.

"Wink, wink, nudge nudge, say no more, say no more."
 

Nods as good as a wink to a blind man.

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.

Ironically, Maynard is a fan of vinyl.

I agree with uberwaltz. Many Tool fans have a hard time accepting anything after Aenima, which I fully understand. It’s really interesting to hear the progression that the band has made over the years. With each album you can see how they get more melodic and experiment with polyrhythms, time signature changes, etc. For many, that may not be as exciting as their earlier, straight up rock sound.

I didn’t have much of a hard time accepting Lateralus and 10,000 Days. I think the problem I have with FI is that it sounds less like progression and more like a rehash of Lateralus’ riffs and melodies. Maynard showcases little of his talent on this one.

I’ve given it 3 full listens now and I find little worth celebrating. It doesn’t stir me in any way. In contrast, I loved 10,000 Days and Lateralus by the third listen. I can’t believe I’m saying this for a Tool album that was 13 years coming, but I won’t be buying FI on any physical format. I might give it another chance in the distant future. It seems I’m among a very small minority who dislike this album but I find it so disappointing that I’m honestly surprised by how many love it.