FEAR INOCULUM

Tool has been a band I've criminally ignored for lots of years. Knowing that they would launch a new album, in the last weeks I've decided to checkout their catalogue, starting with Undertow and then going upwards. I've also followed some debates about what people were thinking of the new release, and it was common people say that this was just "another" Tool album with rehashed elements from their previous works.

As for myself, where I had little time to digest their discography, I've got that feeling only a few moments, such as the low-key synth in Descending, which is reminiscent of Reflection, but as the whole I believe that Fear Inoculum was a more progressive take to Tool overall sounding. All the tracks are long and have more extended instrumental passages, where Maynard keeps a more low-key approach for melodies, although the chorus in the title track is really remarkable. It's also less heavy than their previous efforts, except 7empest, which is the only rocking number. The others songs follows a similar structure, starting quite quietly and getting heaver latter, but it's still far from some of their heaviest songs from Undertow or Ænima, for example.

I've also enjoyed a lot some of the synth solos, present on Pneuma, Litanie contre la peur and Invincle, which isn't something common from them, adding some textures and a sort of a floydish flavour to the songs. Also, this reminds me structurally of Pink Floyd's Animals, where the songs are larger and more elaborated and then you have some interludes which are also fun to listen and a nice breather between the longer tracks.

8.5/10 - 7empest, Pneuma and Invincible are my favorite tracks.