Fans of the legendary progressive metal band, Tool, can tell you all about patience. After over a decade of waiting for new music since their 2006 record, 10,000 Days, the four-piece is making their highly anticipated return. With the release of Fear Inoculum scheduled for the end of this week, Tool is the hottest name in metal — perhaps even music — right now.
As a harbinger of the album’s release, Tool kicked off their summer by ending their abstinence from streaming services, bringing their entire discography to digital platforms. The magnitude of this event was not enough, however; the band dropped the titular track at the beginning of this month. “Fear Inoculum” was released to eager ears clamoring for new music from the band, and it quickly shot up the charts. The track even beat out their biggest hit, “Schism,” peaking at number three on Billboard’s Rock charts.
Speaking of Billboard charts, Tool has been plastered all over them in recent weeks. This week, the band had seven songs in the Top 10 Rock chart, tying Linkin Park for the record. When it came to the Top 10 Bestselling Rock songs, Tool became the first band to ever possess the entire list. The lead single also hit the Hot 100 chart, making it the longest song in the chart’s history, clocking in at 10 minutes and 23 seconds.
Though it has been a long time coming for Tool, the process is shaping up to be worth it. With hype continuing to build, the expectations for the album are high. The band is sure that the album will deliver.
I think people are going to like it because it’s definitely an alternative to anything that’s available from anybody else on the planet.
Danny Carey on Fear Inoculum
The full album is set to release this Friday, August 30th. Keep your eyes peeled for the release of Fear Inoculum, the album that has swept up metalheads in hype for the last few months — or even years. Until then, you can keep busy by diving into Tool‘s full discography. Check out their top tracks down below.
Strings
Tool achieves their unparalleled sound with a diverse range of strings. They use Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Paradigm, Beefy Paradigm, and Not Even Slinky Paradigm strings on their six string guitars. On their seven strings, they use Regular Paradigm 7 Strings and Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Paradigm 7 Strings. On bass, the band chooses Hybrid Slinky Bass strings.
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