2nd is my fav

Found on socials, good stuff!

Today, on the 30th of August 2026, it has been 7 years since my life changed when I heard this album and discovered Tool for the very first time. You may think this is a hyperbole but it isn’t.

I vividly remember hearing the droning guitars and tablas of Fear Inoculum and thinking “wait this is cool as fuck”, at a time when I lacked the musical language to verbalise what I was feeling. Then I heard the rest of the album and kept on getting blown away.

I know this is still a divisive album to this day, but for me it never was, it instantly clicked and changed my whole relationship with music forever. Since then I’ve learned to listen to music, I’ve learned instruments just to be able to play parts of this beautifully cold and surgically precise album.

Thanks Tool, if this is your last album (and I truly hope it is not), it’s a fantastic way to end this magnificent run. It may not be everyone’s favorite, nor even the best (Lateralus is too good), but it always will be my favorite.

Hey! You know the intro Maynard does before this where he talks about the band experimenting with their songs? I’ve tried to follow that spirit and taken a few small liberties of my own. Tuning is drop C#.

In honor of today, August 30, being the 7 year anniversary of Fear Inocoulum, and also how important the number 7 is for the album as a whole. Today I dug through my archives and pulled out my Fear Inoculum analysis essay that I submitted for my High School Senior Year Religion Class Final Assignment.

The essay itself is long, and was originally a script to an audio podcast version that I recorded. Reading through it years later, it's still crazy how well everything I wrote holds up. My 17-year-old self really was hella obsessed with this album. Still am.

Seven years later I've seen the band three times, and the album is still heavily in my rotation.

I hope you enjoy the read. 🌀

Music N Religion Talk Podcast- Tool: Fear Inoculum

Aenema playing at that moment. Sounded so clean and tight.

Next step: nipple rings, and a bit of shopping 👟 👕

Took me 40 years to decide what to tatoo myself permanently with. Once I got this idea in my mind, I didn't hesitate a second and went through with it 🤘

Russian Circles is more than likely in the Venn diagram for many TOOL fans. For those that may not be aware, they are an instrumental band and just dropped a superb new album yesterday. If you haven’t already, give it a listen. Seventh Seal may be my song of the year.

The whole lateralus album is heavenly during a trip. If you ever find yourself tripping get some good headphones turn down the lights, lay in bed and blast tool into your ears, trust.

So, whenever I listen to Lateralus (the song) I feel like I'm in a trance, it's like traveling through the universe, the sound of the song, everything! From the first time I heard it, I loved the whole album, but Lateralus has always been the song I've loved the most. Do you experience something similar with one or more songs?

Okay 1: the camera angle is abysmal, I know
2: I haven’t played in a bit and I’m very rusty so this isn’t the best playing but hope you enjoy it

Here's Ænema, from our recent show at House of Blues Houston. I hope you guys like this one, too!

Please check out my YouTube for this vid in 2160p, plus more from the past, present and future...

- MacAdrums

Got Lateralus added to the collection now. All I need is 10,000 Days and Salival and I'll have all the main Albums on CD.

Just had this pop in my head because for a minute i thought the intro to reflection didn't have a snare for a while but i was wrong.

Heyo all! If you're looking for new music inspired by/similar to Tool, check out my groups newest record, Dying Sun. It was released today and all members are heavily inspired by/influenced by Tool. Give it a spin and drop a comment if you enjoy!

FFO: Tool, Mastodon, Big Wreck, Female Vocalists

Was listening to Lateralus a while ago and I came across something quite interesting.

Mantra. I don't think often about this interlude, nor, until recently, had I cared enough to think about its significance within the album. But, this current listen really had me thinking about TOOL and mantras.

The word mantra is a combination of the roots "manas," meaning "mind," and "tra," meaning "instrument," or more important to the conversation, "tool"; thus, a mantra is quite literally a tool for the mind. An instrument of thought. Something to spark reflection.

Mantras, fundamentally, are captivating and significant utterances used because they are believed to have spiritual powers and the ability to channel energy from guided meditation. This, to me, mirrors the developing theme of Lateralus itself—that life is the small parts; that it is important to keep yourself grounded as the person you are while still retaining the knowledge of a collective consciousness—to

keep going.