Fear Inoculum Tour
Tool's long-awaited return to the stage after thirteen years since their last studio album.
The Fear Inoculum Tour marked Tool's return to the road following a thirteen-year gap since their previous studio album, 10,000 Days, though the band had performed live in 2017 and 2018. Released on August 30, 2019, the album topped the US Billboard 200 and five other national charts in its opening week. The band debuted new tracks like 'Descending' and 'Invincible' during their 2019 European festival tour in May/June 2019, months before the full record hit stores. This era was defined by the culmination of years spent navigating creative hurdles, personal injuries, and legal battles that had stalled progress since 2006.
Quick Facts
- Album supported
- Fear Inoculum
- Band composition
- Four Members
Lore & Background
The album's creation spanned over a decade, beginning with early instrumental work in 2008 following frontman Maynard James Keenan's announcement that new material was being written. Danny Carey was hurt in a motorcycle accident that cracked several of his ribs, and the pain slowed recording further. Legal issues also played a major role, stemming from a 2007 lawsuit regarding artwork credit that escalated into counter-suits against an insurance company. By 2014, only one untitled ten-minute track was considered "pretty much done." Keenan famously described the state of the album as "noodles in a big basket" with no actual dishes formed until late 2017 when instrumentals labeled "FINAL" were sent to him for lyric writing.
Reader's Guide
The tour kicked off in May 2019 with a headlining show at Welcome to Rockville, where the band debuted two new songs: "Descending" and "Invincible." The title "Fear Inoculum" was officially announced on July 29, 2019. Prior to the album's release, Tool made their back catalog available on digital download and streaming outlets for the first time on August 2, 2019. The tour supported an album consisting of seven main tracks with a runtime just under 80 minutes. Fans could also access a deluxe edition featuring a 4-inch HD screen and a 2-watt speaker playing the additional track "Recusant Ad Infinitum," while an expanded book edition released in November 2019 included lenticular lens graphics and lyrics.
Did You Know?
- The album's first single, "Fear Inoculum," is 10:20 long and charted on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart and the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.
- Guitarist Adam Jones used a guitar riff from the mid-1990s that had previously been attempted for the 10,000 Days album but was ultimately saved for "7empest."
- The deluxe edition of the album includes an exclusive bonus track titled "Recusant Ad Infinitum" as an audio track on the DVD/Blu-ray, not a video track.
- Recording sessions were split between a major studio and Maynard James Keenan's Caduceus Cellars winery in Arizona during the 2018 harvest.
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