August 30th

Very few if any modern and still together bands have had the impact Tool has had on my life as a lover of raw and authentic music. Truth in music is in actuality quite a rarity in the realm of commercially successful sonic art. By truth, I mean that there is an overwhelming timeless honesty contained within the notes that transcend any labeling or genre compartmentalization. It's an undeniable fact that not many bands in the history of rock n roll have devoted themselves so obsessively to their craft as tool.

I was in a way forced into a precocious maturation by this group of eccentric artists. As an 11 year old I was exposed to the EP Opiate named for Marx's famous quote "religion is the opiate of the masses"

The title track begins with its catchy hook "choices always were a, problem for you, what you need is someone strong to guide you, deaf and dumb and blind and born to follow, what you need is someone strong to guide you, like me"
https://youtu.be/envM3wTIc-4

For a kid that earlier in the year was listening to Mariah Carey and MC Hammer this was otherworldly and I knew full well when the goosebumps hit I was hooked for life. I still appreciate pop music and all music for that matter, but none of that music had ever affirmed my souls suspicions that there was indeed a more sinister side of life waiting for me to open the door. Tool was absolutely the key and once that perception had been unlocked there was no going back to the way things were..

Not even any of the grunge, punk, or death metal of that era held a candle to what tool was doing, and this was just the beginning. Fast forward 5 albums and 27 years and any fan will agree the artists have never failed to deliver art of the highest conceptual order and the only possible critiques could be that they spend years on their albums.. In fact this newest release has come after a 13 year wait. Clearly, these guys aren't concerned about trends or catering to their cult like following. Zero fucks are given! There are 13-20+year olds that like myself at that stage of development, will have never had heard of these guys. That is until next month when the hinges are blown off their mumble rap, K-pop virgin eared sensibilities.. They might not like it but they will definitely feel it's power. And not because the music is dark and heavy, but because it will be perhaps the first real modern music they've heard.

By the way just last week tool finally gave permission for their work to be streamed on most all major outlets. So, if by some chance you've never explored tool, first we can't hangout, and second you're in for hours of life altering tonal traversing of the infinite with the masters of the universe as your guide. I don't say this lightly. You will be forever changed if you allow yourself to become a tool...

https://www.guitarworld.com/news/tool-unveil-fear-inoculum-cover-art

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