Fear Inoculum (track)

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hellboy
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Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by hellboy »

Take a shot at a review here:
Immunity
Long overdue
Contagion
I exhale you
Lying
I opened up to you
Venom in mania

Now, contagion
I exhale you

The deceiver says, he says
You belong to me
You don't wanna breathe the light of the others
Fear the light
Fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity
But I hear them now inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in
What you say inoculated
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity

Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Read my allegorical elegy
Enumerate
All that I'm to do
Calculating steps away from you
My own
Mitosis
Growing through
Delusion from mania

Exhale, expel
Recast my tale
Weave my allegorical elegy

Forfeit
All control
You poison
You spectacle

Exorcise the spectacle
Exorcise the malady
Exorcise the disparate
Poison for eternity
Purge me and evacuate
The venom and the fear that binds me

Unveil now
Lift away
I see you
Running
Deceiver
Chased away
A long time
Coming
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Szakal77 »

I see people considering this as one of the weakest tracks, no idea why as it's one of my favourites. It's the track, besides maybe Culling Voices, that sounds the least like the Tool we all know and I love it. Best chorus on the album as well.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by ms2r »

There is no weakness on this album and if there would be weakness fear Inoculum certainly wouldn't be it.

Excellent opening track, love the mood they build and yes the chorus is great.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Without_a_skin_here »

Dear fellow fans,

This song has been plaguing me since I heard it, mostly because the theme touches the central point of my academic field. So I just wanted to share my interpretation of this song. For there is a lot more there underneath the surface,

Let me first state that I am a genocide scholar and I wrote several chapters/ articles and even an book on the matter. I agree that the whole album is about fear. (The fear of getting older, spiritual fear, fear regarding creativity etc.) The title track however deals, and I listen to it with my scholarly ears, about Tribalism and what we call "Othering" within the genocidal process. I specifically say "process", for if we think of genocide we often think of mass killings, but there are many phases before that. (Among that the process of Othering. This is a process where more and more negative connotations are attached to the Other, to such an extreme that the Other is ostracized, replaced outside the political entity or sometimes purged from the tribal in-group.)

If you come to think of it: this song is in many ways an extension of Right in Two. Where in that song the violence behavior of humans was observed, in this song this behavior is tried to be explained and how to safeguard and reflect/ protect yourself from these primordial instincts. (Mostly by understanding how the social, political and cultural elements work during tribalism.)

Now a popular believe is that this Othering occurs because the in-group feels superior to the out-group (the Others), but research actually has shown that the basis of Othering is not build on superiority but actually on inferiority. It is based on fear and is often expressed in a repetitive narrative and discourse of victimization where the in-group is in imminent and existential danger of the Other. The irony is, that the Self is blown up within te narrative and the Other is the culprit of all blame that the in-group has to suffer. This is just a projection however. The Self is blown up in enormous proportions to annul the fear underneath it. I was quite surprised by the title track for it is literally drenched with these scientific concepts. And keep in mind that Genocide Studies is an interdisciplinary field: you have sociological, psychological, anthropological, social psychological, historical, biological and even neuro scientific theories. And Maynerd relates and refer to all of these and he does it by translating it in a poetic and day-to-day language.

Notice for example the following lyrics:

"The deceiver says, he says
"You belong to me
You don't wanna breathe the light of the others
Fear the light, fear the breath
Fear the others for eternity"

Now we call this tribal for it is a primordial fear. An existential fear, that in many ways withhold us as a species to evolve sociologically. It seems that Maynerd further states that we have to inoculate ourselves to these fears by understanding where they come from. That this primordial mindset had once upon a time, in the evolution of our species, a purpose but has lost this purpose in the modern world where countries become more depended on one another. It is a psychological appendix. But there is a danger here. Since these fears are primordial they can be used and misused for political gain. The trick is to realize this for then it looses all its effects and power:

"But I hear them now, inhale the clarity
Hear the venom, the venom in
What you say inoculated
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity
Bless this immunity"

Even though this is just an interpretation and I do not in anyway want to promote myself, I hate this actually. I am quite introvert and do not often openly speak my opinion. Here I had to. I send you a link to an open sourced article in a peer review journal I once wrote dealing with this subject matter and all its complexities: I have no financial gain with this. But I explain this process, and the nucleus of this process (identity making through identity destruction) within my article in more detail and see the finer threads.

You can find it here: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/gsp/vol9/iss1/10/


With kind regards,
Anthonie Holslag
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by liz »

That was a really interesting post Anthonie. I can see how the lyrics of this song can find explanation within the context of your study field and in turn make those idea accessible to a different audience.

People fleeing oppressive governments, war and even lack of opportunity are finding themselves vilified and often imprisoned throughout the world. The narrative of fear looms large. Fear that these people want to take from us, to impose their ideas on us, to change our society, to change the status quo.

I crowd feeling at TooL concerts is like a church of sorts, an idea that has been expressed before I know, but It can also be used as a pulpit. Preacher Maynard has certainly done a bit of sermonizing here and its a relevant message for now.
"She's a very charming and delightful creature, and has only one fault that I know of. It happens, unfortunately, that that single blemish is a want of taste. She don't like me."
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by basejumper »

Without_a_skin_here wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:25 pm
With kind regards,
Anthonie Holslag
Dude, great insight. Thanks for your write up.
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children
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by children »

Yes I have a new appreciation for the song after reading that analysis. Interesting how Right in Two was the final song on 10k days and Fear Inoculum is the first on the following record. Seems to be a trend with all the albums in a way. Always wondered if Tool intended it that way..
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by rinkwhopper »

right in two = right into the Great Turn
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Boldizar »

0:00 Tool starts playing.
0:54 Tool rides Yoshi while playing.
I know the pieces fit, I studied the numbers in Southern France.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Kittaan »

From the Descending topic (where Tyson mentioned Exercise vs Exorcise). Here are the screenshots showing that one, plus a few other doozies. Blew me away they got it this wrong in iTunes. I wonder if this came from someone related to the band, or if it was just some idiot trying to decipher the lyrics for Apple?

Image
Image
Image
Image
Ki77aan :twisted:
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by basejumper »

Lyrics are in the physical cd package.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Kittaan »

Yep, I know Base. This was in iTunes for the single release way back in early August. Haven’t checked iTunes again to see if they corrected it.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by basejumper »

--

It's exercise... liner lyrics are wrong.


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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by hellboy »

Man, I thought he was saying sexercise
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by ziggy23 »

basejumper wrote: Mon Sep 09, 2019 12:58 pm
I don't trust him.
- You like noisy music?
- Yes. The louder the better. Stops me from thinking.
- You don't like to think? What do you like?
- Never thought about it.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by ms2r »

Not him...
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by Boldizar »

Isn't that the dude who played Aquaman?
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by tys0n »

Pretty sure that's Luschek from Orange is the new black.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by DaddyThinks »

Without_a_skin_here wrote: Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:25 pm Dear fellow fans,

This song has been plaguing me since I heard it, mostly because the theme touches the central point of my academic field. So I just wanted to share my interpretation of this song. For there is a lot more there underneath the surface...
Very interestingly put and couldn't agree more. This process is so much visible on many planes in modern society at the moment if you just stop and take a good look at it. You got these political and financial "forward groups" (? A right Word) that do everything in their power to make the poor fight the poor, the wretched hate the wretched. I also see this in happening in a smaller scale in my work on a social district where the isolated families use this primal way to safeguard their "tribe" from the outside "threats". It's all very human... At least on a smaller scale and it really have had it's "evolutionary" place in tribal times I guess: to really safeguard your tribe from the Others that could really be out there to get you, your hunting lands, wives, children and caves. I wish we'd came a little further from those times, but alas, such is human being. Trapped by his ancient primal fears and "reflexes".. Maybe one Day... Maybe.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by DaddyThinks »

Oh, and to the Exercise vs. Exorcise, didn't quite get it, which one is the right one?
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by tys0n »

Exorcise
Canned audience laughter
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by DaddyThinks »

tys0n wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:42 pmExorcise
Ok. Thanks, it all makes sense now. Heard it as exercise when listening and was really puzzled when googled the lyrics. Language barrier and stuff.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by children »

Language barrier? Damn, you speak better English than me and it's my first language lol!

Now I feel insecure and threatened by you!

Stay away from my tribe!
"That's what you get when you argue with children..." -Tyson
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by DaddyThinks »

children wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 11:20 am Language barrier? Damn, you speak better English than me and it's my first language lol!

Now I feel insecure and threatened by you!

Stay away from my tribe!
Sorry mate, not my intention lol. I'll Keep my distance. Come on, put that club down...

It's an interesting subject though: the thing is, it's so much harder to actually speak or to listen and actually understand what you hear and what is said or sung in this case. The pace is so much more faster... Well not that much in Fear Inoculum but usually. The pronouncing, the effect mayhem and of course the instruments also take their toll on your perception. It really takes multiple times to get the message. Sometimes it's not a drag since you can take your thoughts on a trip free of the strict guidance of the lyrics. I like to do that. To keep the vocals present, but only as sounds, maybe a word or two. It's fun to see afterwards if your thoughts and the actual lyrics correlate at all.
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Re: Fear Inoculum (track)

Post by children »

DaddyThinks wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 12:04 pm
children wrote: Fri Sep 20, 2019 11:20 am Language barrier? Damn, you speak better English than me and it's my first language lol!

Now I feel insecure and threatened by you!

Stay away from my tribe!
Sorry mate, not my intention lol. I'll Keep my distance. Come on, put that club down...

It's an interesting subject though: the thing is, it's so much harder to actually speak or to listen and actually understand what you hear and what is said or sung in this case. The pace is so much more faster... Well not that much in Fear Inoculum but usually. The pronouncing, the effect mayhem and of course the instruments also take their toll on your perception. It really takes multiple times to get the message. Sometimes it's not a drag since you can take your thoughts on a trip free of the strict guidance of the lyrics. I like to do that. To keep the vocals present, but only as sounds, maybe a word or two. It's fun to see afterwards if your thoughts and the actual lyrics correlate at all.
Lyrics can be distracting. I always try to tune out the words as much as I can so I can get the full effect of the music as a whole.

The melody is the most important part. Lyrics are a bonus surprise for after the music has been ingrained in the psyche. You can reach a deeper level of enjoyment when you realize that a tune that has become a part of who you are is actually a profound piece of poetry that echos the feeling of the music.

This revelation can happen just at the right moment in your life in order for a message to be delivered to you in a serendipitous way that resonates with you in ways that you never felt before, but somehow feel so familiar.

Even songs that I know the lyrics of can surprise me sometimes. A line in a song that I have heard for years can suddenly be heard for the first time if it touches on some sort of emotion or experience that I have connected with somewhere along the line.

That's why nobody can ever make a final judgement on any music because you never know when it will click with you and change your life forever. Many people focus too much on lyrics initially and don't have the ability to listen past the surface of the music.

It happens to me all the time because of how open minded I am to new types of music and music I didn't think I liked. My horizons have been expanded so much that music that I used to think was boring or annoying actually sounds fresh and exciting to me daily.

I am having to go back and re-listen to literally everything I have ever heard, on top of discovering new artists constantly and still listening to music I have loved my entire life. It's a bit overwhelming but unbelievably euphoric. Tool is just one very very tiny part of what I listen to but still have played a massive role because of how they opened my mind to what music is capable of and I am eternally grateful to them.
"That's what you get when you argue with children..." -Tyson
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