It took thirteen years for legendary American metal act, Tool, to release its highly anticipated album Fear Inoculum. However, it only took them week-ish to ascend to the Billboard throne. According to Billboard, Tool’s Fear Inoculum just debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 album chart and dethroned Taylor Swift’s comeback album Lover.
Released on August 30, Fear Inoculum is Tool’s fifth studio album, as well as its first album since the release of 10,000 Days in 2006. Before Fear Inoculum, Tool had two No.1 albums, 2006’s 10,000 Days and 2001’s Lateralus, Billboard noted. The new album marks their third No.1 album over the years and has now become a standout rock album in 2019.
Tool’s Fear Inoculum also debuted at No. 1 in Australia, Norway, New Zealand and Belgium, and in the Top 5 in the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy and Finland. Fear Inoculum has sold 270,000 units in the U.S, which includes 248,000 traditional album sales, Billboard reports, “Fear Inoculum’s big debut is a now-rare example of a No. 1 album without the assistance of a concert ticket/album sale redemption offer, any sort of album pre-order/pre-sale access code promotion, or a single merchandise/album bundle — all of which have become the norm for most major albums in recent years as artists struggle to sell albums through more old-fashioned or traditional methods.”
The band had not allowed their music on digital platforms since the dawn of streaming services. Thanks to the evolution of music consumption and relentless pressure from fans, Tool’s catalog is experiencing a massive surge in popularity after its streaming online services debut. Tool soon had four charting Billboard 200 albums and broke a record by becoming the first act to ever hold all of the top 10 spots on Billboard’s Rock Digital Songs Sales chart.
In support of Fear Inoculum, Tool announced a 26-stop North American tour in October and November, check out the itinerary and grab your tickets now. Listen to the 10-minute track “Fear Inoculum” below.
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