TOOL - Fear Inoculum: Every Song Ranked From Worst To Best
1. Descending
A perfect transition in from "Legion Inoculant" sees "Descending" begin with thick, ambient noise that gradually gives way to swooshing, lapping, crashing waves courtesy of collaborator Lustmord. His sounds are both heavy and gentle before Justin Chancellor's bassline kicks in, and if this were an instrumental, it'd sound like the start of a wonderfully experimental post-rock track - though Maynard's delicate vocal delivery only reinforces the beauty.
"Descending" comes alive at roughly three minutes in. Here, it transforms into something bigger. Signature Danny Carey tom work gives it structure and drive. On guitar, Adam Jones' work is proggy and addictive, with several sure to be stuck in your head after a couple of listens. Their busyness and that of the drums contrast nicely with Maynard's longer, drawn-out notes.
Jones' leads at 7:30 are particularly joyous. Spacey and lightly fuzzed but oh-so-clear, they lodge themselves in your brain immediately, and the head-bobbling, noodling jam that comes afterwards is sublime. "Descending" is Lateralus as hell. Although Tool's sound has evolved (as demonstrated throughout Fear Inoculum), it's nice to be reminded of their greatest work at the same time.