Tool brings visually breathtaking 'Fear Inoculum' tour to Glendale

Ed Masley | The Republic | azcentral.com

Tool treated fans to a visually breathtaking night of dystopian art-rock spectacle in Glendale on Wednesday, bringing their tour in support of "Fear Inoculum," their first release in 13 years, to Gila River Arena for a sold-out show that served as testament to their enduring cult appeal.

In a recent interview with Classic Rock, Tool drummer Danny Carey said, “I don’t think that we were ever a metal band. I can understand that maybe we’d get compared with Pink Floyd …”

Watching Tool in Glendale Wednesday, that comparison made perfect sense.

At times, the concert felt like watching Pink Floyd through a darker looking glass.

Tool brings the drama

Setting the tone with the hypnotic drama of the title track that opens that new album, the musicians took their place behind a curtain made of dangling chains and allowed the trance-inducing song to wash over the fans, who roared in approval at the song's conclusion.

Maynard James Keenan, who spent the night performing on two risers on either side of Carey's massive drum kit, often backlit in his tartan pants and spiky Mohawk, greeted the hometown crowd of sorts — he's lived in Jerome since the '90s — with "Alpha, omega. A, Z, you. Good to be home. Just got in from L.A."

Then, he started panting, signaling the introduction of "Ænema," a headbanging highlight of their second album, "Ænima." Keenan set the tone for that one with "Some say the end is near / Some say we'll see Armageddon soon / I certainly hope we will / I sure could use a vacation from this bull(expletive) three ring circus sideshow of freaks."

Jim Louvau / Special for the Republic

And by the time the more aggressive chorus hit, it was clear that his vocals were up to the challenge of bringing this music to life.

The crowd went nuts, punching the air while joining Keenan on lead vocals in a massive group sing, as they did for many of the fan favorites — of which there were many.

The setlist offered fans a fairly decent overview of their career, although they only played one song, "Intolerance," from their first full-length, "Undertow," late in a set that touched on any number of their biggest hits, from "Stinkfist," "Forty Six & 2" and "Schism" to "Vicarious," "The Pot" and "Jambi" from "10,000 Days," the album they took 13 years to follow.

There were four songs from that long-awaited followup.

Released in August, "Fear Inoculum" is an 87-minute suite of deeply psychedelic modern prog that makes its way through intricate arrangements while allowing ample opportunities for guitarist Adam Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and Carey to stretch out on their instruments with Keenan left to bring the drama and emotion on lead vocals.

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At a time when we're constantly told that the 21st Century has no use for albums, Tool returned from 13 years of silence with a headphone record that demands to be experienced in full.

FOR SUBSCRIBERS: How Maynard James Keenan became the biggest rock star in this tiny town

Maynard James Keenan in the shadows

As always, Keenan proved an enigmatic presence — at least for a frontman who stations himself at the back of the stage, in the shadows, avoiding the spotlight while occasionally dancing like a man who's doing all he can to balance on a surfboard while extremely stoned.

I love that dance.

At one point, Keenan crept across the stage while Jones was soloing and made off with one of his speaker cabinets, taking it back to his perch at the back of the stage, where he sat on it, dangling his feet.

He rarely spoke after greeting the crowd.

Much later in the set, he noted, "I smell marijuana."

Jim Louvau / Special for the Republic

And before the final encore, he thanked the fans, said "It's always a pleasure," and told them he would temporarily lift the ban on taking videos or photos with your phone for that last song.

After playfully saying he knew they'd been dying to take it out and play with it all night, he told security to "stand down."

Jones and Chancellor were clearly more comfortable working the front of the stage. And Carey, who wore a Phoenix Suns jersey with his name across the back, was a blast to watch, especially during his extended solo on drums and trigger pads, which started with him standing at a gong.

But the visual focus of Wednesday's performance was often more about the lighting and the mesmerizing, frequently disturbing, at times downright grisly videos projected on the massive screen behind the stage.

Those visuals seemed to be telling a story, but not in a linear fashion, while serving to heighten the drama of the music.

Killing Joke killed in their opening set

U.K. post-punk legends Killing Joke opened the show with an electrifying wall of sound. Jaz Coleman, dressed in black from head to toe, was a strikingly visual frontman, trembling and pointing at the members of the audience who bothered coming in to see what they were up to, as he led his bandmates through "Butcher," their dramatic opener.

Highlights of their set ranged from a driving yet hypnotic version of "Tomorrow's World" to the practically punkish intensity of "Eighties." He introduced a raucous "Complications" with, "I didn't realize 80% of Americans are two paychecks away from homelessness. It's a massive complication," and brought their portion of the concert to an overheated climax by shouting the chorus for "Loose Cannon" with conviction.

Tool setlist in Glendale

"Fear Inoculum"

"Ænema"

"The Pot"

"Parabol"

"Parabola"

"Pneuma"

"Schism"

"Jambi"

"Vicarious"

"Intolerance"

"Forty Six & 2"

Encore

"Chocolate Chip Trip"

"Invincible"

"Stinkfist"