Pneuma (song)
{{Short description|2020 song by Tool}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Pneuma
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Tool
| album = Fear Inoculum
| released = April 4, 2020
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| length = {{Duration|m=11|s=53}}
| genre =
| label =
| writer =
| producer = Joe Barresi
| prev_title = Fear Inoculum
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Opiate²
| next_year = 2022
}}
"Pneuma" is a song by American rock band Tool, released as the second single from their fifth studio album Fear Inoculum on April 4, 2020. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
Background
The song was first released on the band's fifth studio album, Fear Inoculum on August 30, 2019; it was not a song that had been teased or played live prior to the album's release.{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-tool-play-pneuma-fear-inoculum-live-first-time-aftershock|title=See Tool Play "Pneuma," "Fear Inoculum" Live For First Time at Aftershock|date=October 14, 2019|website=Revolver}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/08/tool-fear-inoculum-album-review/596704/|title=The Persistent Complexity of Tool|first=James|last=Parker|date=August 24, 2019|website=The Atlantic}} It was first performed live in mid-October of the same year at the Aftershock Festival.{{Cite web|url=https://audioinkradio.com/2019/10/tool-performs-fear-inoculum-pneuma-live-first-time/|title=Tool Performs 'Fear Inoculum' and 'Pneuma' Live for the First Time|date=October 16, 2019}} The song was released as the second single from the album in early 2020, and spent twenty weeks on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart, peaking at number 15.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/tool/chart-history/rtt/|title=Tool|magazine=Billboard}}
Band members gave the song particular attention, with publications noting members releasing extra footage of the song, including a specific "drummer-cam" video of drummer Danny Carey performing his parts of the song, and guitarist Adam Jones releasing a guitar-tutorial on how to play the last verse's guitar riff.{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/play-along-to-tools-pneuma-with-adam-jones|title=Play along to Tool's Pneuma with Adam Jones|first=Scott|last=Munro|date=May 4, 2020|website=loudersound}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/tool-guitarist-adam-jones-shows-you-how-to-play-the-riff-to-pneuma|title=Tool guitarist Adam Jones shows you how to play the riff to Pneuma|first=Rob|last=Laing|date=May 2, 2020|website=MusicRadar}} This was considered rare, with the band usually being cryptic and generally withholding information from the public.{{Cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2020/05/tool-adam-jones-pneuma-guitar-playthrough/|title=Tool's Adam Jones shares guitar playthrough tutorial for "Pneuma": Watch|date=May 4, 2020}}
Composition and themes
The song was described as having a mellow start that builds in intensity over the course of its eleven-minute playtime. The track has multiple lengthy instrumental interludes, some parts focusing on drumming, others on guitar parts. It was described as "atmospheric" and "trippy", while containing "middle-eastern" styled drumming.{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/tool-fear-inoculum-full-album-what-to-expect/|title=Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Album - What to Expect During Your First Listen|first=Graham|last=Hartmann|website=Loudwire|date=14 August 2019 }} Jones describes the song's guitar part as "not difficult to play, but very satisfying".{{Cite web|url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/learn-to-play-tools-pneuma-straight-from-adam-jones-himself|title=Learn to play Tool's Pneuma, straight from Adam Jones himself|first=Richard|last=Bienstock|date=May 4, 2020|website=guitarworld}} He also noted that Justin Chancellor's bass riff "stays on the original [guitar] riff so there are some nice little conflicting moments between the two parts".{{Cite web|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/learn-how-to-play-tools-pneuma-with-guitarist-adam-jones/|title=Learn How To Play Tool's Pneuma With Guitarist Adam Jones|website=Kerrang!|date=4 May 2020 }}
Thematically, the song is titled after the Greek term for spirit or soul, pneuma, and contains many allusions to "breathing".{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/08/30/756034638/music-review-tools-fear-inoculum-album|title=Music Review: Tool's 'Fear Inoculum' Album|newspaper=NPR.org}}
Reception
The song was noted as a standout track from the Fear Inoculum album.{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-tools-danny-carey-play-pneuma-stunning-drum-cam-video|title=See Tool's Danny Carey Play "Pneuma" in Stunning Drum Cam Video|date=March 12, 2020|website=Revolver}} Revolver described Danny Carey's drumming on the track as "jaw-dropping" and "almost supernatural". Metal Injection praised Carey's performance as "absolutely slaying".{{Cite web|url=https://metalinjection.net/video/tool-posts-full-live-drum-playthrough-of-pneuma|title=TOOL Posts Full Live Drum Playthrough Of "Pneuma"|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|website=Metal Injection|date=14 March 2020 }} Loudwire noted the song had become a favorite among the band's fanbase as well.{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/tool-pneuma-fear-inoculum-live/|title=Watch Tool Play 'Pneuma' + 'Fear Inoculum' Live for First Time|first=Lauryn|last=Schaffner|website=Loudwire|date=14 October 2019 }}
Personnel
- Maynard James Keenan – vocals
- Adam Jones – guitar
- Justin Chancellor – bass
- Danny Carey – drums