"Pneuma" is a song by American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band

Tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ba ...

, released as their second single in April 2020 off of their fifth studio album ''

Fear Inoculum ''Fear Inoculum'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Tool. It was released on August 30, 2019, through Tool Dissectional, Volcano Entertainment, and RCA Records. It is the band's first album in 13 years, due to creative, personal, ...

''. It peaked at number 15 on the '' Billboard''

Mainstream Rock Songs Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...

chart.

Background

The song was first released on the band's fifth studio album, ''

'' on August 30, 2019; it was not a song that had been teased or played live prior to the album's release. It was first performed live in mid-October of the same year at the

Aftershock Festival Aftershock Festival is a rock and heavy metal music festival in Sacramento, California, started in 2012. History In 2019, the festival expanded to three days, and in 2021 Aftershock expanded to 4 days, October 7 to 10. Aftershock 2012 Afters ...

. The song was released as the second single from the album in early 2020, and spent twenty weeks on the '' Billboard''

chart, peaking at number 15. 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 Daniel Edwin Carey (born May 10, 1961) is an American musician and songwriter. He is the drummer for the American rock band Tool. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as Zaum, Green Jellö, Pigface, Skinny Puppy, Adrian Belew, Ca ...

performing his parts of the song, and guitarist Adam Jones releasing a guitar-tutorial on how to play the last verse's

guitar riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompanime ...

. This was considered rare, with the band usually being cryptic and generally withholding information from the public.

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. Jones describes the song's guitar part as "not difficult to play, but very satisfying". He also noted that

Justin Chancellor Justin Gunnar Walter Chancellor (born 19 November 1970) is an English musician best known as the bass player for progressive metal band Tool since 1995. He was also the bassist of the band Peach. After settling in the US, along with his engage ...

's bass

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or acc ...

"stays on the original uitarriff so there are some nice little conflicting moments between the two parts". Thematically, the song is titled after the Greek term for spirit or soul –

pneuma ''Pneuma'' () is an ancient Greek word for "breath", and in a religious context for " spirit" or "soul". It has various technical meanings for medical writers and philosophers of classical antiquity, particularly in regard to physiology, and is ...

, and contains many allusions to "breathing".

Reception

The song was noted as a standout track from the ''Fear Inoculum'' album. '' Revolver'' described

's drumming on the track as "jaw-dropping" and "almost supernatural". Metal Injection praised Carey's performance as "absolutely slaying". Loudwire noted the song had become a favorite among the band's fanbase as well.

Personnel

Maynard James Keenan Maynard James Keenan (born James Herbert Keenan; April 17, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and winemaker. He is best known as the singer and primary lyricist of the rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Pusc ...

– vocals * Adam Jones – guitar *

– bass *

– drums

Charts

References

{{Tool (band) 2020 songs 2020 singles Tool (band) songs