Descending
by Tool

Album: Fear Inoculum (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Descending" is about a fallen state of humanity.

    Heedless in our slumber
    Floating nescient we free fall through this boundlessness
    This madness of our own making


    The song is reminiscent of Tool's song "AEnema," critiquing modern society for being shallow, vain, and meaningless. Musically, though, "Descending" isn't as angry as "AEnema" - it's cleaner, and more restrained. Even in the parts when the song gets more aggressive, it remains restrained and feels imploring more than it does angry.

    Stir us from our
    Wanton slumber
    Mitigate our ruin
    Call us all to arms and order


    Who is being called upon to do this stirring and calling to arms is uncertain. It could be to some spiritual force, or to the listeners.
  • At 13:37, "Descending" is the second-longest song on Fear Inoculum, Tool's first album since 10,000 Days in 2006. The Fear Inoculum track "7empest" goes 15:43.
  • Tool debuted this song and "Invincible" during a short pre-release tour they did for Fear Inoculum.

Comments: 3

  • Ding from NjIt's about humanity bringing back social order from chaos through force (armed).
  • Skyler from UsIf we are following the overall theme of the album, I feel that it's safe to pull meaning from Fear Inoculum and Pneuma to shed light on Descending. The title track very much reads like a prayer and is intended as such. Pneuma stresses the important of spiritual practice in life. Taking into account that the band has said that this album is a reflection of their growth and journey to maturity, and adding the former comparison above to AEnema. This song is more than likely Maynard once again praying like he did in AEnema, but not for all life to end and be washed away. It shows his growth, and maturity on the subject now. As if he's now praying for lives to be saved, to be changed, to be unified. Instead of the damnation of man, he's asking for the salvation of man.
  • Samanghasabian from Ankara It's about chromosomes. Descending refers to our next chromosome number.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.