The 2019 Tool takeover of the world has hit another milestone, with the band’s new LP Fear Inoculum this week landing the bronze medal in the highest-selling category for the year.
The achievement comes just one week after the band dethroned Taylor Swift at the top of the Billboard charts, proving that a 13-year absence has done nothing to weaken their fanbase.
The achievement is significant, as most artists focus on streaming in 2019, so for a progressive metal band to land in the top bracket of the year is quite remarkable.
WATCH: Tool fans throw a dance party to the new record at Burning Man festival
Numbers-wise, the LP shifted 270,000 units in its first week, with Jonas Brothers coming in at second with 357,000, and Tay holding down top position with 867,000 copies of her new record Lover sold, as reported by Metal Injection.
However, Tay’s new record had limited packages at select retailers that came with four copies of her new album, whereas the new Tool CD was released as a limited pressing, and had to be swiftly re-printed to keep up with demand.
Check out this fan-filmed live version of new track Descending
The original first pressings of the new Tool CD have become collector’s items and are currently selling for hundreds of dollars online.
In a further testament to the fanaticism of Tool fans, all 10 tracks of the new record have made it into the Billboard top 25 –including all the weird interludes scattered between the tracks.
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READ: The Story of Tool’s secret album
Tool are gearing up for a US arena tour with Killing Joke, kicking off next month. Fingers crossed for some Australian dates soon!