10,000 DAYS

I waited five years for an album...THIS album. And I cannot shake the overwhelming sense of anachronism.

Summability.

The songs are solid, but there's a balance lacking for me. With the exception of Wings for Marie Pt.II it's as if Tool got together as said, "Hey, let's jam on some of our old songs, re-hash old structures and smoosh them together." It also seems like they were getting the skeletons of these songs worked out, Maynard's mother passed and they were all distracted as a result of it. (If that were the case though, one would think they would take as much time as they needed to regain their focus.) There’s nothing on this record that stands out to me as a step up from Lateralus.

Retro Anything?

It never bothered me that on Lateralus ONE riff (found in Ticks & Leeches) was borrowed from Eulogy (a previous song from Aenima)...but as far as 10,000 Days is concerned I'm more than a bit let down that I've found recycled riffs all over this album. So yeah, I feel kinda cheated. As if I paid $13.99 a piece for re-mixes of Aenima. Which actually wouldn't bother me if the albums weren't spread five-gnikcuf-years apart!

What’s that? Monkeyism you say?

This is the second of two pivotal bands for me that has cited Meshuggah as an influence for their next record and has disappointed me (The first was Metallica). I do not hear nor recognize the Fantomas influence (except for perhaps, the “la-la- la…lie” of Vicarious) as I've only one of their albums (Delirium Cordia) but just from listening to that one alone – I gather more could've been done to better 10,000 Days. From now on, anytime ANY band that says they're going to incorporate a Meshuggah influence, I'll be buying with caution. Reflections? Yeah I got a couple.

For those who haven't heard it yet, I'd say that the album art reflects the music: *A frontal portrait with two lateral profiles and a hint that there might be an obscured (because of the viewer’s perspective) fourth face to complete the pillar. This was something drawn to my attention when I heard and confirmed that the vocals for 10,000 Days were mixed "behind" all the other parts. *And as it’s an old (if I remember correctly, from 2003) Alex Grey painting covering the product, the album is covered with volumes of old Tool themes, riff and melodies to reiterate their messages and musical abilities they’ve discovered so far. The murmuring on Wings I & II was annoying to me and Adam's solo on Part II should've had more time devoted to cultivating it. *The riff for Jambi is basically The Grudge Pt. II . *The intro riff for Rosetta Stoned could've been WAY better. And they said they were using Meshuggah for an influence and THAT's what they came up with? *Both Lipan Conjuring and Viginti Tres were emotionally void for me. Fantomas as an influence and THIS's what they came up with? *More of the same samples in Danny's drum kit except in one or two instances. *On this record, Adam's gotten nimbler at playing his old material (venturing solos even! ), Danny's tighter (but yet again with the same samples), Justin locks it in (shines on Rosetta Stoned with the Meshuggah-like passage) and Maynard's vocals are dependable and honest (when he’s not murmuring or smothered). *Individually: WONDERFUL. *But as a group, something's missing for me - it doesn't hold the same progressive magic, so to speak. If you like Opiate, Aenima and Undertow...you'll like this one.

Hard for this hooker to swallow, and I don’t spit.

They warned us that this release wasn’t going to be “Lateralus Pt. 2” and they were sorta right. This is more like “The New and Improved Aenima Pt. 2 (with 50% more Cathartic-Enema Purging Action) – check out this old Alex Gray painting and see our faces.”

My opinion is that TOOL as a group took a step back on this one. That this was the album that should've followed Aenima as opposed to Lateralus/ Bastard child of Aenima and Lateralus. In order of their regard to me personally: I prefer Lateralus, Aenima, 10,000 Days and then Salival. Don’t like Opiate. Don’t like Undertow. There’s my bias, mmmmkay?

I'm listening to 10,000 Days constantly and it is growing on me, nevertheless though, my confidence is shaken. Who knows? Their best album yet may still be ahead…in time. But this one’s dense, like chocolate cake…with no milk to wash it down n’balance the treat out.

See you in another five years. Hopefully, with newer and less derivative material.

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