10,000 DAYS

There has been a lot of anticipation and excitement centered around the release of this new album by TOOL. I waited a week or so before going out and buying it. I have read many reviews and now I add my thoughts.

First, the packaging. Nothing but kudos to the designers and particularly to the artist Alex Grey for producing what I consider the best album design in recent years. The idea of viewing the artwork, contained within a 32 page booklet, through 3D glasses, also provided with the album, is nothing short of brilliant. Once again, Alex Grey has produced wonderful art that compliments the album and music.

Now to the music. "Vicarious" starts the album in a familiar way. This track, released as a single, reminded me immediately of past TOOL efforts and I found my self thinking I hope the rest of the album shows music progression - a solid start but nothing special.

The album slowly starts to pick up from the second track onwards. "Jambi" is a hard driving number interspersed with softer moments and vocals from Maynard James Keenan and builds nicely through the use of a "talk box" to a great climax. Now this is different and unexpected but is still undoubtedly, TOOL. "Wings For Marie (Pt 1)" and "10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)" continue the change in pace and direction of the music. "Wings...Pt 1" is both gentle and melodic then driving with great vocals and musicianship from the Band. "Wings..Pt 2" continues the musical theme and structure of Part 1. It is quite eerie atmospherically and brings to mind scenes from the sci-fi film "Blade Runner". These two tracks are complex with shifting rhythms and melodies. Absorbing music and quite possibly the best so far of any tracks laid down by TOOL.

"The Pot" is quite "grungy" a great rock piece with yet another change in melody and rhythm - if you like the group LIVE you will love this piece! I particularly like Maynard James Keenan's vocal and there is solid musical back up from the rest of the group - particularly from drummer Danny Carey. "Lipan Conjuring" is basically a North American Indian chant and a bridge to the next track "Lost Keys (Blame Hoffman)" which immediately reminds me of the music of ALICE IN CHAINS - dark, grungy and melancholy, with interesting lyrics and vocals.

"Rosetta Stoned" is hard driving metal musically and lyrically. To some it may bring to mind the "Black Metal" genre and is a distinct "throw-back" to "Aenima" and "Lateralus". Nothing melodic about this track, still the listener can not turn away especially when the North American Indian chant makes a reappearance, amid a great piece of guitar and percussion work. After the "apocalyptic" climax of "Rosetta Stoned", "Intension" begins quietly and continues the Native American theme, musically in the background. This is represented by complex rhythms and vocal chorus. A likeable track that is at once melodic and also show-cases each of the band members instrumental skills, well.

"Right in Two" is the last vocal track of the album and superb in execution, musically and vocally. It builds from an acoustic guitar beginning, into a fast driving wall of sound, with some very poignant lyrics vocalised well by Maynard James Keenan. The track ends as it began, softly and acoustically. The masterpiece track on this album!

"Viginti Tres" is an instrumental track, not musical in the true sense, but consists of industrial/sci-fi effects that, once again takes the listener somewhere into perhaps an apocalyptic future, that is cold, dark and forbidding. I don't know if that was the intention of the group, but I think that it is quite a fitting end to an album that is a progressive step musically for TOOL.

I recommend this album highly to all progressive metal fans and those rock music fans who want to listen to and experience a new direction in Metal music. A good 4.5 stars, the point five taken off for a lack of lyric sheet with the album - the inclusion would have resulted in a perfect score.