10,000 DAYS

Utterly execrable album. 10 000 days disappoints so much for two main reasons - 1. Essentually, without taking any prior knowledge of tool into account, and judging the album based purely on its own merits without tool's lofty previous achievements being taken into consideration, with no expectation at all, this is a terrible album. More on this in a minute. 2. With prior knowledge of tool and their previous lofty achievements, when taking into consideration that lateralus and aenima were both sublime masterpieces, plus the weight of expectation borne from 5 friggin' years waiting, this album is a hideous mess.

Vicarious - Not too bad i must say, but its really just tool paint by numbers. Adds nothing new to their sound. PLus the lyrics are sub-par for maynard, one of if not the greatest lyricist in the metal field - rhyming `die' with `dies' is pathetic. Jambi - A cool talkbox solo is the only good thing about this song. Not much else to say. Wings for Marie - quite boring really. the atmosphere is ruined by a a seemingly random punctuation of metal after a few minutes. it really seems like there's no point to it. 10 000 days - Some stunning vocals and excellent, poignant lyrics rise this song out of the dull mire it would have wallowed in had it been devoid of these. It never really gets going though - it just waddles along with little purpose. Vastly inferior to previous tool title tracks The Pot - (or how the terrible and annoying song titles continue) Horrendous, laughable vocals start this abortion of a song. Seriously my friend and i just laughed at how bad the vocals are at the start. It doesn't get much better after this. More tool by numbers, except this has a more gritty, undertow feel to it. Lipan Conjuring - Previous tool segues were either funny, intelligent, interesting, or a combination of those three, but this one isn't. Pointless, and kinda childish really. Lost keys - Pointless. An Australian doctor features. Rosetta Stoned - Wow, more drug references. Lateralus this ain't. Rambles on with little discernable purpose. `god damn shit the bed' ...there are no words.... Intension - Boring, pointless insipid crap. Right in Two - Not bad, but just more tool by numbers. Viginti tres - Just noise. Pointless again. A real anti-climax.

10 000 days is a terrible album. Get all their others instead. Lyrically a failure, artistically a a failure (just an old alex grey painting, not even new commisioned art), and most inportantly, a musical failure. Avoid.