Release date: May 2, 2006
11 tracks; 75:50

I've been a fan of Tool's music since the early 1990s, when their first EP, "Opiate," was released.

Every few years, the band releases a new album, and it's always something I look forward to.

Maynard James Keenan's vocals are always haunting - whether with Tool or A Perfect Circle. However, with Tool he gets to show a broader range of singing, screaming and growling.

The album kicks off with the first single, "Vicarious." It's a rumbler that fits right in with the rest of the band's catalog.

While Keenan seems to have lost some of his hard-edged vocals on the album - leaning more towards the singing style he has with A Perfect Circle - "10,000 Days" is still a fine effort and better than most rock that's out there these days.

There's also a strange element to the album. I almost want to complain about "Lipan Conjuring," "Lost Keys" and "Viginti Tres" for being filler tracks of nothing but white noise or "intro," but when the album is more than 75 minutes long, I really can't complain.

The band is not an easy one to describe or critique.

If you liked the band's previous albums, you'll enjoy this one. The band has grown more experimental over the years, so don't expect something along the lines of "Opiate" or the song "Sober."

Their songs are more crafted than a simple verse-chorus-verse. Their epic songs can range from heavy to melodic to instrumental in the span of 5 minutes and take the listener on an aural journey.

Posted by jeffhahnedisabled at May 9, 2006 8:41 AM