Everyone must be aware of the fact that before reviewing such an album, you have to hear it at least five times, maybe even more. In this case, it’s tricky, because the first song ‘Vicarious’ has a very recognizable sound and could well be compared to the previous opener ‘The Grudge’. It’s got somehow the same structure with the tension build up by the guitar riffs, followed by a head-knocking riff. Then it’s time for the, also recognizable, shattering ‘Jambi’. It is in this song, where the vocals seem to be more present than I’m used to.

 

After two songs, the ‘new’ material starts. The music seems to be focusing more on creating spheres than creating sounds, leaving nothing to the imagination with two 11+ minute songs. The Wings pt I and II are a magnificent piece of tension building with a long introduction with the climax lying just before the ending.

 

After ‘The Pot’ with a very intense singing Maynard, the record introduces the expected interludes with cult-like singing and a very freaky slow instrumental ‘Lost Keys’ with a conversation between a man and woman as the backup sound. It continues in the form of my favorite ‘Rosetta Stoned’, a very powerful song with Maynard singing a rap in the beginning. ‘Intension’ is a song to be patient with, almost like one big interlude, while the last song really is weird with all its different sounds.

 

This was a little description but the main question is what kind of an impact the songs will have. Will it be just as on the previous albums? Of course, everyone has some kind of an expectation towards this album and that’s correct. After five years or so you should. But then again, the album is so full of beautiful guitar riffs, weird, freaky sounds and also some new, experimental stuff, that I can only conclude that Tool has not lost its creativity. Maybe 10,000 Days is not as good as Lateralus but it sure is a magnificent work of art. Whereas the previous album did have recognizable song structures, this album is full of different instruments and different spheres and therefore more experimental. Fans of the previous albums will thus have a sound they can rely on, but maybe they find themselves lost in the songs as a whole.

 

P.S. Take some time to check out the artwork. It can be watched in 3-D by using the stereoscopic lenses, they’re really incredible. It seems that the four photo’s of the band members together form some sort of a puzzle, but that’s still something to figure out.