TOOL — 10,000 Days (review)

Album · 2006 · Progressive Metal

3/5 · 2011-04-19
UMUR

"10,000 Days" is the 4th full-length studio album by US alternative/ progressive rock/ metal act Tool. The album was released in May 2006 by Tool Dissectional/ Volcano Entertainment.

From the first second of the first track "Vicarious" there is no doubt that you´re listening to a Tool album. The band have created a sound over the years that´s unmistakably their own. A strong and adventurous rythmic foundation is the backbone of the often dark and desperate sounding tracks. The desperate part is mainly due to frontman Maynard James Keenan´s vocal delivery. Often mellow and subdued but occasionally bursting out anger and frustration.

The album is 70 minutes long and the songs are generally rather long and intricate, but some are actually rather repetitive, stoned and well...too long. I miss a bit more aggression and progressive playing and could have done without the often unneccessary long mellow building parts/ songs. Some even build toward climaxes that aren´t very powerful and some build towards climaxes that never come. If you sense a bit of frustration here your observation is right. I really miss the more simple, powerful and direct delivery from the first two albums. Much of the material on "10,000 Days" sound like it was conceived while jamming stoned and completely lack aggression of any sort. It´s mellow and and probably well suited for chilling out, but I miss structure and memorability. When Tool decide to rock out, they shine though, but unfortunately it happens so rarely on this album that I´m left frustrated.

The musicianship is of course excellent and the production is wonderful, so no problems there.

So with my above complaints about the songwriting on the album in mind I can´t say I think "10,000 Days" is an artistically succesful album. The band don´t expand upon what they´ve done in the past either and in the end I´m disappointed that it took Tool five years to come up with so little. Frustrated or not I still think there are enough quality material on "10,000 Days" to warrant a 3 star rating, and people more into meditative, mellow and stoned jamming type music might find this album more appealing than me, so don´t just take my word for it. This is the kind of album that you need to listen to yourself to see if it appeals to you.

more than 2 years ago
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dreadpirateroberts wrote:

more than 2 years ago

My least played Tool album, really uneven in terms of dynamic and songwriting I feel, but as has already been said, it sure has it's moments (just not enough of em) Great review, summed up how I feel about the album better than I could write it myself.

Colt wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I remember when this first arrived in the post, with huge expectation and excitement my mate and I sat down to listen. I almost cried with disappointment. Your review sums up the album very accurately, Jonas.

Tupan wrote:

more than 2 years ago

Masterpiece.

Warthur wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I think they hit the perfect compromise between their alt-metal and their prog sides on Aenima, though Lateralus was pretty fun too. I've yet to hear this one but I really ought to correct that at some point.

UMUR wrote:

more than 2 years ago

I think it´s soooo zzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZ. :-) I much prefer their first two albums to anything they´ve released since. They are more to the point and heavy, without all the sedated psychadelic experimentation.

Kingcrimsonprog wrote:

more than 2 years ago

10,000 Days is one of my favourite records in music, hands down.
I can't get enough.

I'm a little bit sad sometimes that more people don't love it as much as I think they should. Each to their own I guess, but I hope the reaction doesn't keep them from representing it well in the live set once more albums are out.

bartosso wrote:

more than 2 years ago

The last paragraph of your comment turned out to be way too optimistic ;)

The Angry Scotsman wrote:

more than 2 years ago

It's funny, at first I really didn't like this album too much and gave it a 3 stars as well. Mainly due to some really good songs like Vicarious, Jambi, The Pot and Right in Two (one of my favs by them) but with some time I really like it now!

My main beef was that it was kinda dull and was more or less Tool minus the good and complained about their album, 5 years off, album technique which pretty much gets fans all hyped like "oh sh!t its tool again!" but...I grew to like this album.

Though I hear their next is coming this year. 2006...2011. 5 years. Damn it tool!