10,000 Days Reviews/Interviews

[darkhadden]

Here is the place for all your current reviews/interviews, with video links if available.

*edit* quoted relevant areas from:
http://www.10000-days.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1853

[darkhadden]

Here we have it, I'm doing this thread,
just try to help me out here
(Yes that means if you got something that isn't here now: Post it and I'll update if needed)

*Sticky-licky? Would help people I guess

*Interviews:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbiMyord ... 0interview
(IF this doesn't work, try http://www.sendspace.com/file/tktsex )

http://uploadfile.putfile.com/videos/11601540630.mp3
http://uploadfile.putfile.com/videos/11603003956.mp3
(OR http://artvandalae.googlepages.com/jjjtoolinterview )

http://www.beat.com.au/article.php?id=231

*Reviews:
http://pitchforkmedia.com/record-review ... days.shtml

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbe ... viewID=712

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... knkdm3l~T1

http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/t ... 0-days.htm

I haven't seen this before so i'm assuming it hasn't been posted already.



Tool remain true rock enigmas

29.04.06
By Scott Kara


Maynard James Keenan is the grumpy old man next door who won't give your ball back.

In fact, offers the frontman of American art-metallers Tool, he's probably an even bigger "arsehole" than that.

"Some days you throw the balls back, and then some days you keep them," he says bluntly.

He's an intimidating presence with an unforgiving face to match - even though with a big cowboy hat atop his shaved head he's still small in stature.

But if you know Tool's music, an uncompromising mix of menace, power, and heaviness, then it will come as no surprise that Keenan is one scary wee fellow.

In contrast, sitting next to him in a dimly lit bar in a grubby lane in central Melbourne, is hairy and down-to-earth bass player, Justin Chancellor. He's a polite Pom who joined the band in 1995 after the departure of original bassist Paul d'Amour.

Chancellor is laughing at the singer's admission that some people think he's an arsehole, a quality that is especially evident after a gig.

"Once you've walked off stage, and you've been in this emotional space," explains Keenan, "it's hard to turn that off and you don't a lot of the time. And that's why people say, 'He's an arsehole'."

He's got better over the years, he reckons, but he still has his moments. "Sometimes I'm even more bitter," he says.

Tool have taken over the bar for the day to talk to media about their fourth album, 10,000 Days.

Three hours beforehand interviewers had their first chance to hear the album.

It's been five years since Lateralus and although the crowd gathered here is an industry one, the reactions on their faces over the next 76 minutes is a good indication of how highly anticipated 10,000 Days is.

There's a guy next to me air drumming. And as the 11-minute-long Rosetta Stoned pummels to a climax he claps and hoots a hearty, "Yeah".

From behind a black curtain Keenan puts on a hick cowboy accent and tells him to, "Quieten down in there".

10,000 Days is heavy, beautiful and powerful. It writhes, contorts and unravels like one continuous song.

As Keenan says: "We took great care this time in choosing the order so that it felt like a whole piece.

"But rest assured, there are - once you see some of the stories broken down - individual pieces and stories."

For a band who formed in Los Angeles 16 years ago it's remarkable that they have only released three full-length albums so far - Undertow (1993), nima (1996), and Lateralus (2001), having announced their arrival on the music scene in 1992 with the six-track mini album, Opiate.

But it's quality, not quantity, that marks Tool's output. They have not put out a bad album and songs like Opiate, Prison Sex, Sober, Stinkfist, Schism and Ticks & Leeches, have gained them legions of fans.

The band's worldwide album sales have reached more than 14 million. In New Zealand - per capita Tool's biggest selling market - they have sold more than 180,000 albums. nima has sold 80,000 copies alone.

Last time Tool toured here Keenan bought large quantities of wine - his favourite is pinot noir - from Pegasus Bay winery, near Christchurch. He's looking forward to going back when the band tour later in the year (rumoured to be November).

He also has a theory on why New Zealanders are the world's biggest Tool fans.

"New Zealand seems to be a place where a lot of people get to be in some pretty quiet spaces.

"A lot of time to think, a lot of time to read, a lot of time to spend some time with themselves.

"And our albums are exactly that. You've gotta take the time."

10,000 Days certainly takes time to digest.

There are signature Tool tracks (like catchy first single Vicarious), then there are mantra-like moments (Wings For Marie, Pt 1, where Keenan sounds like a Buddhist monk), as well as bludgeoning, 11-minute epics like 10,000 Days, Wings Pt 2 and Rosetta Stoned.

"10,000 Days is getting closer to the album we want to make," says Keenan.

"It's about growing as musicians, and growing as artists, and there are still things about it that we'd probably change, but it's closer than last time."

While Keenan is happy to explain the use of tabla samples on the album, or tell all about drummer, Danny Carey's new electronic drum kit, he refuses to talk about the experiences, that have influenced the songs of 10,000 Days.

He even refuses to talk about individual songs.

"No. No," he says. "As soon as you start doing that, and drawing out a map for people to follow, rather than just experiencing [the album] like you did today, which is a completely emotional experience, it becomes some kind of analytical left brain experience."

"It's just naturally what came out of us," continues Chancellor.

"It's heavy, because we mean it really sincerely. It's got weight to it. But in saying that I like to think there are also a lot of different shades to it.

"We want to hear new sounds. That's what excites us," he smiles cheekily.

"But we kind of let the song run the show," says Keenan.

"When we're writing, if we need a certain sound we do our best to serve the song."

Tool are all about intensity, even during their quieter moments and the pair believe the secret to maintaining this is by listening to each other rather than playing harder.

Chancellor: "We allow each other space to breathe. Perhaps the other three have backed off and are being patient, and when we do all play together it doesn't have to be for too long to have that power.

"Everything individually can sound that powerful if it's given room to breathe."

"We're different from your Average Joe," adds Keenan.

"If we like what we hear, we absorb it and then we have the ability to express it back rather than just playing what we heard.

"Whereas a construction worker who likes music doesn't really have any chance to express what he's heard.

"But because of our chosen field, we get to give it back."

LOWDOWN

WHO: Tool
FORMED: Los Angeles, 1990
LINE UP: Maynard James Keenan (singer), Adam Jones (guitars), Danny Carey (drums), Justin Chancellor (bass)
NEW ALBUM: 10,000 Days, out Monday
ALBUMS: Opiate (mini-album, 1992); Undertow (1993); Aenima (1996); Lateralus (2001)


Author
• More by Scott Kara
• Email Scott Kara

I don't know if this has been posted before since I've been away for a few days but if it hasn't, here it is.

Maynard James Keenan: The man with 10,000 faces

by Jeffrey Rawwin
4/29/06
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For all his critical acclaim, Tool's Maynard James Keenan is perhaps the only front man in history who has been able to maintain a high level of mystery. It's an impressive feat, given that he's the lead singer of two wildly popular rock bands (he served as front man for Billy Howerdel's project A Perfect Circle) and has been pursuing a career as an actor in his downtime.

Five years after the multi-platinum selling "Lateralus", Maynard is back in full force with Tool on their fourth full length LP "10,000 Days." The album shows Tool once again evolving while keeping a firm grip on the signature sound that brought them to the dance. I had a chance to catch up with Maynard recently at one of the few listening parties the band gave the press.

Jeffrey Rawwin: Was it difficult coming back to Tool after spending so much time with A Perfect Circle?

Maynard James Keenan: You might want to ask the other guys that question. (laughs) No, if anything it feels like coming back home.

JR: I suppose that would be difficult for some people though. How did the band initially react to you becoming a part of APC?

MJK: They had some reservations. (pauses) They're not quick to admit it but... when you look at some of the other bands that started out when we did, you don't see too many familiar faces left. So I guess... yeah, naturally you have to be fearful. Us, Pearl Jam and one or two others are pretty much the only ones left.

JR: Is APC done?

MJK: On my end.

JR: Listening to the new album I felt like, lyric wise, this was a more personal affair for you than previous releases.

MJK: In many ways it is. Just like anything, as you get older you start seeing things in a different light. Especially when you're raising a family and have new interests, hobbies, needs.

JR: How long exactly did it take to record the album?

MJK: About five or six months.

JR: I think a lot of people assume that the records take longer to make because of your breaks.

MJK: I guess part of maintaining some semblance of mystery means that a lot of people won't take into account that we're older now and have families and need to spend tme on that. It's like when Metallica's fans freaked out over "Some Kind Of Monster." They didn't want to seem them demystified on that kind of level to where they appeared human. They wanted the larger than life Metallica. And when your music manages to stay pretty much timeless over the years, they forget that you've grown up.

JR: On the opening track ("Vicarious"), the last few lines, if I'm hearing them correctly say "Better you than I." It has a sort of 'live and let live' vibe.

MJK: There's only so many times you can scream warnings at people before you realize "Okay, at least I gave a shit enough to try and make some positive difference. By now the only ones meant to hear it already have and I need to move on." A lot of the new material focuses on that. That's life. You can only try to help others so much before you need to help yourself.

JR: I detected a bit of Pink Floyd influence on the talk box solo. (From "Jambi", the record's second track) Who had the idea to use it?

MJK: Adam. We wanted to use it on the last record but there was really no place for it.

JR: A lot of the longer songs on your records take place near the end of the album but you chose to put a 17 minute monster ("Wings for Marie" and its counterpart "10,000 Days") near the beginning of the record and surprisingly it doesn't wreck the flow of the album at all.

MJK: Originally it was going to close out the record because of its length but we didn't think it gave the record a really cohesive flow. On this album more than others, we tried to construct it as if it were one long composition. (pause) Yeah, the order of the songs was way different a month ago.

JR: I think a lot of people will be surprised by the song that follows. ("The Pot")

MJK: It's probably going to be the first or second single.

JR: With an album that flows together, as you said, like one long song, is it hard to pick the lead single?

MJK: In a way, yeah. I mean we always try to pick the song that best represents the album as the lead single. On "Lateralus" it was tough because the songs basically revolved around one specific theme. But on this album things are spread out a little more.

JR: What was with the Indian skit? ("Lipan Conjuring")

MJK: Heh heh heh...

JR: The other long piece ("Rosetta Stoned") was wild. I think I heard "Sunkist" in one of the lyrics...

MJK: "Tang" didn't fit.

JR: It resembles what a cover of "Third Eye" by The Mars Volta would sound like.

MJK: Thank you.

JR: The last technical song on the album ("Right In Two") sounds like the most political stuff you've written.

MJK: I'm not so sure if I would say political. But a lot of the record is. We have an idiot in the White House whose actions are going to affect our children’s futures so of course it's on our mind. But we've always walked that line on our past albums.

JR: "Intolerance."

By now, Maynard informs me that the interview has been going on longer than expected. I beg and plead for just one or two more questions and after walking outside for a brief moment, he returns and sits back down on the sofa.

JR: In Tool's downtime, a lot of imitators have come out of the wood work. What do you think about bands like Earshot and Chevelle who seemingly break their backs to sound like Tool?

MJK: I don't mind that we influence other bands so long as they use the influence in the right way. The bands you just mentioned lack a great deal of emotional depth. (pauses) I remember Fred Durst listing us as one of his major inspirations in an interview and all I could think of was "How can you say that? How can you take what we've given and use it to further what we've been fighting against?"

JR: It's disheartening.

MJK: It is! I think that's part of what inspired the album. A lot of these bands see what's on the surface. Like they listen to our albums at fucking parties or something, when we make music that you need to properly digest by being alone with the album. And all they hear is the aggressive side of things and don't stop to realize that the aggression is there for a reason, not just to make music to smoke to or whatever.

JR: I guess we should be wrapping up. I only have one more question here on my sheet anyway. In one word, describe how it feels to be a living legend.

MJK: Thank you for the interview.

Tool's "10,000 Days" will be released on May 1st in the UK.

[-Somniferous-Eyes-]

This works. Ill close the other thread.

[The Mountaineer]

I think the album would flow better if the transition songs had no dead space between tracks. It would be nice if Wings flowed into 10Kdays such as how Parabol/Parabola worked. Just a small thing but I think it might sound better that way.

[-Somniferous-Eyes-]

I think the album would flow better if the transition songs had no dead space between tracks. It would be nice if Wings flowed into 10Kdays such as how Parabol/Parabola worked. Just a small thing but I think it might sound better that way.

I think it DOES flow into 10kd very well. Its that 10 seconds of heaviness in Wings that I cant really digest yet.

The transition from Parabol->Parabola will never be matched, IMO. And I dont even really get down with that song.

[The Mountaineer]

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant by that. There is like a 2 second pause when the tracks switch where as Parabol went right into Parabola. Wings does go right into 10kdays but there is that 1-3 second pause between them. If they just flowed without that pause there it would be a little bit better.

[mescaline]

Danny Carey's new electronic drum kit

I think a lot of Tool fans would agree that Danny is the most key member of Tool (possibly tied with Maynard) and to see him relinquishing some of his kick-ass drumming for an electronic kit kind of disappoints me.

[darkhadden]

NOT to get off topic... But that electronic drum kit kicks ass, and ONLY Danny Carey could use some of the crazier settings on that thing, like the zones.

[darkhadden]

I don't know about people's opinions about Rollingstone, but here ya go:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/ ... _coachella

The festival's final act, Tool, brought no back-up dancers -- in fact, they barely brought themselves. They used the main stage's video screens only to show their bizarre, comic-book-hellish film clips -- never once showing the actual bandmembers. And frontman Maynard James Keenan delivered his otherworldly vocals from a mike stand set up way back next to the drum kit, making it difficult to see him. But his stage banter was surprisingly human: "Welcome to our first show in many years," he told the crowd of tens of thousands. "We wanted to keep it intimate, invite a few friends."

The band debuted a chunk of its upcoming album 10,000 Days, including the ultra-heavy first single, "Vicarious," which Keenan introduced by saying simply, "Single!" The set, and the festival, ended with the furious "Aenima," with drummer Danny Carey unleashing an earthquake of tom-tom rolls as Keenan sang about wishing for Armageddon.

But the crowd didn't even want the show to end, let alone the world. When Keenan yelled, "Had enough?" the masses gathered in the desert answered with one voice: "No!"

BRIAN HIATT WITH BRIAN ORLOFF

[darkhadden]

I'm going to do my best to keep any spoilers out of the review. I'm not going to talk about the concept or subject matter in the songs because I know you will all want to figure that out on your own. I only want to talk about how I feel about the album as a whole.

I've been a huge fan of Tool since the Aenima days. Their clever songwriting and instrumental talent has always amazed me. I like this album a lot, but it isn't what I was hoping for. Perhaps the thing that scares me the most is that it's pretty much what a casual listener would expect new Tool to sound like. The band's previous albums are all completely different in style and concept, but this album feels a bit too much like Lateralus Pt 2 to me. With how long Tool takes to make an album, they can't afford to sink into a groove like this. Overall, most of the musicians on this album aren't doing things that they haven't done before. Maynard's lyrics are still good but often too subtle for anyone to logically interpret, while Jones' guitar riffing is good, but again, not much different from what he's done before (except the voicebox solo in Jambi...this is only third or fourth time I've heard tasteful use of that effect). Chancellor, who I have always thought of as the perfect bassist for the band, doesn't do that much here that is interesting or complex. The Pot is the only song where he is doing anything remarkable, and it still sounds a lot like some of his past work. Of course Carey's drumming is still top notch, and the guy is everything a great rock drummer should be. But you know what? A great drummer can't single handedly make a great album.

I like the album, but I know the guys are capable of so much more. Despite little bits of innovation during Jambi and The Pot, everything feels like a rehash of something they have done before. Rosetta Stoned is the one track that I feel is genuinely great, and will match up to the absolute classics of Tool's catalog. Other than that, we're stuck with a few rocking songs that shouldn't have taken four years to produce.

[darkhadden]

here is my spastastic review... (did after the second listen.. so i dont know how much i still would consider.. no revision as of yet either.. so this the raw feeling i felt)

FULL REVIEW

Foreword: The past three days and two nights I was in Vegas, while I didnt win any money and lost 500 I brought in total.. it was still fun. Beyond this though, on the drive there I had all of TooL's albums and the new single. I was able to listen to all of them at least twice, some twice and the Vicarious a total of ten times. Playin Vicarious in between the album rotation to see how this new sound fit. Which will be explained more in the later sections. One thing is for sure... Undertow is now my favorite album to date (the new album isnt offically out, so I have not calculated into the picture entirely yet). Well now I have been TooL'ed out the past couple days here, but I was very pleased to be able to listen to the new album when I returned home from Vegas.


OVERVIEW

The Music -

I remember the last TooL concert I went to. Maynard stood near the back of the stage with his back turned towards the crowd the entire concert. I speculated that Maynard no longer wanted to be the center piece, the driving force behind the band TooL, more so a shared effort. Why is this? Could it be he has this with APC now? Who knows.. does it matter? No.

10,000 Days is just as fitting. It seems Maynard has stepped out of the spotlight to allow the remaining members to put more into the music (not that they werent before) as in each their individual solos stood out more and happened more often. This also creates a wonder for NEW sound unlike previous albums from TooL. I am most pleased with the sound. It has distoration coming from many different angles while including a tribal (not necessarily Eastern) sound integrated into the perfect progression from Lateralus. A spiral back towards older sounding jams but yet not exactly the same, just like a spiral never comes back the same spot, but does come back around. The various and plentyful random sounding sounds throughout the album, along with electronica beats really help make 10,000 days very unique, once listened to ever so closely. The pure raw sound helps distinguish this album from the others, even Opiate. Praise, joy, excitement and mystery are words to describe 10,000 Days musical sound.

The Vocals -

What was that? What did he say.. indeed. Reminds me of Undertow days. I hear alot of talk of Maynard using his APC-Voice. I dont know if I can fully agree on that. On the surface it certainly sounds that way, but on the surface the album isnt justified either. I feel as though Maynard has really tried to go a different way this, to take away from the distraction of Maynard being the center piece of TooL. A good thing. Maynard even experiements with vocal style on the Pot. A wonderful song all around (explain in more detail later). Whispers, distoration, emotional singing and experiementation best describe Maynard's singing on the new album. A Deeper rawness of the vocals, more than previously heard on other albums. Another good thing.

The Lyrics -

Anger, Direct, Brutual Honesty (Opiate and now 10,000 Days) versus Deep Methaphors, Intrigue and Spirituality (AEnima and Lateralus). [Undertow is a blend of both when I try to examine it in the same way] TooL seems to still be on the same track with the message. Fuck Christianity. Power within oneself, learn to evolve and stop passing the blame you dumb.fuck. smiles-wink2satan.gif I can certainly agree with others that the lyrical content is not as deep as we have be sold over the past 10 years, this is no concern really.. the straight forward approach is not always a bad thing. I quite enjoy it being slammed into my head, while this is not to say there isnt room for 'reading between the lines' there most certainly is. I personally will need more time, as much of what I am experiencing and trying to deceifer is mere speculation and/or just suspense.

INDIVIDUAL SONG REVIEW

Vicarious -

Well considering this was the single and the only thing I had to listen to off the new album for days, I was able to give a good 50 or so listens. My initial impression still stands. ...even Bill Hicks, who said "TV is like black spray paint for the third eye" watched and most likely owned a TV. We are all so conditioned to it.. its part of our culture our society, why live in denial of it.. though it kills us inside, we do consume its offering, use it up.. we live through it.. thanking that the pain and suffering burned into our minds from the slide show of pictures, that it is not us. building our ego up... still believing in protection of mythical forces that all is good... that the good is saving us for some reason.. but we need to remember that all is not so.. we are merely nothing to the power of the universe and what it holds. so we live through what we have, our own safety and the tragedy of others... instead of taking control, the lie of it all, the lies to ourself, the lies we our told.. mean nothing anways, even if it were the truth anyhow... what does it matter? do you really think you are any better?

The actually sound of the song is not my favorite on the album.. although I like how it builds and breaks, a good start to the new album. I do not think it sounds like 'The Grudge' though, while many people do. The whispering is one of the best parts of the song that helps elevate it to a higher production value.

Jambi -

Is this TooL? Was my first thought. Then I let go of any expectations I was having to take in the song, it wasnt until a second listen with headphones that I was able to really hear and grasp all the subtle messages in the song that are overpowered by hard rifts. It gives me the feeling of being ripped apart and then crushed back together over and over.. quite entertaining. I really dont have much more to say on this song yet. I didnt really 'dig' it at first, but now it is growing on me.

Wings (p1) -

Lets slow it down a notch, lets get a bit deeper and hypnotic... whispering, shallow vocals, lyrically building up for part 2, reminds me of the Parabol/Parabola from later Lateralus. I really like the mellowness of the song.. the music follows the same course as the lyrics perparing, setting it all in order to bring the listener to a new place.. comforting. The ending with a booooomm and machine noise in the background is a nice touch. I am definitely going to need more time to assertain the entire message Maynard is speaking, I assume it goes along with part 2 to some degree.

10,000 Days (Wings p2) -

This song really fills the hole, the 5 year gap hole. I am very happy with this song. The soft start, the quietness of the vocals not overpowering the wonderful music. The thunder and lightning is a bit cliche, but TooL is able to pull it off without too much disgust, in fact it fits just right. 10,000 Days is very emotional. It speaks to me.. almost puts me into a trance, building me up to recongize the falicy in many things all around me. To take in, to stop look around for moment absorb one's surroundings. A storm is brewing its been long enough.. take control and dont forget who you are. I am wondering if Maynard is talking to someone specific, maybe Devo (his son).. I just dont know.

On the surface it seems to be a slam against Christianity.. I like that. I know that is the surface, there is still something I am missing, even if it is not truly there. Just like the song 'The Package' by APC.. give me mine type attitude.. I feel TooL really sets the tone for the album with this song.. that we are not the psuedo-spiritual-band you think we NEED to be, or are. We are still the same.. the TooL. While it is light and easy listening it still has that 'anger' deep within it from earlier albums.. just a different approach to the same thing.. all around too.. musically, lyrically and vocally.

Should you see your makers face tonight
Look him in the eye, look him in the eye
Tell him
Never lived a lie, never took a life
??.. surely save me...??
time to bring me home

the ending lyrics though, kinda make feel as though. Maynard is perparing to die? Or knows someone that is.. hmmm..

The Pot -

Pointing fingers, once again, pointing fingers up your ass, can make your voice do wierd things. smiles-wink2satan.gif or you are just high. I read an earlier review that this song was very different sounding, in terms of vocals. Correct they were. I love it though.. an instant TooL classic. A groovy rocking track that sends me into a kick back laid back cruise. This song definitely breaks up the album.. changes tunes in the middle, a usual TooL trick. I love how you can come into and out of the song anywhere and still feel like you havent missed anything.. is this good? I think so. Protesting, proclaiming, annoyed, aggrevated are words to describe the message behing this song. It can be applied to many avenues in life to reflect on, even though it appears to be that stoner, smoke pot on the surface sound.. which is also perfectly done.. for those that just want to jam and for those that want to go further.

Lipan Conjuring -

Native American sounds, Lipan Apahces??? Makes you smile when your high, soooo high.


Lost keys -

A mysterious, yet another build up to the next song.. a bit overdone now. I mean yes this an awesome track still just too many songs building on one another directly by caring over. I do however enjoy the background talk of what is going on. Some sorta accient, unknown problem.. nobody knows.. doctor (does sound Aussie) coming in to resolve the delimna... which then leads to the next song as mentioned before. The music is tremendously wavy, up and down.. flying, floating through the abyss. I like that.. would just have been nicer to not have the break between the two songs.. also the chatter, background noise would have been nicer to have been a tad lower.

Rosetta Stoned -

All right then... Kickin ass, bringing it home. The distortation of the vocals... bu-bu-bug eyes... in the start to less and less distortation is awesome! It doesnt even sound like Maynard one bit in the beginning. Talking and singing... back and forth. The music is where there song really shines.. it brings the music to the forefront, in the spotlight, leaving the vocals (Maynard) fade to the side of the stage, only to appear, to stick his face into the light ever so oftern. Nice! The music changes, the pace, the sound stretches over the whole track into a masterpiece of experiementation. Goddamn.. Shit my bed! The subtle thatter (only word i could think of that is really a word anyways) and the break near the end of the song.. all coming together to bring the song to final end... I really think Maynard is trying to say.. HE ISNT THE ONE! Maybe a bit anger that people have been putting him up on a pedestal smiles-wink2satan.gif


Intension -

Slowing down again.. weird strange sounds, more whispering.. a Tao/Eastern lyrical content, simple, direct, but everlasting message of universalism?? Maybe.. kinda hard to tell.. the lyrics are very simple. I swear though it sounds like electronic intrustments.. sorta nearing Drill and Bass?? Aphex Twin... anyone? I enjoy this track.. it reminds me of mediation.

Right in Two -

EEEK... Angels what? Is this a Christian Rock song.. LOL. Just kidding.. surface, surface and more surface. While as I stated earlier this album isnt as deep and methaphorical, it still holds true.. just this one song might be the expection. The little things in this song make it wonderful. Maynard's low volume carring of words, almost like his screams from prior albums.. There is so much going on in this song.. a reflection from a point of view is what I hear Maynard talking about.. how it is such an amazement that we have gotten this far without destroying ourselves yet. Bongo's?? Triad?? Everytime I listen to this song I fall deeper into it. And then it slams me with powerful sounds and this is more evidence of the music FIRST and Maynard second.

I will want to right another review of this song later.

Viginti Tres -

EVP!

total ranking as of right now 8.64 out of 10

10,000 Days is a monstrous album-- not in the same sense that Lateralus or Aenima was, though. It isn't epic, nor is it balls-out rock, nor is it gargantuan in its message. It is neither bleakly angry ("Undertow") or angry with nuance ("Aenima"). It is not transcendently humanistic, either ("Lateralus"). It is an entirely different monster, one that doesn't seem to fit together to form an overarching mood, but one whose individual soundscapes are amazing. Here's the song by song review; numbers are by normal standards, not Tool standards. For comparison, I considered Aenima and Lateralus to be 10/10 albums and Undertow to be an 8/10 album. I also should not pass judgment after having only listened a little bit, but I am going to try:

VICARIOUS- I really, really like this song after a lot of listens, but it took me a while to get into. It sounds "poppy" or "nu-metalish" to some precisely because it doesn't have that epic feeling of self-importance that was so latent on Lateralus. It is still musically intense and very well executed. 9/10

JAMBI- An intense death-metal groove opens this song, but the melodic quality of Maynard's voice and the minimalism of the approach creates a very restrained feeling. At a few points the buildup seems like it is going to burst, but it never does. I thoroughly enjoyed this song, and it made me feel as if this album might be another epic Tool album. How I was to be disappointed .... or maybe relieved. 8/10

WINGS FOR MARIE- This song built anticipation and feeling. I could tell Tool was really going somewhere, but I almost feel as if the following track stands alone without “Wings For Marie.” Great song, however. 8/10

10,000 DAYS (WINGS PART 2)- Best. Tool. Song. Ever. OK, maybe not quite; it isn't "Toolish" at all; it's more like ... Pink Floyd, maybe? Shimmering guitars and brilliant soundscapes (much preferable on headphones because you can hear Maynard's voice) remind the listener of A Perfect Circle, but when the rhythm section (Tool's strong-point) kicks in you are reminded why Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor make all of Tool's work kick the shit out of APC. The "Ten thousand days in the fire is long enough; you're going home" and "GIVE ME MY! GIVE ME MY WINGS!" parts are the most chilling in any Tool song ever. The song mellows out after that, but the emotional high is un-fucking-believable. My feeling after first reaching this track was that this would be the best Tool album ever. 10/10. Then something changed.

THE POT- OK, after a few listens, I really like this song. It grooves like classic rock, almost like Zeppelin without the guitar virtuosity and with Maynard approaching Robert Plant in femininity. But it really takes you out of that … place … you go in 10,000 Days. It’s like being taken out from the depths of emotion and placed in some half-crazy 70’s groove … except with Tool’s rhythm section, it can’t be anything but dark. It gives the feeling of literal insanity, I think, like the band’s musical direction has expanded beyond their own abilities. Lyrically, it is just hard to take seriously after 10,000 Days. I love the song for itself, but within the context (I thought on my first listen) it is entirely inappropriate. 8/10.

LIPAN CONJURING- It’s funny, I guess. I am now beginning to realize this is not the typically epic Tool album. Unlike Aenima, which moved seamlessly between epically awesome and joking ridiculous, this album flows in a strange order. It’s like BIG SONG, BIG SONG, BIG SONG, BIG SONG, joke song, segue, segue, joke song, soft song, GREAT SONG, nothing song … whereas Aenima was BIG SONG, BIG SONG, BIG SONG, segue, BIG SONG, segue, ANGRY TOOL SONG, segue, BIG SONG, segue, BIG SONG, segue, BIG SONG, segue, BIG CLIMAX SONG. See the flow in Aenima’s structure and the utter chaos of 10,000 Days? I never thought I’d call Aenima a “more structured” album than something, but there I just did it.
That rant had nothing to do with the content of Lipan Conjuring, because that’s what that song does. It takes you out of a mood. 4/10.

LOST KEYS (BLAME HOFFMAN)- This track is fun musically, but the whole LSD patient skit seems weird. 6/10. It is really just a segue into …

ROSETTA STONED- This seems to be the point of contention for people on this album. This track is utterly insane, epic and heavy musically beyond anything Third Eye, The Grudge, Stinkfist, or Eulogy attempted but ridiculous and nonsensical lyrically. It is just a parody of Tool and their fans, I think, with a Faiip de Oiaad type urgency. But in a song this musically challenging? Maynard, what the fuck?!?! 5/10.

INTENSION- This song was ok, almost Radiohead-ish but not as hauntingly executed. This song is pretty good, definitely unfamiliar territory for Tool (despite Tool-ish structures). 7/10.

RIGHT IN TWO- Great song, really brought me back around to Tool’s excellence. Different subject matter than we might be used to, ALMOST political but also condemning of the human race. I guess now is a good time to discuss Maynard’s increasingly mature view on religion, humanity, and life (which seems so out of place in such an … insane album). Maynard, in deference and respect to his mother most likely, seems to have adopted an accepting attitude toward religion. Obviously he hasn’t “found Jesus,” but he certainly shows love and respect for his mother, even sentimental wishing for her to be in a better place. “Right In Two” contains many references to “the Father” in a halfway apologetic way. It’s almost as if Maynard has accepted that, yes, he was right about religion, but he shouldn’t have been such an immature asshole about it. This will be very hard for many Tool fans to accept but perfectly understandable, even emotionally compelling, to unbelievers with loved ones who believe. 10/10.

VIGINTI TRES- My first impression was that this track was worthless. Honestly, I guess it’s ok, but compared to past Tool album-closers I am disappointed. Very haunting and spacey. 4/10.

Conclusions: There are some amazing songs on this album. It is just incredibly difficult to digest as an entire body of work, especially considering the conjoined nature of Lateralus and Aenima. Some of these songs will be sick live, and Tool has certainly not lost their ability or their freshness. This is an entirely new monster; these guys are definite musical geniuses, but I question their sanity on this record’s structure and theme. I highly recommend it, but at the same time caution people with inflated expectations.

8/10? Time will tell!

That's mine the first day. Since then, my opinion of The Pot has gone way up (10/10), and I have decided I like Lost Keys/Rosetta Stoned ... sorta. 7/10, perhaps? The album is a 9.

[darkhadden]

i've been reading this board since the vicarious leak popped up but i haven't registered til now
tried searching for 'amazon review' and 'vaziri' and didn't come up with anything

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EU ... nce&n=5174

With a majority of the songs on 10,000 Days clocking in well past the seven-minute mark, you wouldn't be entirely mistaken in thinking that the title of the album refers to how long it actually takes to make it through the whole thing. Two of the tracks--the sitar and tabla enhanced "10,000 Days (Wings Part 2)" and its suitably epic psych-rock sister "Rosetta Stoned"--even linger on for nearly a dozen leisurely minutes each. That's delightful news for the legion of Tool fans that have been waiting five years for the follow-up to 2001's Lateralus, which debuted at number one and sold 2.3 million copies in the United States. Singer Maynard James Keenan is back on mystical form after his hiatus with the politically slanted A Perfect Circle, sounding at once ethereal and eloquent as he calmly charges through the metal tempest of the opening track "Vicarious." The rest of the band, meanwhile, hits a series of high-flying moments with tracks such as "Jambi" and "The Pot." When Tool sounds as good as it does on these songs it's hard to get enough. Which makes it all the more baffling that a surprisingly large chunk of the disc is given over to mood-enhancing soundscapes like "Lost Keys" and "Vigniti Tres." Who has time for filler? --Aidin Vaziri

sorry if this is old news

[darkhadden]

http://www.glidemagazine.com/2/reviews1256.html

Tool’s signature elements, such as epic songwriting and grungy metal chops, return revamped in their new release, 10,000 Days, replete with the dark and borderline-creepy cover art one might expect from the band. As per usual, they involve latent, sophisticated references in their songs, including the genie from Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, “Jambi,” and 10,000 itself, which refers to the time period from the point at which Maynard James Keenan's mother (for whom he names track “Wings for Marie (Part 1)”) became paralyzed due to a stroke until the point she died. “The Pot” fuses together cynical lyrics and Maynard’s passionate vocal delivery with the hard edge of bassist Justin Chancellor. It's easily deemed commentary on irresponsible stoners, especially compounded with the imagery of “Rosetta Stoned,” but in a recent interview, guitarist Adam Jones acknowledged that the title refers to “the pot calling the kettle black.” Regardless, the album still seems to make several references to herbal substances.

The segue tracks between songs give an other-worldly, other-century feel until Maynard’s clear, stable voice brings us back to present-day. Combining everyday noises (rain, hospital noise, conversation and wind) with eerie synth effects, the resulting sounds provide an intriguing flow of energy that has its own momentum. Drummer Danny Carey is hard-hitting when needed and chaotic when necessary; he even gives a soft touch with the bongo-like beats, perhaps from his Vince De Franco electronic drum pad, in “Right in Two.” Overall, their continued uniqueness makes this disc another instant Tool classic taken a step further.

For more info see: toolband.com

[darkhadden]

OK guys, first post here, don’t be too mean and all, I think this post should be enough to earn your respect, I haven’t seen the overall meaning of the album like I’m trying to cover discussed too much around here.

Now my interpretation might be a bit controversial, it’s gonna be part interpretation, part discussion/defending, part philosophizing but overall I think pretty accurate because I’ve messed around with the spirituality type of stuff that Maynard is talking about in this album and can see where he’s coming from.

This post is also pretty shittily written, the result of me writing as fast as I can, stream-of-consciousness stuff, because frankly I don’t even have the time to be writing and refining this post let alone listen to the album, so gather from the rough what gems of wisdom you will. And hey, I’m an obsessive Tool fan just like everyone else here and there was no way I was gonna be doing anything other than listening to the damn thing a few times as soon as I got it.

Anyway, I wanna open the discussion with a few disclaimers. First off, for fucks sake, this record is the real deal, it is NOT a decoy. Anyone who does think so just doesn’t get it yet, they’ve got their preconceptions of what it would have been like too fixed in their head and needs to be led by the hand and shown what it’s all about before they see it and allow themselves to enjoy it.

Second of all, this album is definitely a departure from what they have done in the past, and for a number of reasons makes me tentatively state here that I believe this just might be their most mature and most to-be-respected effort to date.

I mean, here is how I see it, some people around here are pissed that they haven’t taken on the abstract high-mindedness of Lateralus or the standoffish venom from Aenima but this is exactly the reason why this record is good. This record is personal. This record is Maynard reflecting on the last 10000 days of his struggle, his pain, his persistence in trying to find the truth through spirituality as he sees it, and laying the facts down all bare for all to see. He HASN’T done this in any of his other albums. Lateralus, as great as it is, has lost luster for me in recent years, simply because Maynard takes too much of a divorced approach through the lyrics and doesn’t allow any of HIM to shine through.

This record is Maynard having matured, being centered and whole after all the years in his life, after all the pain he went through in Undertow and Aenima. And THAT is why the lyrics are more prosaic and down-to-earth. Some people might like Lateralus for it’s pretensions but really that is what they are, abstractions don’t really mean that much in the end. Truly great music is that which deals with great ideas but filtered through human experience.

Finally, I’m going to cover a point that a lot of people aren’t going to like here, and that is that this album is unescapably Christian-centric. Some people need to see that Maynard has never been anti-Christian, indeed, Christianity having been a big influence throughout his life, it has always been obvious that Christianity has taken up a lot of his spiritual worldview, though mixed in there with a healthy dose from other religions also.

Phew. I can’t believe I’ve written so much and haven’t even covered the damn thing yet…

But yeah, first of all, the overarching theme. Tool is Tool as always here, dealing human evolution and spirituality, merely attacking it from a different angle here. The basic theme this time, I guess, can be summed up in the story of the Garden of Eden. The story deals with the basic plight of humanity, how we ate the apple, and thus are subject always throughout our lives to duality, to the conflicting forces of good and evil.

Maynard talks throughout this album about this basic human struggle, and about his personal efforts that he has made, as all humans apparently do throughout their life, to reconcile this struggle, to find a singular purpose, and to let the ‘two become one’ if you will, to overcome the ‘devil’ that results in this confusion, the ‘devil’ from the illusions of riches and materiality, and become like to an angel who is centered, whose happiness and being isn’t dependent on the duality of outside conditions but whose self has evolved enough to be singularly happy with anything that comes.

And so Vicarious deals with how this basic duality in our nature causes us to revel in conflict. How our duality nature inspires us to seek stimulation, and therefore ideally is meant to inspire us to seek the ‘truth’, but instead often only causes us to waste this impulse of ours, and instead be lazy, vicariously seek stimulation in the efforts and suffering of others.

Jambi’s ideas are rather simple, but still an awesome song. It’s the archetypal story about the man who has it all, has been beguiled by the ‘devil’s’ riches, but is inspired by a moment of truth and comes to the realization of the emptiness of what he has. Therefore, he would wish all he has away, with every fiber of his being, if it meant he could be free, end the suffering, and it would loosen the hold the ‘devil’ has upon him for just one day. It also deals with the archetype of the Sun in mythology, or the Son if you will, that of Jesus, either wording works, which stands for the force within us that is meant to inspire us to seek to be free and let the ‘two’ of duality become ‘one’.

Wings and 10000 days is beautiful, I think we all agree on this. So Maynard is making his mother out to be an angel, but that’s fine, it can also be seen as a metaphor for anyone who inspires us enough to truly become a better person, sort of a Mother Teresa figure. Also I’m sure that his mother was a great woman and so he is comparing her who really set their foot upon the path, compared to those hypocrites who say they do and yet do nothing of the sort. He’s talking with a type of sadness about how we all imagine and read about greatness, and yet none of us truly ever go there. A basic story about how everyone needs someone to inspire them to bigger and better things, and at the same time a beautiful memoir to his mother.

Pot. Pretty simple. Basically about hypocrisy. This is a theme that Maynard harps on about a lot, and I can see why, seeing as how he sees himself as one who uses religion and morality for all the right reasons, and is angered by those in positions of authority who never use it, or only pay lip service, and are inherently responsible for the confusion of our world right now.

Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned is awesome, Third Eye Part II if you will. This one covers another major part of spirituality with humour, that of drugs, how it has the power to enable us to see the truth, but conversely our consciousness must be ready to receive it, and this is the reason why it ends up all muddled and confused. I’m sure all of us who have done drugs can relate to this song.

And yeah… well I can’t be bothered writing anymore. My initial inspiration to write all this down has expended itself, I’m not willing to make the effort to go into the detail required to eke out all the details for all the songs. Obviously, I am barely scratching the surface in my explanations, but I think through the lens that I provided above it would enable people to fill in the gaps easily (think Garden of Eden, conflict caused by duality, impulse to become one and whole again but held back by the inertia caused by our habits etc). Of course, you can agree or disagree with all this if you want.

Obviously, the only thing I can’t figure out is Vigniti Tres. Interesting touch, it means 23 in Latin, obviously referring to some kind of occult idea. If you want to know, 23 is an archetypal number for Chaos, all kinds of other stuff too, I’m sure it means something to them somehow if you look far enough.

So yeah... hope you enjoyed that. I have to go do something useful now. Goodbye.

[darkhadden]

Even though the album has leaked into every orifice of the Internet and even if you've downloaded it, please support Tool and buy this album when it comes out.

At 21 years of age, I thought I'd be too old to get excited over a new album, but my nights and days were spent constantly thinking about this particular album since the day Blair on Tool's official website said that recording was complete. As I listened to 10,000 Days I realized that no, I wasn't too old to get excited over a new album - especially since it's been almost five years coming.

Opening with the first single, "Vicarious," the album begins in an explosion of sound. It sounds like almost a mix of "Schism" and "Parabola" from their 2001 effort Lateralus. It speaks of our love for violence in the media and yet, when it comes to reality we struggle to deal with it. Vocalist Maynard James Keenan (herein to be known as MJK) sings "...I need to watch things die / from a good safe distance / vicariously I / live while the whole world dies / you all feel the same / so why can't we just admit it?".

Adam Jones comes through continuously throughout this album and on "Jambi", he is truly amazing. "Jambi" is almost a continuation of "Vicarious" but here, instead of watching violence, we are almost creating it. The song illustrates falling to "the dark side" or succumbing to the bad thoughts in our mind — "...in love with the dark side/ I'd found / dabbling all the way down / up to my neck..." - and yet somehow pulling ourselves back before we get too deep.

What I am about to say will outrage Tool fans, but "Intension" reminds me of an A Perfect Circle song - if only for a moment. MJK could not have left A Perfect Circle without being influenced in some way by the song-writing. "Intension" is filled with quiet guitar sounds contributing to a beautiful 7+ minute track. It almost reminds me of "Disposition" or "Parabol". Its light electronic programming gives it a hint of something slightly Nine Inch Nails circa The Fragile era, but the guitars are certainly signature Tool.

"Wings for Marie" and "10,000 Days" were originally supposed to be one song, but were split into two to make it more accessible. I believe the song would have been more effective as one, but then it would have been a little over 17 minutes. This will be a very popular song among fans, as it is the most haunting and most personal song on the album and most probably the most personal song that Maynard has ever written. Judith Marie Keenan who died many years ago has been written about before - in A.P.C's "Judith". However, this song is much deeper and personal.

MJK has been known to have his own thoughts on organized religion and here they are ready and open for us to read. However, MJK states that despite many people who call themselves religious and do not practice the religion, his mother was true to it until the very end of her life. "I have come home now! / Fetch me the spirit, the son, and the father / tell them their pillar of faith has ascended. / It's time now! My time now! / ...Give me my wings!" To say that his own mother was the very pillar of the holy trinity is such a powerful statement and yet almost heartbreaking at the same time.

I don't know many bands that could simply carry a brilliant song with just a strong bass line and light drumming, but Tool certainly prove that point in "The Pot" thanks to Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor. The vocals are simply amazing in this song as MJK seems to open some vocal chords that I don't think I've heard before. His voice is almost haunting as he sings — "who are you / to wave your finger? / You must have been out of your head / "and then sings "You must have been high"-- illustrating MJK's distaste for people who don't care about others and how people treat each other when they simply "don't give a fuck". This is one of the other heavier tracks of the album and is well suited to the anger throughout.

"Lipan Conjuring" is almost an intermission-type song, only running for 1:13. It jumps straight into the slow and yet spine-tingling "Lost Keys". Throughout the track there is continuous dialogue between a doctor and a nurse speaking of a patient who is in a catatonic state after a traumatic event.

"Rosetta Stoned" is the continuation of "Lost Keys" but is a little heavier. Now we are learning why the patient is in such a state in the first place. This song will be forever known as the "Shit the bed" song. "Rosetta Stoned" tells of the character being abducted by aliens and suffering traumatic events. However, some may take this as someone spinning out by doing all the wrong drugs... a total "don't take the brown acid" moment. "Strapped down in my bed / Feet cold and eyes red / I'm out my head / Am I alive, am I dead? Can't remember what they said / God damn, shit the bed." Try listening to this song whilst falling asleep - quite an experience.

I love "Right In Two" so much and is probably my favourite song on the album. It is taken from the point of view of angels watching humans live their lives. However, in the song we are monkeys as the angels watch "...on the sidelines, puzzled and amused". It talks about how God gave us free will and wisdom and reason and we should be banding together as one, however we break apart and hurt each other to achieve what we want. It is essentially a story about greed and hurt amongst humans. "Father bless them all with reason, and this is what they choose." It's a wistful song but aesthetically is awesome. It starts off slowly and ends brutally. I love this song so much because it begins so calm and ends so brutal, you would be stupid to listen to this on your iPod - this needs to be blasted LOUD. Annoy the neighbors. It will be worth it.

10,000 Days is essentially a tragic album as each song contains some form of tragedy whether it be a death, a state of mind, or the state of society. The main theme I drew from this album is death — the death of a loved one, speaking about death, being close to death, killing someone, watching someone being killed, going through the grief and pain caused by death. It constantly has references to death such as the mention of zombies in "Vicarious" or talking of raising the dead in "The Pot" and also referenced in "Rosetta Stoned", "Lost Keys", the obvious "Wings for Marie" and "10,000 Days" and other songs throughout. It's also an album of love because we could not have felt grief if we did not love and we could not have felt remorse if we did not love. The album almost serves as a confessional - portraying human weaknesses - our greed and temptation and succumbing to "the dark side" or the Devil.

Aesthetically, each and every song on this album is constructed so beautifully and each song stands on its own. There is a mix of heavy and a mix of slow and calm and Tool fans will not be disappointed. However, this is not an album that you will love from a brief listen through. You really have to sit down with this album and go through each and every track. 10,000 Days is such a wonderful album and if you really listen to it, it will make you think about so many things - not only about yourself but about the society in which we live. Only a brilliant album does that to you and 10,000 Days certainly did that for me.

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/04/19/152424.php