Scotty757
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
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Put this disc in a player in front of anyone under 30 in the United States, and the odds are that they will be able to tell you the band's name within 45 seconds of the opening track, "Vicarious." There is unquestionably a "Tool" sound, as unique as it is recognizable. Since the commercial success of their Junior record, Aenima, they have seemingly been given creative license to create as they see fit. Every record says something new about the band, and every record is strikingly unique. They release an album every half-decade, and seemingly re-invent themselves with every release. It is one of the mysterious strengths of Tool, that they can sound so completely different and still remain unmistakably Tool. Say what you will about the direction they take, they will do what they want.
On "10,000 Days," Tool take a direction they've only explored in bits and pieces before: melancholy. Gone here is much of the visceral anger found in their earlier work. This record is...dare I say it...sad. The title track gleans its name from the 27 years Maynard's mother spent paralyzed from a stroke before passing away recently. It is unquestionably the most hauntingly beautiful thing in Tool's catalogue. In essence, much of the record is a dirge for her. He explores his relationship with her, his feelings of ineptitude, and ultimately, how her condition corrupted his faith in God. The mixed-metaphors and skewed allusions of the past are largely stripped away for a much more straight-forward lyrical approach. This is no mere anger, folks, this is the man's soul, bared and open.
Don't be deceived, however, Tool can still throw down some headbanging rock `n roll. Tracks such as "Vicarious," "The Pot" (my favorite track), and "Rosetta Stoned" are still Tool at their rockin' best. The atmospheric tracks ("Lost Keys, "Virginti Trees," etc.) serve to fill the ambience of a complete album-listen, but are still a bit too much of the record.
My biggest disappointment with this record was the shift of focus off of Danny Carey. The drums were the lead vocalist on many tracks of Lateralus, a feature that contributed much to my personal enjoyment of the record. While he is still on top of his form in tracks such as "Vicarious" and "The Pot," there are several songs on this record with no drums whatsoever, much to my chagrin. Listening to Danny play the drums is one of my favorite legal things to do in the world, and I simply wish this record would have had more of him.
The production is, in typical Tool fashion, spot on. There is dynamic range in spades, and a complete lack of sibilance. This is a finely recorded, mixed, and produced record, of that you may be certain. The only real problem is in a small amount of clipping in the first two tracks, but this is relatively miniscule. Post-production is evident, but not overstated. Most notably used for the voice on "Rosetta Stoned," the post production work makes this track truly disturbing when listened to out of some decent headphones. It is immaculate.
In all, this is most definitely a Tool record, but a Tool record with a different focus. They are still making nu-metal, but-- as it is their right to do-- re-creating the genre. There is angry metal on this record, but it balanced by haunting beauty and tinged with sadness. A definite listen for anyone, and (of course) a must-own for any Tool fan.
