Finally, after 5 years of waiting! Tool's new albums surely satisfies the avid fan and makes you forget that they have been gone for 5 years. yes, five loooong years!
At first listen, the eagerness of the moment makes you think, "this album sucks!". With only 8-9 real songs (with REAL lyrics, chord patterns), i thought i've been had! five long years! 2 years in the damn studio for this!?!
But once i gave it a second spin, third spin, fourth, fifth, sixth... it just seems better and better eveytime i listened to it! i can feel its eccentric moments, the syncopated beats, the whispered lines, the instrumental songs (more like recorded sounds to me) sinking into me. and then maynard's words starts to twirl me around like an out-of-control merry-go-round.
Tool's songs always seem to find their way behind me and strangle-hold me when i least expect it. like song number 6 "Parabol". it winds you down to a relaxing, calming state. almost like lulling you into it's hands. then just as you feel comfortable, Tool's blasts you into hell with track 7 "Parabola", the continuation of Parabol almost turns you upsidedown to a feeling of absolute urgency, calamity and a controlled chaos sort of state. damn, they're good!
But wait, there's more! wait til you here track 8 "Ticks And Leeches"! drummer danny carey must've needed Ben-Gay so bad after rocording that track! likewise some Strepsils for Maynard after screeeeeeeeeming his throats out on that song! he cited that after recording taht song, his voice was out for three weeks!
this album, if you could match wits with it, is a good sparring partner. everytime you think you know the next move, it surprises you with a special jumpkick, headbutt, punchingbag combo!
BUY IT!