^ Thats a good point.

Its not like the band hires some dude to come in and be a dictator. If anything I would assume that they want to bring someone in who will bend over backwards to accomodate their vision. For the record I don't necessarily hate the production of 10,000 Days- I just wonder what the album would have sounded like if they did it like Lateralus.

Also I remember first hearing Vicarious and thinking to myself...wow Maynard has lost it. He definitely had a powerful voice once but the fact that the band wouldnt bring his voice to the foreground more in a song as potentially heavy as Vicarious is telling. I think he has lost a step... which is perfectly understandable but kind of sad.

I'm gonna come right out and say it. I've had no trouble hearing Maynard on anything he's ever done... ever.

Am I alone on this?

Specifically speaking with Tool, I realize and can tell he's lower in the mix that what is TYPICAL for most vocalists.... but Tool is not typical. Even still... I've never seen this as a problem. I think it only reinforces everything Tool is about. Experiencing the music, not just the lead singer. So when you can barely hear Maynard in that "Fight til they die! Over what? Polarizing!" part of Right in Two, I think it absolutely serves the force of the song and the overall composition to have Maynard deeeeep in the mix and then have Adam jump in on top of it all with that HARSH pick scrap at the end. It's intense! And I love it everytime I hear it.

There, I said it.

Ya I also feel 10k days really wasnt too bad for maynard.

I mean he's honestly still talented as fuck. He just sung in different ways in 10k days..

The pot.. kicks ass.
Vicarious.. kicks fucking ass (and was necessary... tv fucking sucks dude)
jambi.. holy fucking rapes live.. I mean lets be real this song live is just audio-gasm

intension/RI2.. Really great singing by maynard. He doesn't sing extremely loud throughout.. but I think thats good, for the way those songs were made. Nd dude Danny tears it up with those drum solos in each song... fuck

wings 1-2.. Never heard such a feeling of compassion in maynards voice, dude almost put me 2 tears with that song 1 night when I was uber-stoned
and the instrumentals kick ass 2 here dude..

Lipan conjuring (its good to know that tool have been tripping with indigenous tribes lately.. Woot for peyote)
lost keys-rosetta stoned - Haha, ya know, I kinda believe that maynard actually did get abducted by aliens :p. Not my fave on this album, but definitely good, and Hella hard to play for guitar , bass or drums. (nd damn does maynard speak fast)

so ya.. 10k days was ALMOST as good as lateralus.. And I regard lateralus as the best album, in existence probably...

I dont have trouble hearing MJK either I just think that 10,000 Days wasnt a strong album for him. He didnt sound that invested to me. This is a highly subjective, opinionated thing for me to say - but its just how I feel. Rosetta Stoned and 10,000 Days are songs which sound better to me without vocals.

Wow... thats so weird.

I mean I would love to hear ALL of Tool's catalog without vocals... just to experience it in that way. I think that'd be a blast. But those two songs right there, especially 10kdays.... the lyrics (perhaps more so than the vocals) just totally enhance the musical experience for me. Like.. I get giddy when Adam's solo on Rosetta Stoned gets to that last high note... hang's there for.... SO LONG (lol) while Maynard is low in the mix with this intense growl/scream that explodes into "Overwhelmed as one would be.." just as Adam come down off the high note.

I guess I've always felt that way. The pieces all just fit together so well, I'd hate to take any part away from it. But at the same time, I'd love to hear each one of them on their own, or in various combinations.

PS: I just realized I made two posts that described how I enjoy the way Maynard's vocals and Adam's guitar play together... not meaning to overlook Danny and Justin, i mean.. holy shit... talk about critical, as well.

I did it and it sounded a lot better... almost distorted all the rubbish.

I don't think even you believed a word you just wrote lol, it's almost as though you're trying to convince yourself you like it.

But hey, you said the pot kicks ass, so you're obviously confused.

Well I never liked Lateralus as much as Aenima, which does still own. I was here in 2001 hassling Lateralus, but it only took about 6 months for me to like it and now i think it's a good album, 10,000 days has had 4 years to grow on me, and it only gets worse.

I guess you're right about it being subjective. But I only love Lateralus because The Grudge is so damn awesome, if it wasn't track 1 I don't think i'd put that album on as often.

It is a pretty bitchin album opener, i'd even say, Tool's best. I love stinkfist, it's a close second. But shit.. The Grudge is like being pummeled in the face with awesomeness right off the bat.

I'm pretty sure Tool's next album is confirmed to be a 90's popular song cover album.

You know, back to the roots.

Close, but we all know the only way to follow up 10,000 Days is to do a cover of the album "Our Time in Eden" by 10,000 Maniacs

Or perhaps a cover of '10,000 nights' by Alphabeat...

Hahahaha, oh my.

Or perhaps 10,000 Fists by Disturbed

10,000 Bottles of beer on the wall?

The next album will likely be the long awaited ACOUSTIC ALBUM!! The album will come with a CD featuring a live recording of 9 songs from the 2010 Tool Acoustic Summer Tour!

TRACKLIST:
1. Maynards Dick
2. Mantra
3. Ions (-) (ft. Tricky)
4. Faaip De Oiad (Danny on Vocals!)
5. Sober
6. Eulogy (L.Ron Hubbard Mix)
7. Aenima
8. Vicarious

9. Track 9 is a secret track!

This is Tool like you have never heard them before. In the summer of 2010 the band put on a terrific acoustic show. Garbed in tuxedos each member really pushes the boundaries and defies expectations. Legendary drummer Danny Carey was the highlight of the show playing with bongos and a steel drum! With MJK taking the role of DJ and keyboardist on a number of songs, Adam playing a 12-string as well as a Viola! Dont forget about Justin Chancellor doing his thing on the stand-up bass.

Coming in September 2010

You forgot to mention the orchestra that will be playing behind them.

As much as it was sarcasm, it'd be interesting

Nope, they'll be covering a Saga album.

Agreed wholeheartedly, McRoggles!! Not sure if they can top 10K Days. And yes, I'm OGT, 1992, 19 shows beginiing in 1993, etc. blah blah.

lol yeah right. But then again, there are people who believe the bible is true, so i guess people can make themselves believe anything, so.... yeah lol

Question: How bad is that thunder clap sound when the track 10,000 days is suppose to get emotional? lol ok i promise that's the last time I laugh about the album, in a public forum atleast. Let's just HOPE they have sorted their stuff out since then and will record something awesome again.

And yeah i'm almost OGT, but not really. Got into them when I was 13 and Aenima was being rumoured.

Yes and I tell my young (13 months) daughter her scribbles are great drawings, and ya know what, they are pretty cool, and I see all sorts of talent in them, probably because I have an emotional connection with the artist. Oh shit, I think i've just figured something out :)

Possibly mcroggles ;) but not making such a daft point imo :)

I'm aware of that :) which is why a democracy isn't such a great idea hehe, anyways... my subjective opinion ain't necessarily a bad one..

i subjectively approve of rogg's subjective opinion.

And I second that, subjectively of course!

I agree.

The thunderclap represents what I dont like about that song. What makes it epic is the instrumentation IMO. This sounds really harsh but I dont think MJK should have written those lyrics for that song. I read somewhere that Adam really like the lyrics and thought they were appropriate but I still think MJK should have done something else. I think there should have been less lyrics/singing in the song in general.

CCP is like a forum Frankenstein.... "PROBING BAD!!! 10,000 DAYS BAD!!!! SUBJECTIVITY BAD!!!!!!!!! MY OPINION!!! Gooooooooood!!"

Edit: I don't know where that joke came from btw... just popped into my head.

Double Edit: /high-five McRoggles

P.S. I like the rain and thunder sounds, even outside of loving storms, I think it serves a purpose in the song. It feels right.

Wow, someone has multiple peronalities, atleast multiple somethin, certainly not multiple IQ points.

ADHD actually, and for the record my IQ is 131.

Man what is it with overtly hostile and demeaning attitudes here?

CCP, I wasn't trying to be mean, it was just a light-hearted joke. Sorry if it offended you.

i like it

this album you talk of

So when is the Trolling rule going to be enforced in this forum?

What do you think about the concept/composition/flow of 10000 Days, when compared with, say, Lateralus?
I'd love 10.000 Days if:
- it would flow more logically. Look: Fuck TV - Should've loved my mother - I miss you mom - People are shit - Random stuff - Aliens - People are going nowhere - Random stuff. Either it's not amazing or I don't get it. Lateralus owns on this field, save Faaip de Oiad.
- Production. The way everything goes on together on all the layers, from the quietest whispers to cymbal hits. The dynamics, the way you can follow every band member troughout the song, if you only want to. It is so much easier on Lateralus than on 10KD, where the opening tracks, even though they're cool, have been recorded in such a "jammed" way, everything is stuffed, mixes and blurs with each other. The louder parts of WFM have been literally killed.

I hope the next album will go undamaged trough the mixing/mastering process. I also hope they can really blend the ideas to make something huge again.
And for Danny, you know, tablas, mandala pads, tropical rainforest samples, polyrhythms, i'm sure he will exceed any expectations as allways.

+1 to absolute The Grudge lovers.

10,000 Days is an album you have to work for, it is the most Occult of all. I mean, people think it's a hoax...That's Crowley style for sure...

Is it something golden, or just lead? My opinion is that you have to really work for it because there is just too much absurdity. This makes sure that only the most diligent of Tool fans will unlock the riddle, and those who do are no longer here to tell the story.

My only problem....Crowley was really fat to be an ace mountain climber and master yogi...

IQ tests do not measure an accurate reading of the entire intelligence of the person, only those that Western Culture value. One value is a High score on an IQ test and we see how that has worked out. Answer these questions in this amount of time and we'll "know" something! We are really good at building boxes that we can't get of imo...

I hope that was a joke

But ya never know around here..

It was multiple things that obviously went way over your head...

Thanks for the back up McRoggles and lol@ the "real joke"...

i really like 10,000 days. that being said, it is my least favorite tool album. undertow ftw.