I whined and whined like a junkie looking for a fix. I didn't download. I have the copy. Got it yesterday. From one of TOOL's longest and most dedicated fans...this is my review.

First of all, you have to listen to it at least 5 times to even begin to feel the scope of this piece. I found it hilarious people posting immediate responses to an opus-like album that takes time to digest. Plainly stated, the more I listen, the more I love it. This piece is gargantuan. I'll give my thoughts on each track, but really the CD needs to be accepted in full, not just steps in a marathon. As a whole, one of the finest art/prog metal albums in history. I'm not a musician. I'm not going to analyze every note. Just giving my thoughts from gut-level.

Vicarious- the only song I'd heard until I bought the actual CD. Heavy, complicated, a great opening track. It will be interesting in this day and age to see if a 7 minute radio single will gravitate newer, younger fans with short attention spans.

Jambi- this is really growing on me. Seems disjointed at first, but it rocks. Aenima-esque. This track has chunk...AJ's work is fine on this. His "solo" is bad-ass. Makes me think of the old prog-jazz band Don Ellis. You almost hate for the song to end. Reading other reviews, Jambi really surprised me. Not many referred to this song as in high regard as I found it.

Wings/10kd- The one aspect of TOOL's music that they do better than anyone else in history is the lost art of crescendo building. That impending doom as the song builds to a climax. This is a classic. Emotional, painful, retrospective, and challenging. You better have your emotional balance in check before playing this. You can feel every ounce of pain in MJK with every note. This will go down as one the most important tracks in rock history.

The Pot- Should have been track 3. My only complaint of this CD is that they shouldn't have followed Wings with this one. Pot needs to be before it. That being said, it's actually a pretty good track. Justin just fucking rocks. I'm not trying to be redundant...but jesus he's good. Reminiscent of Jambi, it's got a chunky feeling to it. MJK is back to his old self with his screaming. "who are you to wave your finger". Old MJK.

Lipan/Lost Keyes- Keyes is interesting in that sets the mood for the rest of the CD. A precursor if you will that the CD takes to the finish of the album.

Rosetta Stoned- It's complicated, heavy, and the exchange between DC and JC near the end is fucking unbelievable. One of the songs that didn't hit me right away, but now I kind of feel like the band just kind of jammed this thing through to its epic finish. "shit the bed".

Intension- has a "Disposition" quality to it. I'd love to be on some sort of psychedelia drug watching this live. The feeling is what I go by on reviewing music, and this gives me a feeling that's indescribable. Impending doom, sadness, epic. THIS IS GOING TO BE FUCKING AWESOME LIVE...but share the schrooms please.

Right in Two- My favorite. I just love the vibe. Great lyrics, powerful dynamic, and kind of sums up why we all love this band. Will connect with Intension quite nicely in a live show. A D/R/T quality to it. Ebbs and flows. Slow at first then... blast off. Brings the CD to an emotional end.

I've loved TOOL since their inception. This has quickly become my favorite CD of all. It flows with Lateralus-like quality, but its more emotional and personal. It's powerful. A monolith. This will finally etch them as the premier art/prog metal band of all time.

Nice review, pretty much how I felt after listening to the album a few times. Especially about the placement of The Pot.

the placement of the pot reminds me of the placement of ticks and leeches, i know most people thought it was kinda out of place, what with it's harsh and spiteful tones following the beauty and power of parabola. Its still a fantastic song. So it seems to be the way they do things, change the mood of the album dramtically between songs. that or another 'holy gift' track listing is gona appear, which it probably will anyway, regardless of any real factual merit.

Actually, I have to disagree with you here. The Pot is a perfect way to get the CD back on track with the remaining tracks. I think Maynard's lone voice in the beginning (high pitched, almost harmless sounding) is a perfect fast transition to get the record moving again. If this song were track 3 people would complain that the record got too slow in the middle. This way, Tool doesn't put all thier hard stuff out first and then rely solely on Rosetta Stoned to keep tempo towards the end.

Did you buy the album in Albuquerque? If so, where??????

I like The Pot after 10,000 Days, as well. It seems to fit, IMO. It changes the mood of the album.

Well said man, well said... prepare for flames lol. "I hate the album", "I'm out of add meds"!! lol...

No... Farmington. It's not on the shelves, I just whined, bitched and moaned cause I knew they had it. It helps to sulk...then target a new employee who doesn't know any better. I thought I wouldn't get away with it when the checker looked at me and paused before scanning it.

i completly agree with you on this, other than that i think it's a great and acurate review.

I find this album pretty heavy to digest, since the songs seem to be very dynamic, and rythms and melodies shift and change a lot. But I find it very good and in time it will probably grow on me even more.
And here comes the criticism, although this constant flux and complex rhythm building makes songs interesting to listen to and explore, and the band obviously puts a lot of time and energy in making them, at the same time it is hard to me to relate to some of the songs, since I am having hard time to get the general feel of the song... It feels like the band is trying to do too much in fairly little time so many rythms and themes pass and aren't explored enough. To me'Vicarious' feels like nu-metal on steroids, and maybe since it is one of the more straightforward song, just maybe, verse, chorus, verse composition wouldn't be that bed for that song. It's just my opinion, the band obviously does what they feel. I think the Wings/10,000 Days, Intension, and Right In Two are beautifuly done, The Pot is straight rock on, and Lost Keys/Rosetta Stoned have quite an interesting story and dynamics and interplay of the musicians are masterfuly done. But still, some of the best music I listen to has the melody and rhythm you can instantly hum or recognise the second you hear it on the radio, even when done by some other musicians, or in a different style, and I don't think I would be able to do this with some of the songs on this album...

I just love how when I listen to Lost Keys and Rosetta Stoned I can just imagine this fantastic theatrical rendition of the song being performed by Maynard. Just him trippin balls and trying to explain himself whilst getting strapped to a bed and carted off to an asylum.

Mine just shipped from a pre-order yesterday.

That was a great review 2and46. I'm glad you didn't start a ranting review after 1 listen.

Strangly enough, I find myself singing Lipan Conjuring the most. No joke. The vocals are catchy.

yeah it is definitely an album that takes days to take in
i hae been listening for almost two weeks
and there is so much that i haven't heard yet
and wont hear for a long time to come

my faves are 10,000 days and rosetta stoned
different ends and themes but like you said
they culminate to show the brilliance of this band
the more i listen the more..in seeps in and the more
i start to fell raw thank you for sharing