Tool Band • Page 3

I disagree. I say Aenima.

 

I think Lateralus is the best point of entry

 

I will say Aenima, then Lateralus, then 10,000 and then maybe go back to the very beginning

 

I'll agree with this. Best point of entry. Then follow with Aenima (my fav).

 

Yep.

 

I might just go in order since they only have 4 albums.

 

Whatever you're gonna do, just do it!

Need more love for Tool here.

 

honetsly they are all good, so go for it

 

It doesn't really matter where you start, just as long as you do

 

I have really been loving 10,000 Days lately. I know it was viewed as a disappointment after Lateralus, or at least that's how I've perceived its reception, but I think it has some of their best material.

 

The thing is I didn't become a fan until after 10,000 came out so when I hear people say it's a dissappointment or whatever I don't get it. Wings For Mary, Jambi, The Pot, Right In Two all so good.

 

I think that album is really good, but not as consistently great as Lateralus. I was never disappointed though

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/112149652223

I would totally go for this if it wasn't so expensive. Living in Canada sucks when it comes to ebay.

 

Do you want any opened copies of those? I'll sell you mine for good prices

 

I haven't listened to 10,000 Days since the year it was released. Didn't do much for me.

 

Holy

 

I loved every minute of that.

 

Back in HS, I worshiped Tool at an unhealthy level. Aenima is probably still my favorite record of all time, though I'm not as certain of that as I used to be. Regardless, it was a seminal work that probably had more direct influence on my favorite music from 2000-present than any other single album.

Coming from that perspective, where Aenima was untouchable and Undertow + Lateralus were also masterpieces, I absolutely found 10,000 Days to be a let down when it released. I go back to the others a lot, but rarely to that one. The best description I can think of for how I view it is "phoned in." They evolved and morphed their sound so radically between albums beforehand, where each new record was very cohesive within itself but almost entirely divorced from its predecessors' style and texture. Then 10kD comes along and it's largely just a mashup of the past two albums' sounds. The lyrics feel like a downgrade, with Maynard just being tongue-in-cheek and not giving a fuck through several songs, and to top it off the production is weak (I've never liked the sound on a Joe Barresi produced album at all, really).

I mean, it's still got great songs (musically, at least) and it's a solid 7.5/10 or 8/10 album -- "Jambi," "Right in Two," and a couple others are serious jams if you don't mind the lack of progression from earlier albums -- but to me it proved them fallible. My suspicion would be that Maynard's heart stopped being in it after Lateralus and he only indulges Tool because of its popularity; his attitude, side projects, and interviews all point that way. For that reason -- nevermind that it's been vaporware for almost a decade now -- I'm not pumped out of my mind for any possible new LP. I mean, I'll be excited to hear it, but I'm not setting the bar too high. To be honest, I'd be more optimistic about a new APC record living up to the hype, if I had to choose.

Finally, to echo a couple others, Tool and APC are both high up in my top 10 bands of all time, but I have zero interest in Puscifer. Given it a chance several times over the years and just never come away more than mildly amused.

 

The first half of 10,000 Days is great. It doesn't compare to Aenima or Lateralus, but I still enjoy it. There is a song here or there in the second half I like, so yeah, it was somewhat of a disappointment for me as well.

 

@christsizedshoes While I'm a fan of 10,000 Days (doesn't touch Lateralus or Aenema, of course), I can definitely see where you're coming from and I respect your opinion. I do wish Tool still provided artistic fulfillment for Maynard. I would also love a new APC album. What is the status of APC these days?

 

It is a shame about the fulfillment thing; you just can't force that if it ain't there, and I always got the feeling he had to try on 10kD.

Billy has been dropping hints about new APC for about as long as Tool has, but I'm skeptical about a full LP ever seeing the light of day. Even though I think winemaking and more humor-based music are what inspire Maynard these days, I can see him taking APC seriously and genuinely enjoying it moreso than Tool, at this age. That one-off track they recorded a few years ago for the greatest hits thing was really solid. Man, I miss them. Feels like so much potential went untapped after only two records.

 

Mer de Noms is one of my all time favorite albums. So good from start to finish, and 3 Libras is one of the most beautiful songs in my opinion.

 

You'd have to have a heart of stone not to love 3 Libras.

 

Tool have two albums worth of new music, but only five songs meet their standard

Take it for what it's worth, which is probably nothing.