Before Mars Volta and System of A Down made the music world safe for prog-rock again, Tool was setting standards and enthralling the masses. The group is back with their fourth record, in just a shade under 13 years. It doesn’t tread much new ground, but stays consistent enough to keep the fans happy.

The album takes off with the rollicking seven minute first single, Vicarious, where pummeling drums from Danny Carey and guitar work from Adam Jones gives the band a fuller sound than what they delivered on most of the band’s previous singles. The guitars star once again on Jambi, before retreating into the background a bit for the next few songs. Carey and Jones may be doing their best work in the band on this album, and keep the rhythm section of Tool alive.

Lead singer Maynard James Keenan provides formidable vocal chops on probable next single The Pot, and the eleven minute standout opus Rosetta Stoned. Keenan sounds as good as ever, even if the raging fire of older tunes seems somewhat muted.

The band descends into more cerebral and trippy material throughout the rest of the album, much like their previous Lateralus CD did. With tracks like Intension and Right In Two, the album loses some steam towards the end.

The early tracks make 10,000 Days seem more accessible than the heady Lateralus, but doesn’t not pack the punch of the classic 1996 record AEnima. AEnima didn’t seem to go off in such an avant-garde direction, and kept it simple enough for the casual Tool fan.

The band has said that 10,000 Days is their blues/jazz record in interviews, and it seems that way, with extended jam sessions and intricate (and at times puzzling) structure. It does come off as a far superior version of Spinal Tap's jazz odyssey phase.

Five years is a long time to wait between albums, and this one will not completely satisfy everybody. Nevertheless, it is good to see the band that made it cool to produce non-straight-forward music in rock back again for another round.

GRADE: B

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