On May 2, 2006 Tool's most recent album "10,000 Days" was released. It was put out by Tool Disectional and Volcano Entertainment. It contains a myriad of powerful songs touching on numerous subjects. Perhaps most popular are the cynical "Vicarious" and the more heartfelt "Jambi." Both songs spawned singles. The song "Right in Two" delves into the complexities of human nature, imagining God's response to how greedy mankind has become. The barely coherent combination of "Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)," and "Rosetta Stoned" tells the journey of one guy's insane drug trip. "The Pot" allows Maynard James Keenan to show off his vocal abilities.
It hit No. 1 on Billboard 200, and it sold 2.5 million copies by the end of 2007, earning the Platinum certification.
In short, it is a fantastic album.
Now in 2016, 10 years later, Tool fans anxiously await the band's newest album, which has been in the works for quite some time. There have been rumors that the new album will be released sooner rather than later, but Tool fans are not holding their breath. The lawsuit that had been preventing Tool from moving forward in the studio has ended, so it is only a matter of time, right? Perhaps, but the band members are secretive and do not reveal too much information about their work-in-progress album. The wait has resulted in many Tool memes from impatient fans. However, an instrumental jam has been appearing at their concerts as of late, a song called "Descending":
Naturally, Tool fans are excited to hear "new material" from this elusive band.
As a Tool fan, though, I understand that these guys like to take their time when working on material. Anything less than perfect is unacceptable. I would rather wait for an excellent album than experience constant mediocre albums. I respect their dedication to perfection.
In the meantime, as we wait for Tool's new album, let us enjoy their 10 best songs this summer. Who knows? Maybe they will surprise us this year.
