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Lucy Fur

Overall:
Imagine standing in the middle of a giant traffic circle during rush hour,
in fast forward. All the colors and sounds whizzing by, and you have no
control over what might happen. You have to trust that everyone knows what
they are doing. That’s what this album does to me.  The rhythms meander off
in different directions, only to converge back together again, and back
again and again.  Adam’s guitars are like a truck driving by, blowing hot
exhaust and deafening noise all over you. Danny is at his best here, mixing
the raw power of Vinnie Paul with the patience and self-control of a Tibetan
Monk.  Justin plays his ass off, I imagine his fingers are going to be raw
live.  The music is so powerful I almost forgot about Maynard, who for the
most part seems to simply be another instrument in the mix.  Will the
traffic circle spin out of control and crush you, or will you make it across
the street to the sidewalk alive?  It feels like both outcomes are possible,
and sometimes all at once.  Completely beautiful, controlled and planned
chaos.

Vicarious
Ahh, Lateralus continued. Fast, heavy, fist-waving, mosh-pitting.  I didn’t
fully appreciate this until I heard the rest of the album a few times. The
perfect transition from Lateralus to what’s about to happen….

Jambi
Holy smokes, if yall could have seen the smile on my face when this track
started… Perhaps you had that same smile. This is what I was waiting for.
The opening riff almost sounds like what Metallica was trying to do on St.
Anger, but then Maynard comes in over these strange drum sounds, the bass
fills in the feeling, and you feel surrounded by spirits.  Soon enough you
are blasting off… no, you’re chilled out. What the hell am I feeling, they
won’t let me get comfortable for too long. A guitar “solo”? Wow, amazing
sound. And it ends, like every track on the album, with an intensity that
makes me want to shit my pants.

Wings/10,000 Days
Welcome to the afterlife. Relax, but no for too long. Maynard’s best track.
Considering the subject matter, I would imagine these 2 songs are very
personal to him, and it shows in his performance. Amazing soundscape. Death
is only the beginning…

The Pot
Prepare for an adrenaline shot strait to the heart.  If you were
sad/depressed/moved by 10,000 days, better buckle your seat belt quickly,
The Pot goes off like perhaps no Tool song ever. Fast choppy rhythms. Wild
vocals, Maynard sounds like a black woman whose vocals have been run through
a “man simulator”. Funky, yes funky, bassline, but still so heavy. Someone
commented this sounded like a Chili Peppers song… not even close, Flea never
plays bass this heavy.  This should have been the first single, it’s going
to rip up the airwaves.

Lipan Conjuring
Many chiefs, only 1 Indian….

Lost Keys
The deep guitar tone is the meatiest, richest, sickest I have ever heard, I
only wish I could get my gear to sound this good.

Rosetta Stoned
SOMEBODY WAS stoned when they created this track. Pure Insanity. The traffic
circle is spinning out of control….. And it lasts a LONG time, try not to
hold your breath.

Intension
Ahhhh, wow, relax, take a deep breath, and imagine Radiohead and The Buddha
are standing next to you in the circle…

Right In Two
Amazing track, start to finish. Justin’s harmonics set the whole thing off.
Totally fucked up timing, but it all works so well. Perfect song to leave me
hungry for a live performance.

Viginti Tres
Don’t listen to this track right before you fall asleep, trust me.

In summary, I think this may be my favorite Tool album already. 9.5 out of
10 – I leave some room for their next album to be even better. Buy it, love
it, rock it, breathe it, buy it again.

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exilajei
exilajei
17 years ago

Great review, and dead on. This album is fantastic.

tomjulio
17 years ago

The traffic metaphor….brilliant. That’s it. among the controlled chaos i felt lost, about to get crushed by the objects and sounds passing me by without thought or acknowledgement. Then i stood there, with my eyes closed and just listened to the harmonious noise that now was in my grasp of understanding.

thanks for the review.
-tom.julio

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