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   Tool releases an album about every four or five years. So the recent release of their fourth full-length studio album, “10,000 Days,” probably seemed like a national holiday to fans. Unfortunately, after a few listens, many will wonder why they waited five years for a disc chock-full of filler.  

   Tool set the bar extremely high in 2001 with “Lateralus,” a tight, crisp – perhaps brilliant – progressive-metal experience. The album received critical acclaim and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Previous albums enjoyed similar success. So imagine the surprise and dismay of listening to “10,000 Days” and realizing it contains four near-perfect tracks along with roughly an hour of nonsensical noise. 

   The album starts off on a positive note with “Vicarious” and “Jambi.” Both songs sound just as you would expect a Tool song to sound: heavy and dark with enchantingly-morbid lyrics. Either track could easily be placed anywhere on “Lateralus” and not sound out of place. Such works of art almost make the disc worth the price of admission – almost. 

   After the band treats you to its finest, the third track begins… “Wings of Marie” and the self-titled track that follows go nowhere fast. These two “songs” along with the rest of the album – aside from “The Pot” and “Right In Two” – feature random noises, chanting or even silence – yes, silence. Maybe some will consider it atmospheric and soothing or even use it for meditation. Regardless, consider yourself forewarned. 

   “The Pot,” the crown jewel of the album, features vocalist Maynard James Keenan in rare form, showcasing an all-new vocal style. Though it still definitely sounds like Tool, it displays shades of influence from Keenan’s other band, A Perfect Circle. “The Pot” almost seems like a hybrid of Tool and APC influences, deriving only the high points from both styles. “Right In Two” should also be noted for it’s thought-provoking, allegorical lyrics. 

   Tool continues to keep progressive metal alive in North America and Europe with a tour in support of "10,000 Days." The band kicked off the new tour in April by playing smaller venues in the United States and Canada before leaving for Europe in May. They returned to North America in August to play larger venues and will once again head to Europe in November. After the new year rolls around, the band plans to play a handful of shows in Australia. All current tour dates can be found at the band’s official site.

   Though “10,000 Days” features several flawless songs with the band sounding as fresh as ever, it’s a tough call as to whether these tracks warrant the price of a full-length disc. While the album does come in very chic packaging that even includes stereoscopic glasses, one must wonder why it took five years to get such a sparse collection. Whatever the case, you get four songs, a lot of chanting and stereoscopic glasses – take it or leave it.

Rating: B-