Artist: TOOL
Album: 10,000 DAYS LTD. EDIT. (DIGI-BOOK)

Release date: 2006
EAN/UPS: 828768199121
Media type: CD

TOOL are almost unique in bringing elements of underground rooted Metal foursquare into the mainstream channelled by way of an 'Art' Rock delivery. The band, known for their disturbingly anonymous animated video clips directed by guitarist Adam Jones, were perfectly poised after the Grunge balloon had burst to capitalise on that genre's down fall. Musically TOOL were ponderous enough to satisfy the Grunge crowd but had a myriad of further influences to project onto a new scene and their debut offering was almost unanimously acclaimed as a classic work.

Vocalist Maynard James Keenan had drifted out of military service in the early 80s to hook up with Jones. The guitarist already had film making experience with major motion pictures which would stand TOOL in good stead for the future. TOOL was finalised with the addition of Washington native Paul D'Amour on bass and erstwhile GREEN JELLO drummer Danny Carey. The group's first offering would be May 1992's seven track 'Opiate' EP. Such was the adventurism portrayed on this taster that the media marked TOOL out as a band to watch. This outing led to a bout of national touring in league with the ROLLINS BAND.

On the touring circuit TOOL, promoting the full length Sylvia Massey produced 'Undertow' record, first made their presence felt as part of the 1993 'Lollapalooza' dates. Originally TOOL had occupied the second stage but audience reaction soon elevated them to the main stage. European shows had TOOL sharing stages with FISHBONE and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE whilst UK shows in October saw support from PAW, HEADSWIM and PEACH. By the tour's conclusion 'Undertow's status as a gold underground cult record had been elevated to that of approaching platinum, a marker it surpassed with steady sales in August of 1994. 'Undertow' songs such as the disturbingly brooding 'Prison Sex' and 'Disgustipated' (a track listed as song no. 10 on the CD but which would in fact take listeners to track no. 69) would prove alien enough to the expected Rock criteria to place TOOL firmly in their own camp. The video for the single 'Sober' brought further acclaim, voted by Billboard as 'Best Clip' and 'Best New Artist'. The album came clad in a sleeve depicted a ribcage like sculpture conceived by Jones. Bizarrely the major retail chain Wallmart deemed this unsuitable and hence re-packaged 'Undertow' with new artwork - a giant bar code.

During September of 1995 TOOL performed at an Australian music festival with a new member. D'Amour had made his exit, first playing with FAILURE prior to creating his own project LUSK. His replacement in TOOL would be Justin Chancellor, previously with PEACH.

The gap between releases would be protracted but TOOL appeared to have lost little momentum with 1996's David Botrill produced 'Aenima' which landed smartly at no. 2 on the Billboard charts in its inaugural week of release. Dates to support the album witnessed another 'Lollapalooza' jaunt in 1997, this time co-headlining with KORN. MTV, whilst putting TOOL on heavy rotation, would object to the single 'Stinkfist's title and renamed it simply 'No. 1' for their audience consumption. TOOL would then seemingly hibernate yet again although Keenan embroiled himself in the side venture A PERFECT CIRCLE foregoing his usual shaven headed persona for that of an unkempt lengthy wig. Keenan's extracurricular band was centred around former FISHBONE and GUNS N' ROSES roadie Billy Howerdel alongside ex-FAILURE and ENEMY guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, bassist Paz Lenchantin and VANDALS, INFECTIOUS GROOVES, PEARL JAM and GUNS N' ROSES drummer Josh Freese. A PERFECT CIRCLE's 'Mer De Noms' offering paradoxically would outsell TOOL's efforts and bring in a whole new audience for Keenan's priority act. A stop gap compilation 'Salival' kept TOOL fans happy until the arrival of 'Lateralus' in May of 2001. The internet rumour breeding ground fed the appetite for new product with false track listings and album cover images. 'Lateralus' would debut at no. 1 on both the USA Billboard album charts, selling over 550'000 copies in its debut week, and the national Australian album rankings.

European dates would commence in Holland as 'Lateralus' scored high on all the major territories charts going top ten in Austria, Sweden, Holland and Norway. TOOL toured the UK in June of 2001 with support from CORTIZONE prior to shows in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. In America the band would unite with the inspirational veteran Art Rockers KING CRIMSON for a series of gigs. Accompanying TOOL onstage would be the performance duo 'Osseus Labyrint' who had featured heavily in the 'Schism' single video. A second leg of the American tour, which included two back to back sold out nights at New York's Madison Square Gardens, would find TOOL handpicking support acts beginning with Sweden's MESHUGGAH in September, FANTOMAS later the same month followed by the MELVINS then TRICKY. This involvement of the latter act would generate a collaboration between TOOL guitarist Adam Jones on a remix project for the Pop act THE VERVE, Jones making an appearance on the VERVE REMIXED project on the TRICKY remix of BILLIE HOLIDAY's 'Strange Fruit'.

January of 2002 would find TOOL's 'Schism' being nominated, and duly winning, a prestigious Grammy award for 'Best Metal Performance'. The band would spend April touring New Zealand and Australia with support from the MELVINS before hooking up with the European leg of the 'Ozzfest' bill. By the close of the year TOOL had grossed over 23 million dollars in North American ticket receipts.

TOOL drummer Danny Carey would collaborate on a new musical venture with Adrian Belew of KING CRIMSON and Les Claypool of PRIMUS in January of 2003. Carey also found time to guest on the 'Some Kind Of Strange' album from COLLIDE. TOOL-affiliated side project PUSCIFER, which featured vocalist Maynard James Keenan and former NINE INCH NAILS guitarist Danny Lohner, included a track 'The Undertaker' on the 'Underworld: Evolution' movie soundtrack.

'10,000 Days' sold over 564,000 copies in its first week of release in the USA to land at number 1 on the charts, repeating this feat in both Australia and New Zealand. The album boasted another elaborate packaging exercise, with stereoptic lenses housed inside the cover art enabling fans to scan through photos and artwork inside the CD jacket in full 3-D vision.

TOOL's summer 2006 touring schedule included festival appearances at the 'Superrock' festival in Portugal, 'Festimad' in Spain, 'Rock Am Ring' and 'Rock Im Park' in Germany, 'Pink Pop' in Holland, 'Interlaken' in Switzerland, 'Nova Rock' in Austria, the 'Werchter' festival in Belgium, 'Roskilde' in Denmark, 'Quart' in Norway, 'Metal Town' in Sweden and 'Turku Festival' in Finland.

TRACKLIST:

1. Vicarious
2. Jambi
3. Wings For Marie (Pt 1)
4. 10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2)
5. The Pot
6. Lipan Conjuring
7. Lost Keys (Blame Hofmann)
8. Rosetta Stoned
9. Intension
10. Right In Two
11. Viginti Tres

LINE-UP:

Maynard James Keenan (vocals)
Adam Jones (guitar)
Justin Chancellor (bass)
Danny Carey (drums)