John Douet

This isn't Undertow. This isn't Aenima. This is a *little* bit of Lateralus, this is a *smidge* of 10,000 Days, and this is a LOT of Tool, moving forward, expanding, growing, and deepening. Evolving without being unrecognizable. Different without being entirely new. Matured but not muted. Aggressive yet restrained, and that restraint in itself builds tension - delicious, sometimes agonizingly wonderful tension. The wait, as almost every reviewer has said, was worth it. If you're older (say, over 40/45-ish) and have been with these guys since high school or college, don't stop, don't hesitate - dive in and drink in every note. If you're new to the band, or to long-form rock, maybe go back and listen to the back catalog, see how the band has changed a bit with each album, and appreciate the journey they've taken to get to where they have now arrived. Each release has its own qualities that make it special; some require many listenings to embrace fully, but there are none that will turn you away. Embrace it all, and spiral out.