Editor's note: Tool is playing the Blaisdell Concert Hall today and Saturday; see Page 18. Here's a look at the band's latest release.

Album: "10,000 Days" by Tool; Volcano Records

Released: May 2, 2006

Style: Rock

My take: Los Angeles-based Tool is notorious for rarely releasing music: Although the band has been around since 1990, its latest album, "10,000 Days," is only its fourth full-length record. But with lots of fans, the band has still managed to sell 10 million albums in the United States alone.

There are two things I have come to accept as standard fare when buying a Tool CD: interesting packaging and a long run time. "10,000 Days" provides both. The packaging includes what seems to be a pair of magnifying glass eyes (try fitting this album on your CD rack) and pictures of robots, babies inside skulls and other symbols that are probably demonic in nature. The album also runs at 76 minutes.

The album kicks off with "Vicarious," which was probably the best choice for a single; it's the most radio-friendly, even if it does clock in at 7 minutes. It has a structure almost straightforward enough to be considered conventional, and its pounding, palm-muted guitars and tribal drums guarantee that it will be at least a minor hit on modern rock radio. Sadly, it almost sounds like something by Disturbed or Mudvayne; there's nothing that separates this song from those being put out by modern, mainstream heavy-rock bands.

"Jambi" also has the dark, moody feel of "Vicarious" and the other fully fleshed-out songs of "10,000 Days." I enjoy the use of the delay pedals on "Jambi," and the solos on the track all have very interesting tones — thanks to the talk boxes made popular by Peter Frampton and Joe Perry of Aerosmith. "Jambi" is the song that gets me closest to rocking out (or whatever Tool fans do), but unfortunately, no other song even comes close.

The songs "Wings for Marie" and "10,000 Days" are weak attempts at spooky atmospheric pieces. Sure, the guitars are really neat, but these songs may be the lamest things put to tape since Raffi. In fact, half of the album is full of this pretentious, wannabe avant-garde posturing. On half of this album, Tool attempts to be the Mars Volta, and fails miserably.

I found myself mildly enjoying "The Pot" and "Rosetta Stoned," but these titles, which seem to be referencing marijuana use, turned me off. The men in Tool are pushing 40, but all they can say is that "you must have been high"?

Irate Tool fans aside, let's face it: "10,000 Days" is an absolute joke. It's not that I don't "get" the music, because I enjoy many similar bands, and I adore one of Tool's biggest influences, Pink Floyd. And don't think I don't "get" all of the symbols and imagery, because you don't either. I honestly feel that the album is a massive pulling of wool over Tool fans. I'm not saying Tool isn't worth a listen, because "Opiate," "Undertow" and "®nima" are all solid rock records. But Tool's latest album should be left in the shed.