What!? You guys don't worship this?
I was very surprised that the overall opinion on this album was so negative. Because this is, not only the best Tool album (Lateralus is very close, I admit), it is also one of the best albums I've ever heard, hands down - and one of the albums I've heard the most times in my life. So many times I know every passage, every awesome bass chop, every drum fill down to the last detail (well, almost) - and yet I still haven't tired of it! If anything, it keeps getting better.

I suppose I, on an objective level, can see why some of you might feel disappointed - it is a slow-moving, long, dragged-out affair as opposed to especially Undertow and Aenima, but it's also incredibly fresh and instantly intruguing in many cases. At least I was instantly awe-inspired by the guitar intro to "Jambi", the new-found highly political aspect to the lyrics on "Vicarious" (and later I discovered, to most of the album), the godlike basslines of "The Pot" as well as the unusual, awesome, high-pitched vocal perfomance.
These all rank among the very best Tool pieces, along with the melancholic, existential album closer "Right in Two".

The more indigestible, and not as instantly compelling parts would include "Rosetta Stoned" - which can be a little hard to take in at first. And it is the piece on the album that seems most out of place. It sounds like 3 or 4 songs rolled (smashed) into one, alternating between frantic ranting and soft vocals. Sometimes it actually sounds like Tool's style around the first album, sometimes it sounds more like nothing else they've ever recorded. But as with everything here it really grows on you, becoming a neatly-woven mesh of awesome riffs and evil, really evil drumming and bass-playing - ending up utterly enjoyable.
The "Wings for Marie"/"10,000 Days"-"saga" as well, can probably also be justified as being a little "inaccessible". And it certainly is long, and certainly takes some twenty more or less focused listens to fully appreciate, but certainly also is the most rewarding song here. It is so sad and spiritual it really moves me in a way Tool has never done before. It concerns Maynard's mother who was in a wheelchair for 10,000 days and eventually died, which in itself is heart-breaking, but the beauty lies in the way it's mediated. So epic, so beautiful, slowly building up and evolving from rain to thunderstorm; echoing guitars, eerie cymbal/percussion work, but with the bass serving as the main rhythmic factor until it escalates into something with a more regular chorus-like feeling. Then it sort of breaks apart into a more jammy passage, eventually being gathered in tranquility. Truly the most epic Tool song ever, I'd say - and a worthy goodbye from Maynard to his Mother.

As demonstrated in the previously mentioned two-parter, this is very much bassist Justin Chancellor's album. He seems to have really grown to be a more prominent figure in the band, demonstrating his amazing skill and creativity throughout the album (and he is just as awesome live!), but especially on "Wings"/"10,000 Days" and "The Pot", both of which rank among the best metal-bass performances ever for me.

The only negative statement I can remotely relate to, is the amount of "filler" this album has. "Lipan Conjuring", "Lost Keys", "Intension" (more or less) and "Viginity Tres" all don't sound quite as memorable or "complete" as everything else here.
But the way I have come to look at it, the album consists of the 7 "real" songs, which would actually be adequate to make up the best Tool album on their own because of the sheer quality they possess in terms of songwriting as well as musical craftmanship and thoroughness - with these shorter pieces serving merely as interludes between them. '10,000 Days' seems like it is very much an album that is intended for listening to from beginning to end - as one coherent experience; and for those who have the time, there is something truly extraordinary in store. An incredibly spiritual, moving, impressive and complex album.
Tool continues to get better with each passing release - at least in my opinion.

Introduction to Tool
I wasn't a fan of Tool until I heard Vicariuos, Jambi, The Pot, and 10,000 days. But once I heard those, the other songs followed, as well as the other cds.

Garbage
Bought because of high rating and positive reviews. Worst choice i could have made. I did not like it at all and got rid of it within two days.

If you like deep, introspective Tool, this is the best yet.
Hands down, this is the best Tool album so far. The work is epic, and narrative and thematic elements weave their way through the entire album. Should definitely be listened to from beginning to end, in order.

Production value is also highest on this album. Much clearer, punchier and polished than previous Tool albums.

I bought this album for the song "The Pot", but it took me several weeks to get there, because I got stuck on the first track, "Vicarious". From there it was "Wings for Marie", written in memoriam for Keenan's mother. Then it was "The Pot", and currently I can't get away from "Right In Two".

Amazing album, I can't recommend it highly enough.

The best Tool album
Most epic, most rewarding, most musically impressive album this group have recorded to date.

love tool :)