As a big Tool fan I was pretty hyped about this album, and thankfully it turned out to be worth the wait. Obviously since I was five when the last album came out I haven’t eagerly awaited the album for thirteen years, but it’s release still felt like a big event to me.

I enjoyed that all of the songs were ten minutes +, with the exceptions of the interludes, which don’t add a whole lot but are nice to have. It’s almost tradition at this point for Tool albums to have extraneous instrumental interludes. Sadly they aren’t as memorable as pieces like Intermission or Eon Blue Apocalypse from previous albums, but they’re nice to have anyway.

The songs themselves are insanely good, my favourites being Pneuma and 7empest (corny title aside), which seem to be the popular choices across the internet, but really all the songs are incredible.

So far I wouldn’t say that it’s on par with 10 000 Days, my favourite Tool album, but it I still in the same ballpark.

Well worth the wait, I’ve listened to it something like ten times so far.