Maynard James Keenan offered an encouraging update on the long-awaited Tool album on Twitter, alerting the alt-metal band’s fans that he has finished composing – but hasn’t yet recorded – his contributions to the follow-up to 2006’s 10,000 Days.
“Started getting music files from the boys w the word FINAL in the title a few months ago after 11 years of begging. That in theory means the tracks wont change out from under me while I’m trying to write stories and melodies to them. In theory. Still waiting for the FINAL on 1,” the singer tweeted Friday night.
“Words & Melodies 100% DONE on all but 1. Someday we’ll track them. Long way from the finish line, but at least we’re closer.”
Keenan also reminded fans that A Perfect Circle, the singer’s other long-dormant project, will release Eat the Elephant, their first studio LP of original material since 2003’s Thirteenth Step and their first album since the 2004 covers collection Emotive, on April 20th. The prolific Keenan then hinted that he’s already working on new Puscifier material.
Earlier this month, Keenan was reticent about supplying a status report on the upcoming Tool LP in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I’ve got nothing.”
Keenan didn’t specify when he would track his contribution to Tool’s fifth studio album, so it’s unclear whether that will occur before or after A Perfect Circle’s upcoming trek, which kicks off April 14th and will keep Keenan on the road until June 1st.
Tool also has a May 18th headlining set booked at Somerset, Wisconsin’s Northern Invasion Festival, the band’s only scheduled date of 2018. Keenan and A Perfect Circle will also headline the opening night of that fest on May 17th.
