Los Angeles-based legendary rock band Tool have confirmed their long awaited new album, is finally in the mixing stage. Frontman Maynard James Keenan announced that the highly anticipated follow up to the bands last studio released album since 2006, should be expected for a release this year. It had been initially expected to be finished in 2017, but for unknown reasons had been delayed.
Keenan posted on twitter an update, announcing that final vocals had been tracked months ago, but that a long mixing process lay ahead of the band. Various updates were shared during 2017, with the debut track ‘Descending’ released last April, and an instrumental demo released during the background of a promo video for the bands upcoming European tour running from 2nd of June through to the 2nd of July 2019.
The frontman revealed that after eleven years of begging the words and melodies for the new record were 100% done, on all but 1 (song). Keenan had previously implied the delays were caused by a lack of decisiveness by his bandmates, stating: “I like to release records and write things a little more quickly than those guys like to write”, “their process is very analytical”.
For a group as meticulous as Tool, it is unlikely that the album will be released before they begin touring North America in May, and Europe during June and July. As Keenan revealed his final vocals had been completed, it seems optimistic as he is the last member of the band to record before the mixing process is started.
It appears to be good news for Tool fans, as Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach, who visited the group while they were recording and was privy to a private rendition, described the new music as “progressive metal at its most atmospheric and just when you get into a groovy trance you get beat over the head with riffs so heavy it feels like a TOOL”.
After tweeting in September “Step back: Adjust. Re-adjust. Master. Adjust. Re-adjust. Long way to go but much closer”, it makes you wonder if 2019 will really be the year we get to hear rocks most highly anticipated (and long awaited) album. It sounds like it will be worth the wait as according to Skid Row’s Sebastian Bach, no song was shorter than 7 minutes, and some were 20 minutes long. The so far untitled album is expected to be epic!
Update- Final vocals tracked MONTHS ago. Then U.S.-UK-Euro run w #APC. If Tool all inst are tracked, long process of Mixing now. Meanwhile write/film/track w @puscifer for #puscifer2020 & troll the band FBs with wine posts. #funnyshit #whileyouwerewhiningiwasworking
— Maynard J Keenan (@mjkeenan) 4 January 2019
TOOL European Tour Dates 2019:
02/06/2019 – Mercedes-Benz Arena – Berlin
04/06 – O2 Arena – Prague
05/06 – Wiener Stadhalle – Vienna
07/06 – Rock Am Ring Festival – Nurburg
09/06 – Rock Im Park Festival -Nuremberg
11/06 – Impact Festival – Tauron Arena – Krakow
13/06 – Firenze Rocks Festival – Florence
16/06 – Download Festival – Donnington
18/06 – Ziggo Dome – Amsterdam
20/06 – Copenhell festival – Copenhagen
25/06 – Hallenstadion – Zurich
28/06 – Rock Werchter Festival – Werchter
30/06 – Download Festival Spain – Madrid
02/07 – Alice Arena – Lisbon
