IT HAS BEEN 4YEARS PEOPLE. Practically every possible discussion on every song must be exhausted (or over discussed) by now!!

Granted that there were 5year gaps between Aenima & Lateralus, and Lateralus & 10,000 Days... But there were good reasons, for them, right. For the former, it was the legal dispute regarding the record label (I don't know the details; frankly, I don't care) and for the latter, it was coz Maynard's extensive involvement with A Perfect Circle.

I know of no reason why there's been such a long hiatus now. If you know any such reason, some occurrence or some dispute or anything that has caused this long drawn period of musical nothingness, please shed some light on said reason and explain to me and others as impatient.

If, on the other hand, you have some news regarding an upcoming album... Anything. What the album's about, what some song's about, what the music is like, when it'll be out... Anything whatsoever on a possible future album, please share that information. This topic might have been greatly discussed already but I'm oblivious to any such discussion, and since we're all talkers here I'm sure people wouldn't mind sharing some knowledge, even if it is for the second time.

So please.... Someone(?)

Peace

NO reason at all? Seriously?

Maynard is making wine and working on Puscifer. Danny's doing Volto and playing with other people. Those are the obvious, public appearances reported on Toolband.com. Presumably, Adam and Justin are working on their own projects or *gasp* maybe just spending time with their family.

Your post comes off as the type of TOOL fan that the band hates. We know you love them, but they don't owe you crap. "It's been 4 years where the hell is my album" is not a good way to approach TOOL at all, you will just end up being extremely disappointed. It doesn't even matter what the guys are doing--whether all four are hard at work with three projects at once, or whether they're sitting at home on the couch with their wives, means nothing. They don't need a reason for their hiatus, especially because THEY DO THIS AFTER EVERY ALBUM.

They're only four men. That's it. They're dudes who play instruments. Just because "it has been 4 years people" and "every possible discussion on every song must be exhausted" doesn't mean a new album is "due" or that they're even working on it. When you think about it, it's pretty damn impressive that just one album can produce so much discussion for so long anyway. There aren't many bands out there that provoke such detailed discussion as TOOL does.

Seriously, don't hold your breath or get worked up about any new TOOL. You'll just end up being extremely frustrated while you wait, then probably underwhelmed when you finally get what you've been waiting for. It's a lose-lose situation.


and btw, you posted this in the wrong section

You've completely misinterpreted my post, man. I'm not impatient about the new album, nor do I believe anything's due to us, nor am i any such idiotic fan who people would hate. Tool has that privacy factor, and they never release much information. All I was impatient about was some news. Any news.

" We know you love them, but they don't owe you crap." What?! When did I even mention something like "its about time they give us material or we'll stop listening to 'em". Stop making ridiculous assumptions. I said no such thing, nor did I mean such a thing. Granted, the line i started with seems a li'l like a dumbass fan, but it was more like an fyi of sorts. There are most definitely people who've been listening to the band longer, been part of this site longer, and have access to sources of info... I was just trying to get people to find something out if they could, or give me info they already have which I don't.

Puscifer's a given, but he's managed to work with Tool simultaneously before. Likewise with Danny. And no, sir, I am not well aware or the band's whereabouts, EXACTLY why this thread. So that someone can fill me in. "Just because "it has been 4 years people" and "every possible discussion on every song must be exhausted" doesn't mean a new album is "due" or that they're even working on it. When you think about it, it's pretty damn impressive that just one album can produce so much discussion for so long anyway. There aren't many bands out there that provoke such detailed discussion as TOOL does."

Again... I never said anything's due. I was just building up to ask if anyone knows anything, coz I'm unaware. Why're you just assuming without any solid indication? Also, I know they're the sorta band who's music is very thought provoking. Exactly why I'm here, part of this site. I never opposed the fact, so you need not explain it to me like I'm naive.

Again, I'm not frustrated about the prospects of a new album. Its their band, its their music... Its there call. They don't owe us jack. I was just extremely curious about some info coz I couldn't find much on the net. I thought others might no more. You've got it all wrong, man. I'm no such person (the kinda fan you described).

Pardon me if I sounded rude in this post, and the fact that the first post made me seem like a complete douche.

Peace,
Raunaq

blame hoffman

raunaq_92, I just responded via pm.

Where I'm from, this sort of discussion is called "shooting the breeze" and it's usually accompanied by some type of smokeable out on a porch somewhere

here's some news for you, check the Rumor Mill: http://www.fourtheye.net/

You can see what all the members of the band are doing, and even what the band might do, courtesy of rumors.

This sounds like something I would be happy to do right now.

Given the fact that there hasn't been any major new album news in...well... ever... I think its perfectly acceptable to get impatient and start asking some questions. Sure, Tool always take their time between albums but I don't think that means we can't speculate a little bit.

As with any artist, the band doesn't technically OWE us anything. But we as fans needn't hold ourselves to any standard. Despite what you may want to believe, we are just the people who buy the album... Tool can hate me all they want, but frankly I dont give a f*** because I buy their albums and go to their concerts. I don't think any one else should care what Tool thinks of them either. My point is that I don't think we should be so harsh on ourselves as fans - maybe this point belongs in another thread, but it is nonetheless relevant here.

Along these lines allow me to express my impatience and general sense of disillusion with the band. While I greatly appreciate the work that they have produced to date, and continue to listen to the music on a daily basis, I have no problem asking WTF is going on to Tool, as well as pointing out that the band is on the downside of their career. Sounds harsh perhaps but I don't feel out of line saying these things and I dont thnk anyone on this forum should.

I see what you're saying. Now, I wonder what Maynard, Danny, Adam, or Justin's response would be if you read that post out loud to them :)

Perhaps this belongs in another thread but let me speculate for shits and giggles:

Before I read it aloud to Tool I would of course make it clear that I am only offering the opinion of an armchair music critic who, as you mentioned above, is prone to discussing such things while smoking out on the porch...

I would also make it clear that I have a ton of respect for each member as individual musicians/artists. My only point is that as a band, sometimes I wonder if Tool hasn't gone as far as they could go (I would then go on a tangent about how its bulls**t that musicians signed to a label are contractually obligated to produce music and how that ultimately waters down the whole process). I would ask Danny, Justin, Maynard and Adam what they would do differently if they could do it all over again. Obviously as an artist you have to make a living, but I think we all can agree that after Aenima, maybe even Undertow, the band had built a good enough reputation to split up and still have a lot of other musical/artistic opportunities elsewhere. If that is the case then why keep going? They might say: "Because we love doing it", but I actually remember Adam saying somewhere that he loathes the writing process because it takes so long, among other things. I feel like this scenario is definitely not unique to Tool - it happens to a lot of bands that stay together for the long haul.

It goes without saying that this is a totally subjective assessment on my part, but once an artist puts their product out there and it has a price tag on it, I've always felt that this sort of criticism is fair game.

Tool is mysterious. The "why" part of their artwork has eluded everyone since their inception.

Yes, and I think that at this stage its starting to catch up with them.

How so? They're still pulling it off just as well as they ever have.

I did come off as a complete douche here. My post was just badly crafted, but was completely curiosity-induced. I don't think they owe us jack, nor am I waiting impatiently for new material... I haven't been listening to the band as often as most have. I'm a tool novice ho's yet to read & interpret lyrics of several songs (besides the eventual memorization of lyrics and singing them as I take a bath... Haha!) All I required was some possible info regarding the band that I may not have. Save music, some youtube interviews & this site, I don't follow the band as much, with regard to latest news, tours, etc. etc. So I just thought my curiosity may be quenched here, and hence wrote what I did.

Again, apologies for the way I wrote.

Peace,
Raunaq

Just one more year! I'm pretty excited about this. It's amazing how time flies.

i'm sure the answer is quite simple, and you were probably told it as a kid - 'because'.

it will be out when its out. there is a whole world of music to fall in love with, yes even more complex and more profound than tool.

yes you come off as impatient, slightly ironic, and no there is no excuse to be impatient. they are humans, and artists. good things take time, and to find the right creative space. tool wont release anything without either.

I hope they take as much time as they need. I have a feeling that "if" a new album does come out, it will be the last that Tool does together. Very sad to think that way, but the way things have been going the past few years, I have lost faith.

*hangs head in shame and cries*

Awe, don't be sad Enlightened One. Our favorite bands are destined to fade. It's the law of impermanence. Hang in there though. Trent Reznor claims there will be a 10/10 collaboration with Maynard one day, that's something to look forward to. Right?

Yes! That made me happy.

Just doing my part.

Trent is posting "?" items in the news section on NIN.com, these items contain only photographs of what seems to be something that's being recorded.

Any clues?

YES. Its been said and done. I didn't intend to, coz I'm not impatient. I have a lot on my list of bands to check out. Again, apologies for how the post turned out to be.

I haven't checked out NIN. Can anyone suggest some albums I can check out? And that collaboration sounds quite promising. Btw, since everyone here is into prog, unless you already listen to them, you should check out Porcupine Tree (some of their stuff is quite Floyd-ish) & The Mars Volta.

As far as Tool disbanding is concerned, yeah, I too fear that. Are Rage Against The Machine coming out with a new album, or is the band's situation still 'volatile'. They resumed their music in '08, didn't they?

Again, I'm not really Mr. Current Affairs when it comes to band & their members' details... I just listen to the music. :/

PM send

If you haven't gotten into NIN yet then you are in for a pleasant surprise. Trent Reznor = Mad Scientist in the recording studio, just an excellent, unique band. I recommend Downward Spiral, but thats a band that has put out a lot of good music.

I have pondered this, but I tend to be more optimistic.

Tool is a band that could survive without having a conventional record deal, in the future I could see them releasing music digitally like NIN or Radiohead. Sure they are all getting older, but I think that if they evolve their sound to something more like in "Disposition/Reflection/Intension" then we could really get some great music from them.

As long as they don't try to be like lots of other aging bands and try to get all heavy and nu-metal (frankly I dont see this happening). If the band releases one more studio album they will be free to release whatever digital music they want and I predict that they will take some very welcome artistic "leaps".

I bought "The Book of Tool" Revolver mag about seven months ago, and in the 10,000 days section, Danny is being interviewed and is asked what he thinks about the "next album". He said something along the lines that it would be a long process, but we'll wait and see. I'm pretty sure they weren't talking about 10,000 days. Thats a cool mag by the way.

I'm sorry, that quote is from a different interview, but there is something in that section where they are referring to a new album, and im sure they aren't talking about 10,000 days.

I recommended "The Fragile" in my pm to Raunaq. Somehow "Downward Spiral" never really appealed to me.
Sadly i never got my hands on that :(

Yeah, The Fragile kicks ass.

I got my hands on the entire NIN discography and I rememeber hearing a lot of REALLY good songs that I had never heard of. I never was a huge fan of the band but after listening through their discography it became pretty clear to me that Reznor is a damn hard working musician.

Thats off topic so I will make a comment about a new Tool album:

I read recently that Maynard likes to read books and "absorb life" in the time between albums. This leads me to believe that the next album will be about wine and the economy. Hmm, any good song title ideas there?

For me it's very hard to make a songtitle suggestion without making a direct reference to those subjects. It's not the way Tool would do it anyway.

I was being sarcastic in hopes that someone would say something funny.

In fact, that was my original idea to post. But it failed at being funny.

"Cleanskin Scalability" is a strong possibility.

hmm, how about...

BLOOD.....into......WINE!!!!!! oh wait

Dinosaur Juice

A cover maybe?