During a recent interview with Kerrang!, Justin Chancellor revealed that Tool have made significant progress on new music. “We already have some solid songs, which I would call skeletons, waiting to be finalized”, said Chancellor. He emphasized the group’s collaborative process, mentioning that they wrote and developed new ideas during their recent sessions.
Tool, known for their meticulous and perfectionist approach, have not released new music since 2019’s Fear Inoculum, which marked their return after a 13-year hiatus. Fans have been eagerly awaiting new music ever since, and Chancellor’s comments offer a glimmer of hope. He explains : “Every time we get together, the band comes up with so many new ideas that we spend the day playing them. We are constantly introducing new things, which sometimes mix with other, older ideas.”
The band’s rigorous touring schedule posed challenges to the creative process. Danny Carey, Tool’s drummer, had previously expressed hopes of recording an EP during the pandemic period, but this never came to fruition. With their upcoming European tour kicking off May 25 in Hannover, Germany, the band’s ability to balance touring and recording remains a question.
Maynard James Keenan, lead singer of Tool, also acknowledged the impact of the band’s success on his productivity. In an interview with Revolver, Keenan said: “The success of the band has almost been a ‘brake’ on the breadth of our catalog over the years, giving us the luxury of not being dependent on releasing new music.”
Despite the challenges, Keenan and Chancellor remain optimistic about producing new music. Chancellor pointed out the abundance of material they’ve accumulated over the years, including ideas that predate Fear Inoculum. He stated : “We have tons and tons of hard drives full of stuff. Some ideas predate Fear Inoculum and are just simple riffs that we never incorporated into a song.”
Tool’s European tour will include Night Verses as the opening act at select shows. The group will perform in many countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
French-speaking concerts:
- 05/06 – Paris, FR: Accor Arena
- 20/06 – Dessel, BE: Graspop Metal Meeting
