Tool are infamous for taking their time between albums — sometimes a very long time. Fans famously endured a 13-year gap between 2006’s 10,000 Days and 2019’s Fear Inoculum. The long waits have become part of the band’s mythology, with lawsuits, side projects, and the band’s notoriously meticulous writing process all contributing to the delays. But in a new interview with Loudwire Nights, Maynard James Keenan and Adam Jones suggested that the next Tool record may not take nearly as long.
Maynard James Keenan: “Life Is Short”
When asked about their plans for next year, Keenan gave a rare glimpse into the band’s current mindset: “Writing, I guess,” he said, before turning to Jones and asking, “You guys are busy, Adam?”
Jones was even more direct: “We want to get another record out and play, do what we do.” He explained that while the group often works slowly, they’ve already been jamming: “Between preparing for an upcoming tour or whatever we’re doing, there’s points where someone goes, ‘Oh, I got this and I got this.’ But I think we’re going to dive deep soon.”
Keenan admitted that Ozzy Osbourne’s recent passing had hit him hard and provided a wake-up call: “You know, life is short. You just got to fcking do it now. There is no waiting. You don’t know what’s coming tomorrow. You got to do it now. So that’s what we’re doing.”*
Tool’s History of Long Waits Between Albums
Tool’s timeline shows just how patient fans have had to be:
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Undertow (1993) → Ænima (1996): 3 years
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Ænima (1996) → Lateralus (2001): 5 years
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Lateralus (2001) → 10,000 Days (2006): 5 years
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10,000 Days (2006) → Fear Inoculum (2019): 13 years
That last stretch became legendary in rock circles, filled with rumors of writer’s block, legal disputes, and endless tinkering in the studio. For many fans, simply hearing Keenan and Jones openly discuss writing again is a relief — a sign that the next Tool record won’t be another decade away.
Adam Jones Teases Sabbath-Inspired Riff
Jones also revealed that he’s had a Black Sabbath–inspired riff tucked away for years: “I’ll probably bug those guys again about trying to turn that into a future Tool song. I’ve got lots of riffs, we put them together, tear them apart and try to make something that we’re all into.”
Could a New Tool Album Arrive Sooner?
If the band truly “dives deep soon,” as Jones suggests, Tool’s next release could arrive far faster than fans have come to expect. Between Keenan’s renewed urgency after Ozzy’s passing and the band’s stockpile of ideas, anticipation is already building. For a group known for taking their time, even the hint of momentum is enough to send shockwaves through the fanbase.
