Are Tool preparing to announce some big news?

Earlier this week, Tool drummer Danny Carey said that the band’s long-awaited new album should be out in mid-April.

They officially began recording the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2006’s 10,000 Days in March last year with producer Joe Baresi, with frontman Maynard James Keenan later comparing the gestation period to Guns N’ Roses last album Chinese Democracy.

But the wheels are now in motion and it would appear that the Tool machine is gathering pace – as the band’s website  has been updated to show an animation of a rotating, mechanical skeleton which morphs into a weird, breathing skull.

Could it be an album announcement? Maybe they're finally about to reveal that their back catalogue is coming to streaming services – something that first came to light in March 2017 – or perhaps they're just doing a bit of housekeeping to start 2019. We shall see.

Along with the album, Tool are also preparing to embark on a European tour, which will include a headline slot the UK’s Download festival.

Tool 2019 European tour
Jun 02: Berlin Mercedes-Benz Arena, Germany
Jun 04: Prague O2 Arena, Czech Republic
Jun 05: Vienna Wiener Stadhalle, Austria
Jun 07: Nurburg Rock Am Ring, Germany
Jun 09: Nuremberg Rock Im Park, Germany
Jun 11: Krakow Impact Festival, Poland
Jun 13: Florence Firenze Rocks, Italy
Jun 16: Donington Download Festival, UK
Jun 18: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands
Jun 20: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark
Jun 25: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland
Jun 28: Werchter Rock Werchter, Belgium
Jun 30: Madrid Download Festival, Spain
Jul 02: Lisbon Altice Arena, Portugal

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.