Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan has just dropped a huge update on the band's next album. Although nothing has been recorded yet, Keenan revealed that he's been taking regular trips to Tool's jam space in Los Angeles and will begin to write vocal melodies soon.

Tool's fifth studio album has been progressing at a snail's pace, but we've thankfully been kept in the loop through small updates here and there. Just two weeks ago, Tool guitarist Adam Jones released a video with Motorhead drummer Mikkey Dee, unveiling that the two bands were creating in the same building. Before that, Tool noted that a pair of lawsuits from an artist and an insurance firm had stalled the band's writing process.

Maynard Keenan's Feb. 26 update was shared via his various bands' social media accounts:

I've been making regular trips to LA to check on the writing progress of my Tool brethren. Things are progressing nicely. Slowly, but definitely progressing. Nothing is recorded yet, but the guys are confident that the pieces are coming together swimmingly and will be ready for me to begin writing melodies and content 'soon'. I'm as anxious to get this album completed as everyone else. But as history will show, you can't rush these gents. Patience is Gold in this Sound Mine. In the meantime, as always, other things are simultaneously occurring. Life is too short not to create something with every breath we draw.

Stay tuned to Loudwire for all your updates on Tool's next record -- arguably the most anticipated release in the rock and metal world today.

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