If there’s one thing we’ve known about Tool since about 2008 or so, it’s to never take what they say about the follow-up to 10,000 Days at face value. Despite legions of fans and a touring presence that’s kept them in the public spotlight, the band’s fifth full-length album has been on the “albums to watch” list since pretty much forever. Last month, drummer Danny Carey started doing promo for his forthcoming Legend of the Seagullmen project with Mastodon’s Brent Hinds, and unlike Maynard Keenan, he’s been a little more direct when pressed about the follow-up. He told Metal Sucks’ podcast that the album would be out in 2018, and in an interview with Musicradar, doubled down on that:

“All I can say is it’s still something in progress… Definitely this year.”

Given that Tom Morello has heard music and that Carey is repeating that we’ll hear the album this year, we’re starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we’ll have a new Tool album sometime in 2018. Until then, you should probably get psyched for Legend of the Seagullmen, which will be out on Dine Alone on February 9th.