There’s been a great “Schism” in the conflicting signals that the gentlemen of Tool have been giving their fans regarding the prospect of an upcoming album.

Frontman Maynard James Keenan’s outright denial of any current songwriting in an interview on a Chilean radio show (Radio Futuro) was unexpected, especially after the rumors about studio work had already started to emerge.

But now that drummer Danny Carey, who is recovering from a scooter accident, has confirmed that there’s a new album on the way, we’re just going to guess that Keenan is up to his usual mind tricks. Let’s be honest though, this is the album we’ve been looking for.

Carey told TheRockFM in New Zealand that the record would drop, “sometime this year – that’s all I can say; the sooner the better for us. We’re really excited about it, so I hope the fans will be too.”

The unnamed record will be the heavy metal groups’ first since 10,000 Days hit shelves in 2006, but Keenan maintains that there is a method to the long breaks between the releases of Tool’s LPs.

In light of his experience as the owner of a successful winery in Sonoran Desert, he said that the essence of songwriting and winemaking is about, “all in the layers and complexities and the decision-making and, most importantly, the patience,” he told Spin in 2010. “It takes a lot of patience. You can't rush anything.”

In a more recent interview with Spin, Maynard did confirm that both Tool and his other band, A Perfect Circle, are working on new projects, but said both are still in the "jamming" stages, likening the lack of finished tracks to "noodles in a big basket."

We prefer Carey’s, “the sooner the better for us” ideology, but it shouldn’t be too long until metal fans will finally get to listen to the dark, melodic hooks and subwoofer-killing bass solos that make Tool one of most respected bands in rock.