When bands take an unusually extended break between albums, it’s pretty inevitable that whatever comes next will sound pretty different. For Tool fans, little has been given away as to what to expect from the follow up to 2006’s 10, 000 Days. 

Although the band is slowly but surely working on the album, hints as to what the album sounds like have been few and far between. Last month, the band shared a 4 minute live recorded instrumental track, giving off a pretty stock standard Tool prog-metal vibe, whilst earlier in the year, Tom Morello revealed he’d heard the album, saying it was “mysterious, deep and sexy.”

Now, according to an interview transcribed by Alternative Nation, the band shared their current influences during a Tool Music Clinic, giving fans a further insight into what they could expect from current studio sessions.

Drummer, Danny Carey as expected, noted that he’d been listening to “Prog tock, John Mclaughlin, Ethnic/Indian music, Herbie Hancock”. Adam Jones, on the other hand, gave an answer that may come as a bit of a surprise to the majority of Tool fans.

The guitarist noted that he’d been listening to “Justin Bieber (lol), a lot of everything, some 80’s electro”. Justin Bieber’s poppy, RnB laden, 3 minute long tracks may seem like a far cry from Tool’s meandering, intricate prog epics –

Jones also went on to confirm that the album is, in fact, being recorded (if you were starting to give up on hope), noting that Danny had finished all of his drum parts and Justin (Bass), was about “halfway done”.

“Let’s get the first question out of the way, the new record is being recorded. We always like to record the songs over a finished drum track so Danny is done all his parts and Justin is about halfway done.”

As of late, Maynard has begun to publically “beg” his bandmates to finish the album, confirming he had finished his lyrics and melody. 

“A lot of people recently have been asking me, Maynard James Keenan, what’s with the fucking riot gear?” he began. “Well, I’ll tell you. I’m afraid of bananas, and other forms of fruit, because eventually you wonderful people are going to run out of fucking patience.”

“So I beg you – Danny, Adam, and Justin, please finish your parts so I can finish mine. So I can take this fucking riot gear off.”

The article was originally published on Tone Deaf