There are some bands that just churn out new music constantly. Anything Max Cavalera is involved with immediately springs to mind. On the other side of the ledger there are bands that drag their feet, and when we say ‘drag their feet’ we really mean it. Be it internal band issues, record company gripes, creative differences or just boredom or lack of inspiration, sometimes your favourite artists can really frustrate. Thankfully these bands we’ve listed below are at least talking about a new album in the near future (well most of them). Whether or not you believe them is another story. Here are The Top 7 Bands We've Been Waiting an Eternity on for a New Album...
7. Limp Bizkit
Wait – 8 years
Last release – Gold Cobra (2011)
Remember that track, ‘Ready to Go’ featuring Lil Wayne, all the way back in 2012? It was meant to be the first single from the new Limp Bizkit album, already titled, Stampede of the Disco Elephants. In fact, the band had already released the track, ‘Lightz (City of Angels)’ on YouTube not long prior. They went onto release a cover of Ministry’s ‘Thieves’ and another track, ‘EndlessSlaughter’ a few months following that, unfortunately, neither track excited fans too much. Either way, it appeared that the follow up to 2011’s underrated Gold Cobra would be imminent. Frontman, Fred Durst sprouted to Australian fans they should be seeing the new album “very shortly” whilst on their 2013 tour that garnered rave reviews despite the missing DJ Lethal who had now been booted by the band for his, let’s just say, “extra-curricular activities.” Band members, Durst and guitarist Wes Borland continue to answer questions regarding the album stating it is still a “work in progress”. After almost 8 years, the dumping of their record label, Cash Money Records, band lineup changes and obvious creative differences that keep delaying the release fans are still unsure when the new Bizkit album will see the light of the day. It’s enough to make you wanna break stuff!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyAAwCu-Lu4&w=640&h=360]
6. Alexisonfire
Wait – 10 years
Last release – Old Crows/Young Cardinals (2009)
Post-hard-core Canadians, Alexisonfire returned fire, so to speak in 2015, reforming after a three year break up/hiatus. Clean vocalist Dallas Green went solo with his softer side project City and Colour which managed to pick up traction quicker than expected (he even collaborated with pop icon Pink) and everyone thought he'd be doing that for the rest of his career. They headlined the UNIFY in 2017 and although still candid on future plans in terms of recording new music released a snippet of cryptic goodness on February 1, 2019, with the band posting a black image on their Facebook page. Fans have speculated that new music is in the works. Later in the day, the band posted a teaser video featuring a building with a green neon light spelling out Familiar Drugs. Is this a new single? A new EP? A new album? Only time will tell but for now, almost 10 years since Old Crows/Young Cardinals…..the time has come for new Alexisonfire! Are you with us!?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JNO5nJ0L0U&w=640&h=360]
5. Cog
Wait – 11 years
Last release – Sharing Space (2008)
Aussie prog-rock trio, Cog have long remained in the hearts of many around this country after their two brilliant albums, 2005’s The New Normal and the band’s last album, 2008’s Sharing Space. Despite their long hiatus playing any material between 2011 and 2016, it was always hoped they would return, at least to the live scene, and so they did a string of sold out headline shows around the country in 2016. They have been planning new music ever since and released two brand new tracks, ‘The Middle’ and ‘Altered States’ last year. The band’s first new music in ten years. A new track, ‘Drawn Together’ was released yesterday and coincides with an upcoming nationwide tour which will be followed by the band heading across to Europe and fingers crossed an album launch around that time. Maybe, the cog is finally turning after all. (pun intended)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf5i1HlKLnU&w=640&h=360]
4. Guns ‘N Roses
Wait – 11 years
Last release – Chinese Democracy (2008)
We waited 15 years for Chinese Democracy so perhaps the current (nearing) 11 year wait for a new GNR album is just the norm or was to be expected. Of course, a hell of a lot has changed since the release of Chinese Democracy, which despite being released under the Guns ‘N Roses banner, we all know it was an album led, coordinated, re-jigged, tinkered with, over edited and planed by Axl Rose. So much so that reading through the list of band members that assisted in making the album may lead to a migraine. Of course GNR made the long due re-connection with guitarist Slash and bassist, Duff McKagan in 2016 and despite a handful of guest appearances, the reunion with original drummer, Steven Adler and rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin appears it will never eventuate. Either way, with Slash and Axl appearing to be on the same page (finally), fans around the world have been treated to the ‘Not In This Lifetime’ tour, which has been quite thorough in its touring cycle despite Axl clearly not the singer he once was. With re-connection comes the talk of new material and in particular new material with Slash. Looking back, pre-reunion, Axl and other guitarists of the time, then in the band, including Bumblefoot and Dj Ashba all alluded to the new GNR material being released or near release in 2014, in fact Dizzy Reed the keyboardist since Use Your Illusion stated back in 2014 re the new album, “just a matter of picking out which songs will be on it" and that the band had a "shitload of songs, enough to make up another record or two". Earlier this year, Slash commented on the status of new GNR music to Classic Rock magazine. "There's no shortage of ideas from everybody involved," said the guitarist. "But we've been so busy on the road there hasn't really been time to go in and sit down and go, 'Okay, we're going to make a record.'" More recently (Dec’ 2018), guitarist Richard Fortus told KSHE.95: “We’re going to try and do another record and get it out soon. The band’s so great right now. I think it will happen faster than you think. I sure hope it happens faster than you think.” Let’s hope the new GNR album doesn’t take us into the next decade as our patience is running thin.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwjCvu4dYWY&w=640&h=360]
3. Tool
Wait – 13 years
Last release – 10,000 Days (2006)
We’re coming up to almost half the 10,000 days that Tool alluded to in the title of their most recent epic album. Surely they won’t make us wait for the required length? Surely? Despite the guys playing live throughout most of the years following the band’s last album way back in 2006, they have never got around to actually recording the long awaited new material. From a lawsuit, to the band members heading off in different directions and other bands or too invested in wine making, there seems to have always been either an excuse or a, dare we say it, a lie, when it comes to what is actually happening with the new Tool album. In 2013 frontman, Maynard Keenan had stated that all the writing was done for the album, then fans were left to ponder where that actual material went, as nothing came to fruition. In those five years since, there have been snippets of quotes from members saying that the album was coming. Finally last year on September 11, Keenan announced via Twitter that production on the record was progressing and that vocals had been written, before suggesting a 2019 release. In January 2019, Keenan announced that he had completed recorded his vocals for the album. In the same month, drummer Danny Carey mentioned the band aiming for a mid-April release date, a claim later debunked by Keenan. Will 2019 be the year? If it is finally the year for a Tool release we suspect it will be the back end of 2019, but don’t hold your breath.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMMz2VwbhVI&w=640&h=360]
2. System of a Down
Wait – 14 years
Last release – Mezmerize/Hypnotize (2005)
Following the band's double album dropping of Mezmerize and Hypnotize in 2005, System of a Down went onto an ‘agreed’ hiatus, as its members spent the next four years on individual paths, from new side projects to solo careers to assisting hip hop artists and even opening up a comic book store as was the case for drummer, John Dolmayan. Despite coming back in 2010 and playing intermittent festivals or headline shows around the world the word on a new album has always been clouded. It seems creative differences was the main issue, with guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian clashing with Serj Tankian (vocalist) over the band’s direction. In fact the little snipes or disagreements between what band members believe is happening with a new album to what another band member believes happening has been ongoing. Daron Malakian wrote, recorded and produced what was thought to be new music for SOAD way back in 2012 with the majority of that music released in 2018 under his banner, Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway. The album, Dictator had SOAD traits throughout and Malakian even referred to the album in a Rolling Stone interview as, “I recorded the album and then around that time System started playing live again. So every time we'd play live, there'd be conversations like, 'Maybe we'll do an album.' So being the guy who wrote the majority of almost all the System songs in the past, I was like, 'Alright, let me see what's happening with it. Let me hold onto these songs and let me see how this develops.' We talked about it and we weren't all on the same page. Not everybody was into the idea. But every time we played live, it kept coming up.” One listen to Dictator and you could sense that this record was just meant to be that new SOAD record, but alas it was not meant to be, however if you’re a fan of the band, go listen to that album now as despite missing the Tankian croon, Malakian does a great job of capturing that SOAD vibe on everything else and is one of the most underrated hidden gems of 2018. As far new SOAD, it appears at some stage it will be on the cards but don’t be surprised to see that wait skip into a 15 year wait and maybe longer. Sigh…..
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENBv2i88g6Y&w=640&h=360]
…and the winner and longest wait goes too……
1. L7
Wait – 20 years
Last release – Slap Happy (1999)
The Californian all girl grunge band, L7, who played alongside the likes of Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam during the heyday of grunge rock have not recorded an album for nearing twenty years now. Slap Happy was their last recording and unfortunately the album title proved to be very much apt, with horrible production and some less than enthusiastic songs. Not surprisingly the ladies disbanded in 2001. However, fast forward a decade or so (13 years to be precise), L7 returned to the stage, playing a few festivals around the globe including a run of shows in Australia in 2016 (our Perth coverage here). It seems the sands of time have rekindled the L7 vibe with a new song released on September 29, 2017 the band’s first new song in 18 years, ‘Dispatch from Mar-a-Lago’. A follow up single, ‘I Came Back to Bitch’, was released in February 2018. After a successful campaign via Pledge Music to raise funds for a new album, L7 reached the goal half way through 2018 and all indications point towards a release in the very near future. As of December 2018 the band had 10 songs recorded. An exciting time for lovers of L7, it’s been 20 years in the making.
Impatiently written by Jim ‘Plugga’ Birkin
Header Photos contributed by Kim Anderson (L7), Mick Goddard (Limp Bizkit), Mitch Chamberlain (Alexisonfire), Emanuel Rudnicki (Slash) and Ian Laidlaw (COG)
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAdlZ2F-fs8&w=853&h=480]
