re: TOOL -- that is a weird band. I love the music, but it has been 11 years. I know there was a huge lawsuit impeding them, but I thought (could be wrong) it was settled a couple years ago. If they were serious about putting out music, you would think they would have by now.
re: bosk1 comments on Portnoy group -- yeah, you're on there. But it's hard to not expect it to be SOMETHING. Derek absolutely can write (his solo albums are awesome). But like you, I have no Bumblefoot writing knowledge. I am sure he can, but I don't really recall anything he's ever done being more than a blip on a radar screen (and that was his involvement with GnR). So I am hoping, if he IS part of this group, he either has been holding back for years in the writing department, or there's someone else, guitar player-wise that compliments him and is a killer songwriter.
But the vocals...the vocals. MP has to get that right. If he doesn't, this band will sink before it even releases a record.