The message was posted to the official website for the group last week. Keenan said that the group got together on Jan 17th to begin work on their follow up to their debut album "Mer De Noms," which was released in 2000. 

However, guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen who is current on tour as the second guitarist for Queens of the Stone Age told Australian music news site Undercover that most of the work on the album is done, with the exception of the vocals. 

"Last I heard there wasn't any vocals on it" Troy told Undercover News "That is another thing that continually evolves as time progresses. It is getting close to be finishing. The vocals are at least being considered. Maynard was out with Tool forever and you can't just jump off the road and into the studio after that long period of time I think anyway".

Undercover asked Troy what the new material sounds like, "It keeps changing" he  said. "Since I have being doing Queens of the Stone Age a lot of other work has been done on it".

A release date for the album has not yet been set but it has been speculated that it will be in stores sometime this summer.  In his post Maynard was noncommittal on a release date. He told fans, "When it's done, you all will be the first to know. Actually...the second to know." 

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