Tool are taking The Pepsi Challenge! No, not the soft drink taste test — that's just the title of a new two-volume live album, which is coming to vinyl on August 23.
The album is coming out through Gimme Recordings, and it's not entirely clear if it's a bootleg or officially endorsed by the band. On the one hand, the album is easily available to pre-order and is being promoted with press releases to journalists; on the other, the band posted on their social media accounts earlier today and made no mention of the album. As of press time, none of their official accounts have acknowledged it.
UPDATE (5/20, 4:05 p.m. ET): A representative for Tool has confirmed that the release is an unofficial bootleg and not approved by the band.
The Pepsi Challenge comes from the band's 2001 tour in support of that year's Lateralus, and it's so named because it was recorded at Denver, CO's Pepsi Center on July 21. The show is split across two separate releases, each of which consists of two LPs (red wax for Vol. 1, white for Vol. 2).
According to an album description, "Lateralus and the corresponding tours would take Tool a step further toward art rock and progressive rock territory, in contrast to the band's earlier material, which has often been labelled as alternative metal."
This Denver show is said to be "one of the tour's finest dates." It was recorded and aired at the time for a radio broadcast, and has since been available as a bootleg.
The Pepsi Challenge Vol. 1:
A1. Intro
A2. Sober
A3. 4°
B1. The Grudge
B2. (-) Ions
B3. Stinkfist
C1. Forty Six & 2
C2. Schism Intro
C3. Schism
D1. Parabol Intro
D2. Parabol
D3. Parabola
The Pepsi Challenge Vol. 2:
A1. Eon Blue Apocalypse
A2. The Patient
A3. Ænema
B1. Intermission
B2. Disposition
C1. Reflection
D1. Triad
D2. Maynard's Speech
D3. Lateralus