Play video content EXCLUSIVE

It's been twelve years since Rage Against the Machine broke up ... but now, the band's bassist is totally hinting to TMZ that the guys are secretly working ON A BRAND NEW ALBUM!!!

Tim Commerford was leaving a cafe in Malibu when we asked if Rage had anything new in the works -- and in a very coy way ... like he really WANTED to tell us something but couldn't ... Tim replied, "Maybe ... maybe."

Of course, a new album would be HUGE -- Rage broke up in 2000 when singer Zack de la Rocha left the band. The remaining members later reformed as Audioslave with singer Chris Cornell, but it just wasn't the same.