It appears we can expect a new Manic Street Preachers album come May. According to a handwritten note posted on the band's website, the Welsh trio have finished recording their new record with esteemed "sound documentarian" Steve Albini and given it the tentative title Journal for Plague Lovers.
"Just finished recording in Rockfield," bassist Nicky Wire said in the note. "Only running orders left to be finalised then cut the record in New York - looks like middle of May for release. We're excited, nervous, proud and fearful as usual but can't wait for everyone to hear it."
As previously reported, the upcoming effort comes filled with lyrics penned by long-missing and now "presumed dead" Manics member Richey Edwards, who disappeared in 1995.
"We've had these lyrics for 14 years and we all felt compelled that this was the right time to do it," Wire told NME last year. "It's a follow-up to [1994 album] The Holy Bible in a lot of ways."
"There's a small amount of editing involved, because some of them [Edwards-written passages] are prose and they needed to be made into lyrics, but they're all Richey's."
At the time, the band also described the record as a celebration of "genius of his words, full of love, anger, intelligence and respect," and said Albini was forcing the band to record live to tape, with no digital safety nets whatsoever.
"Just finished recording in Rockfield," bassist Nicky Wire said in the note. "Only running orders left to be finalised then cut the record in New York - looks like middle of May for release. We're excited, nervous, proud and fearful as usual but can't wait for everyone to hear it."
As previously reported, the upcoming effort comes filled with lyrics penned by long-missing and now "presumed dead" Manics member Richey Edwards, who disappeared in 1995.
"We've had these lyrics for 14 years and we all felt compelled that this was the right time to do it," Wire told NME last year. "It's a follow-up to [1994 album] The Holy Bible in a lot of ways."
"There's a small amount of editing involved, because some of them [Edwards-written passages] are prose and they needed to be made into lyrics, but they're all Richey's."
At the time, the band also described the record as a celebration of "genius of his words, full of love, anger, intelligence and respect," and said Albini was forcing the band to record live to tape, with no digital safety nets whatsoever.