On top of that, Duff McKagan is calling it “the best album I’ve heard in ten years”. Colour us excited!

Alice in Chains have completed the mixing stage of their first album since the death of Layne Stayley. While the shows that the band have put on with new frontman William DuVall have been nothing short of sensational, this will be the first material to be released by Alice In Chains v2.0.

A posting from Alice In Chains’ webmaster The Baldy has said: “Some amazing songs were written and recorded. From the heaviest riff-dripping gut-puncher to the most sadly beautiful song I think this band has ever recorded, I honestly believe that this album will return Alice In Chains to the top of the hard rock heap.”

“So now the next few months are dedicated to things like album artwork, lining up interviews and press, shooting videos, planning tours, and figuring out whether to bury Jerry (Cantrell) and William’s (DuVall) beards at sea or donate them to science.”

“Hopefully these new songs will strike a chord and make a similar impact on all of you out there that were moved by this band in the first place. These songs have definitely done that with me, and frankly I’m getting pretty sick and tired of loving this stuff alone, so I can’t wait for it to be released so it’ll become your favorite record of 2009 and we can discuss it at the shows.”

While the band have not announced a title or tracklisting for the record, former Guns N’ Roses and current Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan has heard the record. In a chat with the podcast TalkingMetal.com, McKagan described he record as “the best I’ve heard in ten years”.

You may hear our collective squeal when this album arrives in the Hammer office from where you are currently sat.