EXTREME Is Putting Finishing Touches On 'Harder' And 'Heavier' New Album, Says NUNO BETTENCOURT

EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has confirmed that the band is putting the finishing touches on its first new album since 2008's "Saudades De Rock". "I'm really pumped and excited," he told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" on Monday (November 26). "We have chosen, I think, our final songs that we have; we had about 24, 25 to choose from. I know we've taken too long — it's pretty embarrassing that we've taken this long — but we tapped on to something that's a little bit of a harder version for EXTREME, a little bit heavier, and I can't wait to share it with everyone. So we're wrapping up vocals, Pat's [Badger, bass] still got some stuff to do, and I'm thinking — safely, I think we're thinking spring, EXTREME will have a new album; maybe March, April. So I'm really pumped about that."

Singer Gary Cherone told Metalholic two years ago that EXTREME's fans will be pleased with the musical direction of the group's new material. He said: "There will be, like all EXTREME records, familiar elements, but also stuff… Over the years, when Nuno and I write, we're affected by our environment and music changes throughout the years, so those elements… There will still be some new elements to the band as well. Hopefully that always happens; you always wanna grow and evolve and move on. But the guitars will be there, the harmonies will be there, the songs, the hooks, the lyrics… There'll still be elements of the past, but certainly new elements [as well]."

A live package celebrating EXTREME's "Pornograffitti" album was made available in October 2016. Titled "Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown", it included a DVD, Blu-ray and audio CD recorded at the band's show at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Casino on May 30, 2015, where they performed the record in full.