Producer Says VAN HALEN Is 'On Fire' And 'At The Top Of Their Game' On Forthcoming Album

Producer/engineer Ross Hogarth recently spoke to Ultimate-Guitar.com about his work on the new VAN HALEN album, the band's first release with singer David Lee Roth since 1984. The group has been in the studio recording since January, following its massively successful 2007/2008 reunion world tour with Roth back on the mic.

"The whole VAN HALEN record has been recorded and we're all excited," Hogarth said. "We have just started mixing the record. I'm really stoked about it, as it is the original band, Eddie [Van Halen, guitar] and Alex [Van Halen, drums] with Wolf [Eddie's son] playing bass, and David Lee Roth singing, it's the killing side of VAN HALEN at the top of their game again with Diamond Dave, and the band on fire."

ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti recently gave up some more details about the new VAN HALEN record, which he had a chance to hear recently while in Los Angeles. As previously reported, Tremonti's friendship with Eddie Van Halen's son Wolfgang got him into Eddie's home studio for a chance to hear the disc.

Tremonti told a Colorado radio station, "What makes it so great is that they took what they could from all their old demos back in the '80s and pretty much did what they could to create songs out of old ideas, so it sounds like vintage VAN HALEN."

Tremonti added, "I didn't hear any vocals David was not there. It was just the three of them and the music sounded like very authentic, old-school VAN HALEN. It was a just a crazy experience to sit there and watch. Eddie was four feet from me, and Wolfie was on the other side. The guys were very excited to be doing what they're doing."

VAN HALEN's long-awaited new studio album is due out this fall. The group is confirmed to perform at Australia's Soundwave Revolution festival this September and October and is expected to launch a full world tour in support of the new album.