SLASH On His New Album: 'It's Just Going To Be A Bitchin' Record'

Slash and his backing band, MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS, have finished recording the third album to be released under the Slash solo banner. A total of 17 songs, including one instrumental, were laid down for the follow-up to 2012's "Apocalyptic Love". Slash told U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine about the record: "Y'know, all I can tell you is that it's a really fucking great record. I'm very proud of it, but I don't want to get into, Oh, dude, it's epic,' or, 'It's the heaviest thing ever.' It's very rock and roll, and, as always, it's very diverse in feel, and I'm just super, super proud of everything that we collectively put into making the thing. It's just going to be a bitchin' record."

Regarding whether he and his bandmates have grown together as musicians and friends, Slash said: "The band has become so synergetic. I showed the music to the guys, and what they wrote flowed immediately. I was really amazed at how, from the second we started pre-production up 'till now, the record just flowed. It's rare that it happens like that. We always go into the studio to make a good album, but when you seem to be carried by an energy other than your own, you just go with it."

Slash also spoke about the recording process for the new album saying: "It's definitely a progression. We did this record to tape, and I've been recording to tape forever. I've only done VELVET REVOLVER records to Pro Tools, and I can't stand that sort of digital approach to recording drums and guitars and stuff. My first solo record was to tape, and with 'Apocalyptic Love', we decided to go in and just do it live. That was one of those record that, when you listen to it, everything sounds a certain way because we recorded it in the moment."

He continued: "I wanted to do a more produced album, where we go in and play everything live, and then we overdub the guitars. I overdubbed all of them using all the live tracks. I just wanted to get more of a dense sound and whatnot, and be able to put some overdubs on it to make things more interesting or harmonize or whatever it was. So this is more of a produced record, and that's the main progression, in my mind."

The new disc is tentatively due in September.

Slash began his official "solo" career with a self-titled 2010 album, after stints with GUNS N' ROSES, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and VELVET REVOLVER over the years.

The legendary guitarist employed a different vocalist on each track of his first album, before settling on ALTER BRIDGE member Kennedy for both touring and eventually recording.

"Apocalyptic Love" earned Slash his two first-ever No. 1 U.S. rock radio hits with "You're A Lie" and "Standing In The Sun". The record's third single, "Anastasia", cracked the Top 10 at both Modern and Active Rock.

Slash and AEROSMITH will team up for a U.S. tour this summer.