August 3, 2009 16:45

My Chemical Romance recording fourth album

Band are in studio with Brendan O’Brien

Photo Gallery: My Chemical Romance
Photo: Pa Photos

My Chemical Romance have returned to the studio in Los Angeles to begin recording their fourth studio album.

The band are working with producer Brendan O’Brien, known for his work with Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, and more.

They wrapped up a lengthy tour in May 2008 in support of their 2006 album 'The Black Parade', and immediately began writing songs for its follow-up.

According to frontman Gerard Way, the new record is not a concept album:

"At this point, the best way to describe the new album is My Chemical Romance being the purest, most distilled version of itself," Way said in a statement. "No bells and whistles, as the focus has been on melody and songwriting. If it doesn't work in a room with just the five of us, we aren't trying to make it work in the studio with effects and string sections.

"Making ‘The Black Parade' allowed us the departure we needed to see what worked and what didn't, experiment, and add a lot of elements we never would have. Sometimes you need to leave to come back home. To me, it feels like the culmination of everything we have learned as songwriters and players."

"What we're bringing from 'The Black Parade' to the new album is that sense of creative spark, where anything can feel possible, except distilled into a three minute, 30-second song,” adds guitarist Ray Toro. “I can say, hands down, this is our best record yet. We’ve gotten even better as songwriters and musicians, and we cannot wait for people to hear what we came up with. It’s all of the best characteristics of the band finally on one record.”

A release-date for the album has yet to be scheduled.

--By our New York staff.
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