QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist MICHAEL WILTON says the progressive metal veterans have made significant headway on the follow-up to their 2022 album "Digital Noise Alliance." Speaking to Finland's Kasarin Lapset, Wilton revealed that the band has been quietly stockpiling material between tours.
"In between our rigorous touring schedule, we've managed to get a lot of really great demos recorded," he said. The guitarist added that the group has roughly 13 song ideas in progress and hopes to develop 15 to 20 before settling on a final tracklist.
As for timing, Wilton was characteristically non-committal. "It's something that could happen really quick, or maybe it won't happen till next year. So I don't know. But the band will determine when it's finished," he said.
The new album is expected to reunite the band with producer Zeuss, who has become QUEENSRŸCHE's go-to studio collaborator, having helmed 2015's "Condition Hüman," 2019's "The Verdict" and "Digital Noise Alliance." Wilton noted that the band intends to write and track much of the material together in the room — documenting performances live rather than trading files over email — mirroring the approach that shaped their last record.
The current QUEENSRŸCHE lineup features Wilton (the band's lone remaining founding member) on guitar alongside Mike Stone (guitar), Eddie Jackson (bass), Casey Grillo (drums) and vocalist Todd La Torre, who has fronted the band since 2012 and helped steer a creative renaissance over the past decade.
QUEENSRŸCHE are currently on a European tour running through July 5, 2026, mixing headline shows with festival appearances before turning their full attention back to the new album.