Dave Lee Roth: Get Ready...

Although nothing official has been confirmed as yet, an announcment about Van Halen's forthcoming studio album (officially the worst kept secret on the planet) is expected sooner rather than later, and Dave Lee Roth's simple post of "Get Ready" on his official website has done nothing to quell the rumours that we'll see the new record this year.

Van Halen have been in the studio recording the album since the beginning of the year and they have lined up their first live dates of the year in September at the touring Soundwave Festival in Australia, leading many to speculate that the record will be released before then.

And if there was any lingering doubt that the album even existed then take a listen to the interview below with Alter Bridge guitarist Mark Tremonti, who has HEARD it (well, the music anyway).

Tremonti is a friend of current VH bassist - and son of Eddie - Wolfgang Van Halen, who invited him to the studio to take a listen to the new record.

Tremonti reveals that the album is largely made up of completed ideas from the band's heyday, and the album sounds very much like a classic mid-era Van Halen.

Here's the interview: