EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has confirmed to Masters Of Shred that the band is putting the finishing touches on its first new album since 2008's "Saudades De Rock".

"We've been threatening to [release] a new album for almost 10 years now, but I think this time it's for real," he said (see video below). "I mean, at the very least I know that we have tracks done. And we have about 20, 25 songs to choose from, that we're excited about. We've gotta whittle it down to 12, which will be fun. But, yeah, we're doing it. A lot of the stuff's done. It's definitely an edgier, heavier record for us, which is fun. But I'm excited."

Bettencourt recently told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation" that the new EXTREME album could arrive in March or April.

Three years ago, EXTREME singer Gary Cherone told Metalholic that the band's fans will be pleased with the musical direction of the group's new material. He said: "There will be, like all EXTREME records, familiar elements, but also stuff… Over the years, when Nuno and I write, we're affected by our environment and music changes throughout the years, so those elements… There will still be some new elements to the band as well. Hopefully that always happens; you always wanna grow and evolve and move on. But the guitars will be there, the harmonies will be there, the songs, the hooks, the lyrics… There'll still be elements of the past, but certainly new elements [as well]."

A live package celebrating EXTREME's "Pornograffitti" album was made available in October 2016. Titled "Pornograffitti Live 25 / Metal Meltdown", it included a DVD, Blu-ray and audio CD recorded at the band's show at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Casino on May 30, 2015, where they performed the record in full.