Earlier this year, it was reported that Alice In Chains would return to the studio in the Spring, and finally record their follow-up to 2009?s Black Gives Way To Blue. Recently, guitarist Jerry Cantrell took some time to further detail how that process is coming along.

In an interview with Grammy.com, Mr. Cantrell commented on his honoring at this year’s Annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert, receiving the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for “his commitment to the MusiCares MAP Fund and helping other addicts with the addiction recovery process.” When asked about a whether or not a new Alice In Chains record would come out in 2012, he stated: “It’ll depend on when it’s done. We started writing stuff last year. I think we’re all good with that now, so now it’s time to cut it. So we’re gonna try to, but if not it’ll probably be out early next year. It’ll be out about three or four minutes after we’re finished. Give the record company time to set it up and plan the attack and tour for hopefully a year, year and a half.”

The guitarist also commented on how a surgery he had last year ended up delaying the upcoming album: “The thing that set me back is I had some bone spurs and cartilage issues in my shoulders. I had the same issue in the other shoulder about six years ago so I’ve had them both done now. It’s a repetitive motion injury from playing. But the repair takes a year. So that kind of set us back a little bit, but it takes time anyway — my body started a vacation.”

The annual Annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert will occur in Los Angeles, this Thursday, featuring Alice In Chains, Heart’s Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson, Billy Idol, Mark Lanegan, Duff McKagan, and a DJ set by Moby. Meanwhile, Alice In Chains’ still-untitled fifth LP, their second to feature singer William Duvall, should be reasonably expected in 2013.