Ash reveal details of new album + tour

Ash have confirmed that the eagerly awaited follow-up to their Free All Angels album will be called Meltdown.

Along with the title-cut, tracks include 'Go To Hell', 'Renegade Cavalcade', 'Orpheus', 'I Wouldn't Be Saved', 'Evil Eye', 'On A Wave', 'Cool It Down', 'Argument', 'Solace' and 'Clones' which is being made available next month as a downloadable single.

"'Clones' is the heaviest thing we've ever done," proud parent Tim Wheeler tells XFM. "It's kinda shock tactics, y'know? It's really in your face."

As for the raison d'etre behind the LP title, he continues: "Why Meltdown? 'Cause it's a meltdown. A full-on rock monster. A real face-melter. It'll tear your face off."

The band return to live duty on February 22 when they kick off a seven-date toilet tour in the Milton Keynes Woughton Centre.

"We're playing a few places we haven't played before, try the new songs out, get them rocking," says the newly engaged singer. "We're used to playing loads of smaller clubs in the States as well as huge places like Knebworth with Robbie Williams, so we'll play anywhere. We haven’t played the UK for about a year and we can't wait to get back and do a proper tour."

Which we're assured will include a sprinkling of Irish dates.

Finally, Ash completists will want to hunt down a copy of the Fierce Panda anniversary compilation, Ten Years Of Fierce Panda, which is due on March 1 and includes a rare, early version of 'Punkboy'