THE ALARM is set to release a new album in February despite work to write and record it beginning just several days ago.

The US Capital Hill riot-themed album ‘War’ has to be completed ahead of its release date on February 26 in order to be serviced around the world via the Welsh cult band's music suppliers.

It is part of a plan to overcome production times so that physical copies of the album are available immediately.

This will include the album being released without music in a special CD-Rom format next week, so that fans will can burn their own copy of the finished record.

The writing and recording process led by frontman Mike Peters and producer George Williams began on January 7 and the band has promised the finished tracks will be sent electronically once the final mix and mastering process has taken place.

“The record is really starting to take shape”, said Mr Peters. “The responsive nature of the writing and recording situation has given rise to some radical thinking on how to instantly release the album into the modern world and also across all the major formats.

"I really want the fans to have access to this album as soon as it’s finished. We have set ourselves a very tight deadline, and the music is already being created out in the open for all to see and hear.

"The technology is there so that fans who still have access to a CD burner and wish to get involved in the spirit of the project can do so by interacting with the creative process and play their own part in bringing this new Alarm album into the world.”

Each CD and LP will have the album title and band logo painted onto the cover by Mike Peters personally, with the track-listing left blank for fans to write in the song titles themselves.

‘War’ is available to pre-order as a hand-cut vinyl LP which will be released to fans on February 25, the same day as Mr Peters' birthday. A specialist cutting-house has been engaged to hand-cut as many pre-ordered vinyl copies as possible, once the final master has been cut in Los Angeles by Howie Weinberg.

The digital edition of ‘War’ will be distributed internationally by InGrooves on February 26.

Band keyboardist and Mr Peters' wife Jules has been documenting the recording process and creating a very incisive fly on the wall vision, sharing regular videos on The Alarm's website.

For more information and to pre-order the album visit www.thealarm.com