QUEENSRŸCHE Taps Producer CHRIS 'ZEUSS' HARRIS For New Album

QUEENSRŸCHE has tapped Chris "Zeuss" Harris (pictured below; ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, SOULFLY, SHADOWS FALL) to produce the band's new album, due later in the year via Century Media. The CD is being recorded at Uberbeatz Studio in Washington.

A video message from QUEENSRŸCHE about the upcoming album can be seen below.

In an interview with Metal Nation Radio, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre spoke about what fans can expect to hear on the band's follow-up to 2013's self-titled album. He said: "When you've got five guys that, everyone has different musical backgrounds… I mean, we all have a common likeness for a style and sound… But, you know, I'm always pushing for… It's a fine line, because I'm always pushing for heavy. And it has to be QUEENSRŸCHE; it can't be over-the-top heaviness… I don't wanna change the dynamic. Nobody in the band wants to change the real core sound and dynamic and style of the band. With that being said, QUEENSRŸCHE's never been afraid to try new things."

La Torre added: "The songs that we have right now are, I would say, melodic. There are some heavy tunes on there that are just, like, really rocking. I mean, some of the songs remind me, again, of 'Rage For Order', '[Operation:] Mindcrime'… We'll probably slip in something that's got a commercial… Not that we're trying to… Something with a more commercial appeal, like the song 'In This Light' did on the record that I did before. But, overall, I'm hopeful that, when it's all said and done, this record will have a really good drive, great, melodic choruses, great guitar parts, very dynamic... A little more prog… There's a little more proggy elements…

"When you've got two years [between albums], you don't want [people] to say, 'Wow, that's the best they could come up with?' You never want that. You always want, 'Hell yeah! This is another great QUEENSRŸCHE record.' And that's all that you can really hope for. But it's definitely going to have, again, what I consider all of the elements that the true QUEENSRŸCHE fans will enjoy: great drumming, solid foundation, bass driven, great guitar work and harmony things… Vocally, there's some things where I get into the upper register pretty good.

"I always wanna keep that metal… [Laughs] Sometimes I think [the other guys in the band] get sick of hearing me saying that. I'm, like, 'I wanna melt their fucking faces off.' [Laughs] But I have to do what the music calls for. And, overall, it's been a great process. It's always a learning experience.

"I'm finding, as a songwriter, what my stylistic things are, musically. I love ALICE IN CHAINS harmonies; they always had these interesting harmonies in their music. And I always find myself, when I'm writing and I'm recording, doing new things, I kind of lean on those types of harmonies. So I'm finding out things about myself as a writer that I didn't know before. And so it's a lot of fun."

QUEENSRŸCHE's securities attorney, Marc LoPresti, spoke to The Seattle Times about the band's attempt to raise $2 million by selling stakes in what he calls a "new holding company for all things QUEENSRŸCHE" that will receive the revenues from its tours, merchandising, album sales and digital downloads.

For a minimum investment of $50,000, fans who pass an independent accreditation process can purchase an equity ownership stake from a private consolidated holding company that entitles them to "a fixed percentage" of future revenue.

"Traditionally, a band would not go into their personal pockets to [bankroll and controll a recording-and-touring effort]," LoPresti said. "They would go to Capitol Records" or the like, which would dictate the project and give them an advance but "also take a huge swipe of the money," he added. "By disintermediating the labels, we're leaving more money on the table both for the band and people who invest."

QUEENSRŸCHE's stock deal utilizes a provision of the 2013 JOBS Act that allows promoters to publicize a private stock placement, though only "accredited investors" are eligible to invest.

"If it's successful, which we expect it to be, we may do it again with other bands," LoPresti said.

An internal board of directors comprising drummer Scott Rockenfield, bassist Eddie Jackson and guitarist Michael Wilton and band counsel Thomas Osinski will oversee the corporation.

A PledgeMusic campaign, "Building The Empire", has been launched that will act as a pre-order campaign for QUEENSRŸCHE's next album. Eddie Jackson, Todd LaTorre, Parker Lundgren, Scott Rockenfield and Michael Wilton are offering fans various unique experiences to bring them closer to the band than ever before. The band is offering everything from limited-edition vinyl and merchandise to the actual instruments played on the upcoming album and a chance to hang with the band in their hometown of Seattle.

QUEENSRŸCHE's latest, self-titled album sold around 13,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 25, 2013 via Century Media Records.