MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro has confirmed that he is in pre-production for his next solo album. The disc will be the follow-up to “Sounds Of Innocence”, which was released in June 2012.

“I’m here doing pre-production on my new album,” Kiko stated in a new video message posted to his social media. “I’m just working on new songs and recording drums next week. It’s a mix of some ideas that I had in the past and some stuff that I just worked [on] in the past few weeks. I don’t know when I’m gonna record the guitars. So probably until the end of the year, I’m gonna finish recording and mixing. I don’t know when it will be released.

“Anyway, we’re gonna finish the new MEGADETH album first,” he continued. “It’s good to take the time now to play some guitar and develop some different ideas and put my creative mind to work a little bit. I’m sure you guys are gonna love it.”

“Sounds Of Innocence” featured guest appearances by Virgil Donati on drums and Felipe Andreoli (ANGRA, ALMAH) on bass. One track also featured LIVING COLOUR bassist Doug Wimbish. The effort was produced by Kiko, mixed by Dennis Ward and mastered by Jürgen Lusky.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine recently revealed that he is battling throat cancer. The 57-year-old said that he has already begun treatment as part of a plan that his doctors feel has a “90% success rate.”

Although most of MEGADETH‘s previously announced 2019 tour dates have been canceled as Mustaine undergoes treatment, the MEGADETH-curated Megacruise — which is set to take place October 13-19 — will still depart as scheduled, and the band will be a part of it in some form.

Kiko made his recording debut with MEGADETH on 2016’s “Dystopia” album. The “Dystopia” title track was honored in the “Best Metal Performance” category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net