More about: Arctic Monkeys

So it would appear that Arctic Monkeys are back in the studio and working on their hugely anticipated sixth album. And, if bassist Nick O’Malley is to be believed, the new collection will see the light of day in 2018.

"If it isn't [out by then] we've got problems," he told motorcycling magazine For The Ride. The magazine said that the bassist was participating in a feature at Silvetstone ahead of work starting on the album.

The publication said: “Nick found time for the track day before recording began on the eagerly anticipated sixth album, started at a secret location in September. The new album will be out next year because ‘if it isn’t, we’ve got problems’.”

Doubtless they’re going to be need a bit of time to get re-acquainted with each other what with their extra-curricular activities. Frontman Alex Turner spent the best part of 2016 working on his side project The Last Shadow Puppets with former Rascals frontman Miles Kane. The pair released their album, Everything You’ve Come To Expect, the somewhat belated follow-up to 2008’s The Age Of the Understatement.

Elsewhere, drummer Matt Helders has been on knob twiddling duties producing a soundtrack for new Sheffield bar, Public, as well as working alongside Queens Of The Stone Age’s Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen and Dean Fertita on Iggy Pop’s magnificent Post Pop Depression album and tour.

Assuming that the new album is finally recorded, mixed, mastered and released next year, it’ll be five years since AM saw the light of day. Released to much fanfare, the album spawned the singles ‘R U Mine?’, ‘Do I Wanna Know’ and the excellently-titled ‘Why Do You Only Call Me When You’re High?’ among others.

The album also featured guest appearances from Josh Homme, Elvis Costello And The Attractions’ Pete Thomas and former Coral member Bill Ryder-Jones.

More about: Arctic Monkeys