KEEL mainman Ron Keel issued the following update over the weekend:

"Just like when you're on the road, days in the studio tend to blur and bleed over into one another... we started this thing on June 18th, today's June 28th, we took one day off, you do the math.

Today Marc (Ferrari) and Bryan (Jay) will be wrapping up rhythm guitar tracks by putting finishing touches on the new Keel power ballad 'Does Anybody Believe'. We're going at the rate of about three songs a day - each track has to be doubled and then you split 'em hard left and right in stereo, to get that BIG hard rock guitar sound...

I'm back in Vegas, getting ready to start lead vocal sessions (this) week (I should be warmed up and ready for Rocklahoma 2 weeks from today).

Vocals will most likely take the better part of a month: I'll tackle one song a day, give it all I got, scream my guts out, then take a day off before hitting the next one. There are 14 songs total, and in addition to lead vocals there are tons of harmonies and background vocals and big shouting rock anthem chants... at some point in the next month, we'll bring the other guys in the band to Vegas to participate in some of the big background harmonies - and since it's a Keel tradition, we hope to have some special guest appearances on this album (we've already pegged Jamie St. James for a vocal part on 'Gimme That'). And of course we've got to take time out for Rocklahoma in the middle of all this.

We are very close to making our announcement confirming the contract signing with our new record label. Everything - the record company support, the artwork and photography, and especially the music - is coming together to make this the best-sounding and most entertaining Keel album of all time."

Keel also features guitarists Marc Ferrari and Bryan Jay, drummer Dwain Miller, and bassist Geno Arce.

More on the band at this location.