VAN HALEN's new album, A Different Kind Of Truth, will be released in North America by Interscope Records on February 7th. Geoff Boucher at the Los Angeles Times recently spoke with frontman David Lee Roth about the band's comeback. An excerpt from the story is available below:

Van Halen's brawny brand of music has sold more than 80 million albums, but offstage the group has been a fragile alliance that has fallen apart again and again because of creative clashes, drug torpor, grudges and, more recently, health issues.

"We accused each other of betrayal and thievery and lies and treachery," said the upbeat and chatty Roth. "And it was all true. We were all guilty. Dig up the past, and it's going to get all over everybody. And, man, do we have a past…"

The reunited frenemies are a source of fascination, and fans are eager to see them share a spotlight when the reconstituted band (with Eddie's son, 20-year-old Wolfgang Van Halen, who replaced longtime member Michael Anthony on bass) starts a 46-date arena tour in Louisville, Ky., on Feb. 18. The music industry, meanwhile, is watching the whole enterprise and wondering if the wheels will fly off; more than squabbles, the worry is also about the state of Eddie Van Halen, a rehab veteran who has also lost a third of his tongue to cancer and undergone hip replacement. There were postponed shows on the last tour (2007-08), which were explained only by vague promoter statements about medical procedures.

"He's doing really well," Roth said. "He's lucid, he's sober, he's playing. You know, I don't know if Ed has ever felt good. There's a thin line between rage and great work. He really never enjoyed his fame or success, and that might be part of what compels him."

Roth, meanwhile, hides behind the sound of his own voice; the man never stops talking, but most of it is a jibber-jabber jive, a Cartoon Network version of classic-rock kung fu and spitball metaphysics.

In a relentless two-hour synaptic strobe display, Roth cited the deep meanings he sees in Motown, matzo, state fairs, Roy Lichtenstein, Airedale terriers, reggaeton, Neil Young, clambakes, Brazilian jiu jitsu, Plato, Johnny Mercer and the unchanging nature of the sea anemone.

The most consistent message amid the barrage was the magical legacy of Van Halen and the urgent need to live up to it with the new album and tour.

"Are there second chances? I don't know, Mr. Faulkner, I'm tending to agree with you: No. We've managed to stretch our adolescence like a Chiclet to the moon and maintained the respectful dignities along the way that got us on that turnpike up in the first place. We love what we do for a living. Even in our wildest, most beer-soaked days we never missed rehearsal."

Click here for the complete story.

Another new track preview, for 'China Town', can be heard below:

The Deluxe Edition of A Different Kind Of Truth will contain a bonus DVD which will feature the following: Bonus DVD disc containing four brand new acoustic performance videos titled The Downtown Sessions. Tracks include: 'Panama', 'You And Your Blues', 'You Really Got Me' and 'Beautiful Girls'.

Play.com will release an exclusive slipcase edition of A Different Kind Of Truth in the UK. Pre-orders can be placed at this location.

A Different Kind Of Truth was produced by John Shanks (BON JOVI), Ross Hagarth (DEVILDRIVER) and the band.

The album includes the following tracklisting:

'Tattoo'

'She's The Woman'

'You And Your Blues'

'China Town'

'Blood And Fire'

'Bullethead'

'As Is'

'Honeybabysweetiedoll'

'The Trouble With Never'

'Outta Space'

'Stay Frosty'

'Big River'

'Beats Workin''

Another snippet off A Different Kind Of Truth is available - check out a sample of 'The Trouble With Never' at Amazon.co.uk.

Earlier this week a snippet of the new track 'Blood And Fire' was uploaded to YouTube below:

Van Halen's video for 'Tattoo' can be viewed below: