BraveWords.com has received the following:

Multi-Platinum rockers COLLECTIVE SOUL, who recently signed a worldwide deal with Loud & Proud Records/Roadrunner Records, have begun work on their 8th studio release, the first release for the label.

The band has been hard at work in frontman Ed Roland’s lake house studio for the past few weeks, working on the follow up to 2007’s Afterwords. Renowned for their ability to write supremely crafted smash hits, the band is wasting no time in creating a new batch of tunes fit to replicate all of their past successes. The band are currently featured on the multi platinum selling soundtrack for Twilight. ‘Tremble For My Beloved’ from the album Dosage is also featured in the film.

Roland says, “We are only 2 weeks in to the recording of our new album and feel more like a band than ever. It’s reflected in the music, which we all think is our best material to date.”

No strangers to charitable initiatives, Collective Soul is confirmed to headline a special benefit concert for the Save Darfur Coalition, a global organization that represents 130 million people worldwide who have united together to help the victims of Darfur. The concert will take place on Friday, March 27th at the Tabernacle in Atlanta.

In discussing the benefit concert, Roland notes, “As the atrocities continue in Darfur, Collective Soul are honored to lend our voices, along with the youth of Atlanta, to something we feel very strongly about. We continue to educate not only ourselves but the community.”

Globally known for mega-hits such as 'Shine', 'December' and 'The World I Know', Collective Soul hails from Atlanta, GA and has produced 7 #1 singles and sold over 10 million records. The band broke into mainstream popularity with their 1993 debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid. The group’s self-titled second album arrived the following year and logged a 76-week run on the Billboard Top 200. 1999’s critically acclaimed Dosage saw Collective Soul further its run as rock radio superstars. The first single 'Heavy' set a new high mark for 15-weeks at #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. 'Tremble For My Beloved' also appears on the gold-certified soundtrack for the hit film Twilight.

The new album is expected summer 2009.