HELIX singer Brian Vollmer has issued the following update:

"Like the TOM PETTY song says, '…the waiting is the hardest part…' The new Helix CD Vagabond Bones is now mastered. The next step is to have it pressed. We expect the CD masters/artwork to be sent out Monday . Three weeks later we hope to have product in our hands. The official release date for the CD in Canada on Universal/Fontana is November 17th, the day before we leave for four days in the Canadian Maritimes.

Every time I do an album (and I’ve been doing them since 1979) it’s like going down a long tunnel and getting spit out at the other end. Our first album Breaking Loose, was recorded at Springfield Sound in the late '70’s and produced by Bob Morton. The studio was owned by Brian Ferryman who went on to manage Micelle Wright. The studio itself was a renovated schoolhouse. Everything was done on 24 track, two-inch tape, and if you had the money you would back up the tapes with “safeties”. We ate/slept/lived at the studio for the whole two weeks the album was being recorded, and you had two weeks to get everything done. As much as possible was planned out in advance, although trying to put a stopwatch on creativity didn’t always work.

On Vagabond Bones we were working under a self-imposed deadline of having the CD out for the fall of 2009. The writing relationship between Sean (Kelly) and I developed when Sean joined the band this past spring. At the same time my writing relationship with Gord Prior came to an end as he could not commit to the project, so Sean and I began writing with each other and quickly hit it off. When Sean got the job as the new guitar player for Nelly Furtado we made a pact between the two of us to finish the new CD before he had to take off on tour. We went right down to the wire last week, but in the end victory was ours and everything was finished by the time Sean got on the plane for Europe.

We really lucked out with the talented people we were able to involve on the project. From the recording to the artwork, the team we assembled did a remarkable job on a shoe-string budget. I’m very proud of this piece of work. I hope the fans will enjoy it as much as I did recording it.

We are now taking advance orders through the Planet Helix website. The CD will officially not be ready until the end of October, but if you order now we will get your order ready to ship the moment the CD arrives. Be the first on your block to own one. Every CD comes signed by me."

Vagabond Bones tracklisting:

'The Animal Inside (Won’t Be Denied)'

'Go Hard Or Go Home'

'Vagabond Bones'

'Monday Morning Meltdown'

'When The Bitter’s Got The Better Of You'

'Hung Over But Still Hanging In'

'Best Mistake I Never Made'

'Make 'Em Dance'

'Jack It Up'