Los Angeles traditional heavy metal act WHITE WIZZARD are preparing to release their brand new album, Flying Tigers, on Monday, September 19th in Europe. The album will be released in North America on November 15th.

Ahead of the release, bassist and mainman Jon Leon took some time to speak to Victor Ruiz of Mars Attacks Radio about the band's approach to writing the new album and the expectations of following on from their critically-acclaimed debut album, Over The Top.

Says Jon: "I didn't go into Flying Tigers feeling like there was any debt to prove anything to anybody. Everything with me, with the writing of White Wizzard, has been pretty much a natural flow, and it's been exactly what I've been feeling at the time and what's come out of me - none of it's contrived. I'm just pretty much a RUSH geek and an IRON MAIDEN geek that loves music, that finally got sick of compromising being in different bands and just decided to form this band not caring if ten people showed up, and I still write like that. I feel blessed that people have reacted so positively to White Wizzard; I'm really, really happy to see that something that I did just kind of on a whim, to form the band I wanted to form and make the music I want, has at least resonated with some people and hopefully it will continue to do so.

"I'm really just focused on myself and our fans, and anybody else that is judging us or feeling like we need to prove something to them, I really am not worried about. At the end of the day I'm very, very proud of this record and I think it's the best thing I feel I've ever done musically as an artist, and I feel like White Wizzard's continuing to progress and I'm progressing as a writer. It was a pleasure to make this record and it's definitely a very exciting time for me as far as what we're going to be putting out."

White Wizzard are streaming their new track, 'Starchild', featured on Flying Tigers. Listen to the track below:

Flying Tigers features twelve new tracks and expands on the band's traditional heavy metal blueprint, with songs ranging from fist-pumping NWOBHM-style anthems, through the arena rock power of 'Starchild', to a six-track epic concept piece featuring science-fiction and philosophical elements tied together with a progressive vibe.

Flying Tigers features the core White Wizzard lineup of bassist, songwriter and founding member Jon Leon, drummer Giovanni Durst and studio vocalist Wyatt Anderson, who featured on the band's debut album, Over The Top. The album was once again recorded with producer Ralph Patlan in Phoenix, Arizona.

Flying Tigers tracklisting:

'Fight To The Death'

'West L.A. Nights'

'Starchild'

'Flying Tigers'

'Night Train To Tokyo'

'Night Stalker'

'Fall Of Atlantis'

'Blood On The Pyramids'

'Demons And Diamonds'

'Dark Alien Overture'

'War Of The Worlds'

'Starman's Son'

Flying Tigers is due to be released on September 19th and is available to pre-order now on iTunes worldwide. Pre-order the album and listen to audio samples for all of the tracks on iTunes at this location.

Flying Tigers is also available to pre-order in Europe on CD with free shipping from Play.com at this location.

White Wizzard have confirmed a tour supporting ICED EARTH in Europe.

Upcoming White Wizzard tour dates include:

October (with FIREWIND, ARSIS, NIGHTRAGE)

9 - St. Petersburg, FL - The State Theater
10 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
11 - Springfield, VA - Jaxx
12 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
13 - Hampton, NH - Wally's
14 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes Electriques
15 - Ottawa, ON - Maverick's
16 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
18 - Joliet, IL - Mojoe's
19 - St. Paul, MN - Station 4
20 - Winnipeg, MB - The Osborne Village Inn
21 - Edmonton, AB - Pawn Shop
22 - Kelowna, BC - Sapphire Nightclub
23 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
24 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
25 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater
26 - San Francisco, CA - Slim's
27 - Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go

October (with Iced Earth, FURY UK)

30 - Bochum, Germany - Zeche

November (with Iced Earth, Fury UK)

1 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
2 - Uden, Netherlands - De Pul
3 - Antwerp, Belgium - Trix
4 - London, UK - Islington Academy
5 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy
6 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy
8 - Paris, France - Alhambra
9 - Lyon, France - Transbordeur
10 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1
11 - Madrid, Spain - Sala Heineken
12 - Bilbao, Spain - Rock Star Live
14 - Milan, Italy - Alcatraz
15 - Rome, Italy - Alpheus
18 - Athens, Greece - Gagarin 205
19 - Athens, Greece - Gagarin 205
20 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Principal Club
21 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Yubileina Hall
22 - Bucharest, Romania - The Silver Church
23 - Belgrade, Serbia - SKC
24 - Budapest, Hungary - Club 202
25 - Bratislava, Slovakia - Majestic Music Club
26 - Warsaw, Poland - Stodola
27 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Forum Palace

December (with Iced Earth, Fury UK)

1 - Helsinki, Finland - Nosturi
3 - Copenhagen, Denmark - The Rock
4 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
6 - Herford, Germany - X
7 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
8 - Munich, Germany - Backstage Werk
9 - Geiselwind, Germany - Christmas Metal Festival
10 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
11 - Ludwigsburg, Germany - Rockfabrik