Snow Patrol are gearing up to release their first album in six years: 'We are on the home straight'

Snow Patrol are readying a new album for 2017 after a six-year absence from music. 

Frontman Gary Lightbody shared an update on the band's Instragram page, revealing that after a "breakthrough recording session" they are close to finishing the collection, with a view to release it later this year. 

"we had a breakthrough recording session in feb and are on the home straight (sic)," Gary said. "The awesome jacknife lee is in the producer’s chair as usual and we have more time with him in the studio in may/june and will be finished at the end of june. hopefully that gives us plenty of time to bring the album out this year.

"it’s sounding mighty," he continued. "i’m very proud of what we’ve done so far and cannot wait for you all to hear it. thank you all for your patience and support. 6 years is a bloody eternity between albums we know so the fact people are still asking when it's coming means a lot to us."

For the folks asking about the new snow patrol album, #SP7. here’s the news. we had a breakthrough recording session in feb and are on the home straight. The awesome jacknife lee is in the producer’s chair as usual and we have more time with him in the studio in may/june and will be finished at the end of june. hopefully that gives us plenty of time to bring the album out this year. that is the plan. Plans are fallible but we'll damn well try our best. there have been a few false starts so i didn’t want to post something until i knew we were on the right track. we are. it’s sounding mighty. i’m very proud of what we’ve done so far and cannot wait for you all to hear it. thank you all for your patience and support. 6 years is a bloody eternity between albums we know so the fact people are still asking when it's coming means a lot to us. we’ll post updates from the studio from late may onwards. big love good people. gL.x

A post shared by Snow Patrol (@snowpatrolband) on Mar 25, 2017 at 12:54pm PDT

As well as previously working with the band, producer Jacknife Lee's credits include Robbie Williams, Bloc Party, U2, Taylor Swift and R.E.M.

Snow Patrol's last album Fallen Empires was released in November 2011 and reached Number 3 on the Official Albums Chart. Their second album, Eyes Open, topped the charts in 2006 and is one of the UK's 60 best-selling albums of all time.

Some of the band's biggest hit singles include Run, You're All I Have and Chasing Cars. 

MORE: Snow Patrol's complete Official UK Chart history

Read about out more big album releases expected to arrive this year, including Gorillaz, Liam Gallagher and London Grammar.

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