A FORMER Kidderminster rocker's band are celebrating having competed one half of their first ever double album.

WEAK13's forthcoming album Aluminium was written in Stourbridge and Los Angeles and is being recorded in Coventry with producer John Stewart at FrEQ Audio Recordings and features a guest appearance from Black Country drummer Justin James.

And an as yet unrevealed album cover for 'Aluminium' by WEAK13 has been painted by award winning Scottish artist Sam Hayles who has previously created artwork for Skindred, Earthtone9 and Pitchshifter.

Frontman Nick J Townsend, originally from Kidderminster, added: "Independent bands tend not to make double albums and mainstream artists shy away from it; loads talk about the idea but few attempt it. We decided to record twice the normal amount of songs and aim to make them all hit worthy stand alone bullets."

He added: "I remember when I was younger buying both the Guns N' Roses 'Use Your Illusion' double albums; now that was brave and it was massive. Releasing essentially four albums worth of rock songs all in one go was unheard of at the time. We thought long and hard about WEAK13 doing something similar. They had the backing of Geffen Records; we do what we do independently off our own backs so although we're doing half the brilliant job Guns N' Roses did we're still very proud of our band recording it's first double album."

The band say the forthcoming release "feels like a very good progression from the new direction" they started with their previous album They Live and bass player Wesley Smith has promised it will be "bigger, better and bolder than anything they've done before".

He said: "We realised we had so much great material that all of it felt like it fitted together; so we decided to pick the best songs and keep them all on one large album release."

They are now set to return to the recording studio in 2020 to complete the second half of the double album and are currently preparing this autumn to release a cover of one of their favourite songs.

Meanwhile - WEAK13 have been nominated for four awards in the Black Country Music Awards 2019 - best album, best metal/punk band and they also have two entries in the best music video category.

Nick J Townsend said: "It's amazing. I'm lost for words.

"We appreciate everyone who took time to vote for us and wish every award nominee all the best."