Springfield, Massachusetts natives STAIND are set to release their brand new record THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS through Roadrunner Records in Europe on September 8.

THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS marks Staind’s sixth album and is the follow-up to 2005’s certified platinum ‘Chapter V’. Staind’s last three studio albums debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart, earning their place as one of the most successful rock bands of the new millennium. Staind joins an elite shortlist of five other artists who have also accomplished this feat, including U2, Dave Matthews Band, System Of A Down, Van Halen and Disturbed.

In a special launch with MySpace, you can hear the new single ‘Believe’ online now at: www.myspace.com/staind. The band are set to shoot a video in Los Angeles this Wednesday, June 25, with director Chris Simms (Lamb of God, Jimmy Eat World).

THE ILLUSION OF PROGRESS was produced by Johnny K (Plain White T’s, Kill Hannah, Disturbed) and recorded in the home studio of Staind vocalist Aaron Lewis, with the original band line-up, including Mike Mushok (guitar), Jon Wysocki (drums, percussion) and Johnny April (bass, vocals). The band calls the new project the “most musical CD” they’ve recorded to date, and have been treating their fans to a series of intimate, behind-the-scenes “webisodes” posted on www.staind.com , documenting their recording process.

Comments Lewis: “We went into the studio with the mindset of making our heaviest record yet, but the record that came out has flavors of Pink Floyd and straight-up blues. We didn’t use the same rigs that we use onstage; we used all vintage guitars and amps, and I’m pretty psyched about it! The songs are pretty timeless in their texture.”

Staind will be touring the US this summer with 3 Doors Down, but will return to the UK in September supporting Nickelback. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows:

Fri 12 Sep – BELFAST Odyssey
Sat 13 Sep – DUBLIN RDS Simmonscourt
Mon 15 Sep – MANCHESTER MEN
Tue 16 Sep – SHEFFIELD Arena
Thu 18 Sep – BIRMINGHAM NEC
Fri 19 Sep – LONDON O2 Arena
Sun 21 Sep – LONDON Wembley Arena

In the past decade, Staind has sold more than 12 million records worldwide. They’ve had four #1 singles that span three different US radio formats, including two massive crossover singles ‘It’s Been Awhile’ and ‘Right Here’’. ‘It’s Been Awhile’ spent 16 weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart, making it the #1 most played rock record of 2002. Staind’s major label debut Dysfunction went double-platinum in 1999, and in the new millennium the band’s Break The Cycle was certified 5x platinum, followed by the platinum succession of 14 Shades Of Grey in 2003, and Chapter V in 2005. In 2002, Elektra Records released a gold-certified MTV Unplugged; and in 2006 released The Singles: 1996-2006, the band’s first-ever hits collection with a separate companion DVD Staind: The Videos.