John Frusciante Is In The Empyrean

01/08/09 5:26pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

The Red Hot Chili Peppers might be on hiatus, but that doesn't mean some of the band's members aren't working. Guitarist John Frusciante will release his 10th solo album, The Empyrean, on Jan. 20 through Record Collection.

The concept album, written to tell a single story, was recorded between December 2006 and March 2008. It features guest spots from RHCP bassist Flea, Johnny Marr and John Klinghoffer. It includes a cover of Tim Buckley's "Song To The Siren." You can hear "Unreachable" on Frusciante's MySpace page.

RHCP drummer Chad Smith has been busy working with his Chickenfoot supergroup along with former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar and bassist Michael Anthony and prog rock guitarist/possible Coldplay muse Joe Satriani. They plan to release their debut album sometime this year.

Frusciante released his Niandra Lades And Usually Just A T-Shirt debut in 1994. He joined the Chili Peppers in 1988 after original guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose. Frusciante struggled with a heroin addiction of his own over the years that nearly claimed his life and caused his departure from the band in 1992. He rejoined the group before the 1999 release of Californication. Frusciante's last solo album was 2005's Curtains.

Here are the songs on The Empyrean:

"Before The Beginning"
"Song To The Siren"
"Unreachable"
"God"
"Dark/Light"
"Heaven"
"Enough Of Me"
"Central"
"One More Of Me"
"After The Ending"
"Today" (Japan only)
"Ah Yom" (Japan only)