Morrissey is mixing his next studio album in Rome with Tony Visconti, who also produced, according to a post from the artist on the fan site True to You. Dubbed "Ringleader of the Tormentors," the set is expected for release in mid-March via Attack, with a single to precede it during the second week February.

"Not only is this a departure in his writing (my opinion) but he has extended his vocal range and has written extended melodies," Visconti recently said of the album on his own Web site. "I am two-thirds of the way through one of the best albums I've ever worked on, with not only Morrissey at his best, but the plot has twists and turns which somehow involve film composer Ennio Morricone and an Italian children's choir."

"Ringleader" will be the follow-up to 2004's "You Are the Quarry," which revived Morrissey's career in North America, debuting at a career-best No. 11 on The Billboard 200. It has sold more than 195,000 copies in North America, according to Nielsen SoundScan, his highest total since 1994's "Vauxhall and I."

And while Morrissey revealed that plans for a New Year's Eve concert in Mexico did not come to fruition ("no decent financial offer to make the journey possible, which is sad"), other shows are being planned.

"We have moved our Italian and Greek and Turkish dates to February which will be the tour to launch the album," he said on True to You.