Pearl Jam announce their first new album in seven years

Pearl jam will release a new album, Gigaton, in March — their 11th album and the first in seven years.

The record, out March 27, looks like it might thematically deal with climate change, if the cover, released by the band overnight, is anything to go by.

It features a picture by the Canadian photographer and marine biologist Paul Nicklen of water gushing out of an ice cap — one of Europe's largest — on the Norwegian island of Nordaustlandet.

Rising global temperatures have resulted in melting ice and less ice cover on these kinds of Arctic islands, leading to sea level rise. Nicklen, who works for National Geographic, has been documenting it for years.

The band's guitarist Mike McCready said making the album, the first for Pearl Jam since 2013's Lightning Bolt, had been a "long journey".

"It was emotionally dark and confusing at times, but also an exciting and experimental road map to musical redemption," he said in a statement.

"Collaborating with my bandmates on Gigaton ultimately gave me greater love, awareness and knowledge of the need for human connection in these times."

The first single from the record, 'Dance of the Clairvoyants', will be released "in the coming weeks", the band said.

Pearl Jam will embark on a North American tour in celebration of the release of Gigaton. They’ll be joined by IDLES, The Pixies and White Reaper.