Ronnie James Dio has confirmed in a radio interview that bassist Jeff Pilson (ex-DOKKEN) will be rejoining DIO in the studio next month for the recording of the group's new album, tentatively due in late June/early July through Spitfire Records. "It's a real wonderful, comfortable situation for Jeff to come in," Ronnie said during a telephone interview with the "Eddie Trunk Rocks" radio show Friday night (March 19). Pilson replaces Jimmy Bain, who recently exited the band of his own accord, according to Dio, who called Bain's decision a "career move." According to Ronnie, DIO have completed about nine rough song ideas for the follow-up to 2002's "Killing The Dragon" and are planning on putting together a couple of more tunes before entering the studio the third week of April to begin tracking the album. Dio has described the new material as a mixture "Magica" (2000) and "Killing the Dragon", with some faster, more high-energy songs thrown in for a good measure. A European tour will start in July, to be followed by a U.S. tour in August.