It's been 22 years but at last shoegaze heroes My Bloody Valentine have released the follow-up to 1991's Loveless. Needless to say, people were very excited by the news.

So excited in fact that since the band made their new album, titled mbv, available to download from their website, it has crashed on more than one occasion, as fans flocked to the site to hear the new release. The notoriously secretive band, fronted by noted perfectionist Kevin Shields, have kept fans relatively in the dark over when the album would be completed, issuing a statement on their official Facebook page only last night that said the album would be release later that night.

The band went on hiatus shortly after the release of Loveless, but returned to touring in 2008 and had long whipped up rumours that they would begin recording their third album. Shields only confirmed that the band were working on a follow up during an interview with NME last November, in which he said, "I think with this record, people who like us will immediately connect with something," adding, "Based on the very, very few people who've heard stuff - some engineers, the band, and that's about it - some people think it's stranger than Loveless."

After only a few listens, people are already heralding the new release, which will be followed by a tour of Australia and Japan and then a whistle-stop tour of the UK. You can purchase the album now from the band's website. They have also made the release available to stream on Youtube, so you can try before you buy.

Their UK tour will see them play: 

March 8 - Birmingham O2 Academy

March 9 - Glasgow Barrowlands

March 10 - Manchester Apollo

March 12 + 13 - London Hammersmith Apollo