The group will release its seventh album, Songs From Black Mountain, on Epic this April, and will be on the road the next month to showcase its new material.

Nine dates are slotted for May, starting with Jackson, Miss., and wrapping with San Francisco. New York City’s Nokia Theatre Times Square and Denver’s Paramount Theatre are on the itinerary, along with shows in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston and more.

The group’s summer calendar is still open, save for the July 23 Rock Fest in Cadott, Wis.

Live singer and chief songwriter Ed Kowalczyk said the pieces of the new album began coming together after the band assembled its 2004 collection, Awake: The Best of Live.

“It was such a cathartic experience putting together our greatest hits because it reminded us of where we came from and gave us a clear idea of what we’ve grown into as a band,” Kowalczyk said.

“Now that we’ve signed with our new label, Epic, it really feels like we’ve closed a chapter and with this new record are starting over.”