NIN’s 40-date European tour kicks off February 10 in Lisbon, Portugal, and wraps April 10 in Helsinki, Finland. The band plays multiple night stands in most cities.Unfortunately for fans in the States, no dates for North America have been announced so far, but the band’s web site promises more news to come in the near future.

The announcement of a follow-up album to 2005’s With Teeth comes via an uncharacteristically cheerful message posted last month at NIN’s web site. Reznor wrote, “Is it possible I am actually finished writing and recording a new Nine Inch Nails record? Apparently so. We begin mixing in January!”

As far as a release date for the album goes though, Reznor is a little less optimistic. In a message to members of NIN’s fan club, The Spiral, he explained that finishing the recording is only half the challenge.

“Usually when I finish a record, I have to go into battle with the people whose job it is to figure out how to sell the record,” Reznor wrote. “The only time that didn’t happen was With Teeth. This time, however, I’m expecting an epic struggle. This is not a particularly friendly record and it certainly doesn’t sound like anything else out there right now. Artists these days are not encouraged to experiment or take risks, and my punishment is on its way.”

In the meantime, NIN fans can get their fix from a new concert DVD, “Nine Inch Nails Live: Beside You In Time,” which is scheduled for release February 27.