The long-time-coming fourth album from My Chemical Romance draws on The Stooges and MC5 as influences, says frontman Gerard Way. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the prospective Soundwave headliners revealed the new LP will be a dramatic departure from the pomp of 2006’s The Black Parade.

”[We wanted to] harness everything that’s great about this band into shorter songs,” Way explains in the new issue of Rolling Stone. “Almost protopunk, like the Stooges or the MC5.”

After a punishing tour schedule to promote The Black Parade, MCR took an extended break before returning to the studio. This time, they’ve recruited Pearl Jam’s go-to-guy Brendan O’Brien as producer, whose extensive credits also include Mastodon’s Crack The Skye and AC/DC’s Black Ice. The album is expected around April-May 2010.

My Chemical Romance will play one sideshow while here for Soundwave Festival.