Van Halen premieres new song with Roth - msnbc.com

Charles Sykes / AP

Van Halen members Eddie Van Halen, right, and David Lee Roth perform on Jan. 5 in New York.

By Shirley Halperin, The Hollywood Reporter

Van Halen premiered their first new song with original singer David Lee Roth in more than 27 years when “Tattoo” appeared on YouTube (via VEVO) just after midnight on Jan. 10. The track comes from their forthcoming album A Different Kind Of Truth, which is slated for release on Feb. 7. 

The black and white performance video for "Tattoo," shot inside iconic Sunset Strip club The Roxy, features Roth on vocals and guitarist Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang on bass along with original drummer Alex Van Halen.

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The mid-tempo bluesy track contains several Van Halen trademarks -- a breakdown spoken by Roth along with the frontman's signature scream and manic dance moves; a guitar solo, all but a lost art these days, performed by the still stellar shredder Eddie Van Halen.

At the same time, the song’s super-crisp production may not have the bite that some might remember from the 1984 days, and plenty of fans are still stung by the absence of original bassist Michael Anthony.

Judge for yourself, watch the clip below.

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