Hinder's upcoming new album "Welcome to the Freakshow" shines some light on a particularly trying time in frontman Austin Winkler's life. The singer tells us:

"I was kind of in a really, really dark drug binge when I was writing this record. I was in a very, very, very dark addiction and...I think you can definitely hear the turmoil in my voice. And as soon as we got the record done I went into treatment to get help and, yeah, it's interesting to go back and listen to it now.”

“It means something completely different to me now. That's the beautiful thing about music too, I think."

Hinder recorded "Welcome to the Freakshow" -- which comes out December 4 -- with co-producer Kevin Churko, who also worked with Hinder on its last album, 2010's "All American Nightmare."

The first single, "Save Me," is already out. Hinder is currently on an acoustic Bare Bones Tour that wraps November 13 in Kansas City.

The quintet opens for Lynyrd Skynyrd on November 16 in Durant, Oklahoma and is planning a full tour in 2013.

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