The Libertines have signed a new deal with Virgin EMI, a deal that will see the group reunite for the first time in five years.

London’s own rockers The Libertines have had a fractured and inconsistent relationship since their beginnings in the early aughts. Over their first seven years as a unit, they only released two full-length records. The three years following that period saw the group disband in what many feared to be the final days of the group forever. Now, in a surprising announcement that has caught everyone by surprise, The Libertines have confirmed their official reuinion, an upcoming tour, and a new album in the works.

The reunion, while highly anticipated, comes as a bit of a shock to even the most die hard fans. The Libertines’ own Pete Doherty and Carl Barat acrimoniously parted ways, the latter of the two eventually forming his new outfit The Jackals. Doherty has been spending his time as of late in a rehab facility in Thailand, the same location where the group signed their new contract. Whatever stars aligned for this reunion to happen, it is a reunion that many have looked forward to for a long time. All we can do now is hold our breath and hope that both Doherty and Barat have buried the proverbial hatchet deep enough to get the new record on track for its targeted 2015 release.