“Behind the scenes it has been a massive deal, but it’s going really well,” Mastin says.

“All the hard work is hopefully going to pay off in the next couple of months.”

While the 2011 X-Factor champion’s legions of female fans are chomping at the bit to see the heartthrob on stage again, Mastin has been equally keen to return to the live circuit.

“I love it, you can’t really explain it,” Mastin says. “You’re in a new place every day.

“And Australia is beautiful too, so it’s great to get back to the regional towns.

“I can’t wait to get back out.”

Mastin’s upcoming tour, which will see him perform at Newcastle Panthers on September 26, is named after his recent single Wolf In The Woods.

A pop song with a darker edge, the track is a preview of the new record that Mastin is working on.

“I’m about three-quarters of the way through,” Mastin says.

“It’s just needs a finishing gloss, but apart from that the meat and bones are there.”

The 19-year-old, who moved with his family to Australia from England eight years ago, says Wolf In The Woods is a good indication of one aspect of the new record.

But there will be surprises.

“[The single] is a good indication of part of the album,” Mastin says.

“The album’s got this really nice fluidity but there is a bit of difference in it.

“There’s definitely a lot more rock on the album and the sentiment behind it is very different.

“I’m excited to see what people think about it, because it is quite a bit different, but I definitely needed to do it.”

After releasing two albums in two years, the first of which was a self-titled covers record with one original track, Mastin took stock and gave himself time to decide on his next musical step.

“I gave myself some time to sit back and think about things,” Mastin says. “I had a clear vision of where I needed to go.

“Before I was just walking blindly.”

Mastin went to live shows and studied musicians in their element, and realised he wanted to make a rock record with an organic process.

“My  intention was not just to do the rock thing, which I love, but to also bring a live sound to the whole thing,” Mastin says.

“The good thing about doing the tour now is that I will come out and play a lot of [the new songs].

“The ones I really like I will play, but the ones I’m on the line about putting on [the record] I can see if the fans like them.

“I’ll leave it up to the fans.”

To grow as a songwriter Mastin has worked and collaborated with the likes of Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden and The Potbelleez’s Ilan Kidron.

On his new album he has worked with Mark Lizotte, Jimmy Barnes and his daughter Mahalia.

“The cool thing about writing with so many different people is that nobody writes music the same way,” he says.

“Especially when they’re self-taught musicians or just happen to be a really good singer and come up with these super-cool melodies.

“The more I’ve been writing, the more I’ve been leeching information off people.  

"It’s incredible what it can do when it gets stuck in your head.”

While Mastin has relished exploring his darker side on the new record, he says it is not all doom and gloom.

“There’s a lot of ­different sides to the album,” he says.

“There is a lot of dark – I wanted that dark ­element – but there are some really beautiful moments as well, with some ballads.

“Some songs are pushing the boundaries of what we can and can’t say.”

Reece Mastin plays Newcastle Panthers on Friday, September 26.

Tickets are available through Moshtix.

Alive has three double passes to the show to give away.

For your chance to win simply fill out the coupon in last Thursday's Mercury and return it to our office by noon on Wednesday.