Former Anthrax guitarist is finally ready to record with his new project Deuxmonkey, after admitting he had to take time out from his music career to help his wife deal with the challenges of bringing up their two autistic sons.

Spitz left the thrash giants in the early 1990s to concentrate on his luxury watch business, but returned for their classic-era reunion with singer Joey Belladonna in 2005 and left again two years later.

Now he explains Deuxmonkey, which includes ex-Crimson Glory singer Wade Black, Accept bassist Peter Baltes and ex-Yngwie drummer Patrick Johansson, had to be put on hold after his identical twins were diagnosed with the neural disorder.

Spitz says: "After the end of my last touring cycle with Anthrax, I needed a long break to take care of Brendan and Jaden. I couldn't leave my wonderful wife Candi to deal with the daily grind of multiple therapists at the house.

"We're on a better track with them now, and we’re at a point where my recording and touring cycles can start.

“So we’re ready to enter the studio and start tracking the sickest, most wicked riffs I’ve written to date. It’s a movement forward in time with creative new sounds.”

He adds: “Patrick and I have been hard at work – his double-bass feet seem connected to my picking in a way I can’t explain. I guess it was meant to be. We have a legendary CD here in our hands.”

The guitarist recently became an offical autism advocate, speaking on behalf of charity and education programmes, and he and his wife support the Autism Speaks organisation.