I think Scott pulled this as some sort of power play.
There has obviously been some show down in the band or some sort of power struggle has erupted.

Scott is a no show at his first gig with VR and almost simultaneously announces he's off back to STP in the coming months (which is an obvious slap in Slash's face re: new recordings in April). This is Scott's way of saying to the others "I don't need you guys anymore".

Matt mocked Scott's talk of a STP reunion last year but is probably very worried about that now that VRs record sales have died off and STP looks like a better looking show pony. I would not imagine Scott forgave Matt for that put down.
I would see the Scott / Matt / Slash triad as a messy one with major ego clashes. Scott is probably on a short leash as the guys don't want to repeat the mistakes made with Axl. That would cause tension as Scott seems to revel in his own stardom and is not easily tamed.

I would see Duff as the peace maker and Dave, always viewed by the others as the lesser God, just stays out of it.

Having played in bands for years this has all the hall marks of a member trying to punish the others by denying them his services and telling others (i.e. the press) and not the band that he'son his way out.

Things must be pretty bad in that unit right now..

Good old Scott, shitting on his bandmates again. I am a massive fan but sometimes this guy is a vortex of self obsession and selfishness.

Poor Slash, a guitar legend robbed of his real legacy by mad frontmen who insist on biting the hands that feed them (bandmates, fans etc).Axl...well we've worn out that argument, Rod - heroin addict who also was often a no show for gigs and Scott...well we've worn that one out too. Duff too, while never my favourite bass player, he is a lovely guy and the most grounded of them all. He really deseves better for his efforts.

It's incredible how all of their respective careers roared into action with massive debut albums only to falter a few years up the road and remain that way for almost a decade. The frustration must be unbelievable for Slash & Duff. Is a strong front man that writes excellent vocals and shows up sober when requested that hard to find when operating at their level?

When you think of it, many rock front men are a dodgy bunch:

Sebitchian - bitter over VR, Axl's new ball washer - dull, stupid and boring - talks like a 16 year old surfer.
Mike Patton - prefers to play noise than sing anymore...why? Arrogant beyond belief.
Chris Cornell - dumps AS via the press after seven years (they jump started his career got him off the booze and the drugs)
James Hetfield - whiney and domineering in Some Kind of Monster, HORRIBLE.

I'm sure the list could go on and on...

Again, I think it all comes back to just what exactly Axl has control over anymore.

Maybe it's taken some time for it to sink in to him that he's not bigger than the label anymore and that playing power games with record execs is ultimately leaving him on the sidelines instead of  improving his bargaining position which once was the case.

This adjustment down in the scale of his ego and ambition is probably hard for Axl to do and is taking time. He's pulled the record label string so hard and for so long that I think he's broken it and finally that realisation is sinking in.

I think CD will come out when the label says so, not Axl. Now Axl may not even know when that is himself.  maybe he's not commenting for legal reasons, out of embarrassment or pride, or maybe he's not arsed.
We must remember that CD is still a perfect album as long as it stays a piece of folklore and Axl does not have to be judged. It could well mean a more relaxed, peaceful existance as long as it stays that way.

I think the GNR album is with the label as rumored but has been placed on hold.

Led Zep, The Police, etc have shown the record business an easy way to grab back cash they have been loosing hand over fist for half a decade in the rock music world.
I bet the suits at Interscope are frantically trying to work out how to get the old GNR back together to get on this gravy train.

I think that Axl is finally ready to come out with the new music but the accountants that now run his career ain't ready to pony up for him. Hence a stale mate has developed.

It may be over with Axl blaming the record company for GNR's demise. He does have someone to blame other than himself for the mess the band are in and we have seen in the past that that is unfortunately enough for Axl to go on.