Five years since the release of their last studio full-length, Splinter, The Offspring are back with new album Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace. After a gruelling 18 months in the studio, Dexter Holland and co have surfaced, with what they believe to be, "the best record we've made yet."
"Sometimes it's great to bash things out," Holland tells K!. "And you can make songs that sound very fresh and energetic that way, but this time around it just felt right to sit back and take our time. I think that really helped the songs."
Working closely with famed produced Bob Rock (Metallica / Lostprophets), across two studios in Hawaii and California, the resulting collection looks set to please fans - old and new.
"There are definitely some elements that fans of our older material will enjoy, but at the same time there are still bits and pieces here and there that are totally new," explains Holland. "I am always trying to find ways to keep things interesting, but at the same time people will know that it's The Offspring. It's loud and it's fast but it's also very melodic."
As for whether the band are still relevant, 24 years since they first began, Holland remains positive.
"Honestly, with every year that passes I'm amazed that we're still here," he reveals. "We definitely still have fun doing what we do, and maybe that's the key to it. When it's not fun it shows, and the way to keep things fun is to take breaks sometimes. I think it was just time for us to do that and to spend a little more time working on songs, and I think that the decision will prove to be the right one when people hear it."
Just goes to show how badly they're struggl...
