On their first album for eight years, Blink returned with their darkest effort to date.

What was it like making a record together after so much time away from Blink?

“I think we weren’t unified as a band. If we were to start now we’d be much more unified. Mark was in his studio in LA, I was in San Diego, everyone was so busy. Out of recording for a year, we were only in the studio as all three of us together for a total of one or two weeks. We only wrote songs together for three days. The rest was emails. But we accomplished it and that’s the big thing. The first song I sent over was Up All Night. People say that sounds like Angels on a Blink record. Well, no – that’s just me.”

Your influences have clearly changed since Buddha. Whose playing stands out for you now in terms of guitarists?

“The Edge. He plays really simple s**t for the most part and then he adds some really progressive s**t on it and it becomes its own deal. He’s interested in writing songs and having diversity in songs and that really resonates with me.”

Does that highlight the changes your sound and style have undergone?

“I don’t listen to punk any more, unless it’s right before I play. Not that I don’t like it, it’s nostalgic. But, it’s for kids and it should be... it’s not art, it’s expression. I feel like you need to know art, too. I’ve changed as a person, I’m a new dude. I’m a superhero now!”