Barker and Mark Hoppus split with Tom DeLonge last year and brought in Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba. And the sticksman says Skiba's input has been invaluable. He tells radio station KX 93.5: "I knew he was going to be a great fit - but I didn't know it was going to be this great. The writing has been amazing. We actually wrote 16 songs and we trashed everything. We got back in the studio and did everything over."

Barker reports the material is the best they've created in over a decade - and they're still on track for a release later this year. He continues: "We're probably about 70-80% finished with the album and I think it's the best Blink album since 2003 - and I think fans will agree once they hear it.