Three years have passed since the release of Bad Religion's the last studio album but frontman Greg Gaffin has a good excuse for the uncharacteristic delay. "We're getting older," Graffin tells Spinner.

While the comment prompts laughter from band mates Brett Guerwitz and Jay Bentley, Graffin adds seriously, "The truth is that when you get older, [you find that] you've piled up a huge amount of history. To trudge forward and do something that you hope will be historic and significant takes a lot more inertia. The last thing we can do at this stage is start to sound like a caricature of ourselves."

Nevertheless, the L.A. punks are plowing ahead with a new album, 'New Maps of Hell,' due July 10. "There have been certain records where I attempted to make a technically precise recording," Guerwitz chimes. "This time, I really wanted to capture a sense of broad urgency and excitement. It sounds more reckless -- really raw and aggressive. I'm really proud of the sound."