3 Doors Down will release their fifth studio album, entitled Time of My Life on April 12.  According to lead singer Brad Arnold, the band took an organic approach to a portion of the tracks on the album, writing them in the basement of Arnold’s house.

“We actually wrote most of this record in the basement of my house in Nashville.  We had a really good time writing the record together,” Arnold told Alternative Addiction.  “When we knew that we had enough to start recording we went out to LA and started recording the record while we continued to write.”

Once the band was in LA, they were presented with the option of co-write a number of tracks with other writers, a first for the band.

“It’s something that we have never done, and it was a really interesting process,” said Arnold of co-writing.  “We have written by ourselves for years and years, and you get really comfortable doing that, but it was cool to step out of that box and try something new.”

Another change for the band on this record was not working with producer Johnny K, who produced the band’s last two albums.  This time around, the band worked with acclaimed producer Howard Benson, whom which Arnold said “would always push you beyond where you were comfortable going,” but said that working with Benson and his team was “a really great experience.”

First Listen: When You're Young by 3 Doors Down at this location.