Green Day – 2012 New Album Preview

Green Day fans have been waiting almost three years to hear an album of new music from their favorite Bay Area trio -- and after whetting appetites with this year's 'Awesome as F---' live collection, the band is almost ready to make its return. When can we expect to hear their new album, and which direction will it take? Here's what we know so far.

The band has been talking up its ninth studio release for some time now, starting while they were on their 21st Century Breakdown tour. As far back as October 2010, they said they had 30 songs written for the next album, and we can only imagine that the amount of new material has grown over the last year.

That's a lot of songs to sort through, but Green Day was able to sift through its list of contenders well enough to put together a 15-song set list of new songs for a "secret" California gig in August. Titles that have surfaced so far include ‘Nuclear Family,’ ‘Too Young to Die,’ ‘Carpe Diem’ and ‘Little Boy Named Train,’ as well as 'Amy,' a song written in honor of the recently deceased Amy Winehouse.

Among the new tracks, it seems as though 'Carpe Diem' might be a band favorite, because they brought it out again for a San Francisco show on Nov. 1. The band still hasn't announced a title or release date for the new album, but listen to 'Amy' and 'Carpe Diem' below. If these songs are any indication, the new record will run the gamut from their earlier, harder-edged sound and the more eclectic leanings of later releases. What are you hoping to hear when Green Day's next album hits stores?

Green Day perform new track 'Carpe Diem'

Green Day perform new track 'Amy'