Madison Musco

Blink-182 performing at UBS Arena

After 12 years, Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Travis Barker of Blink-182 have granted the wishes of pop-punk fans around the world and released a new album, “ONE MORE TIME…”

The band began teasing the new album in early October 2022 with cryptic social media posts and shared an official announcement video on Instagram on Oct. 11 telling fans, “We’re coming.”

A few days later on Oct. 14, they released “Edging,” the first single of their new album, which screamed the sound of old Blink-182. The song is reminiscent of their early works with heavy guitar riffs and DeLonge’s signature vocals, complete with a bizarre music video of the band kissing mascot rabbits at a carnival. The excitement was instantaneous and their long-awaited reunion had me jumping to buy tickets as soon as they announced their world tour a few days later.

Once the news was out, they began selling out shows all over the United States. At the UBS Arena in Belmont, NY, in May 2023, the concert was full of the same antics that had them considered to be a joke during their early years. DeLonge and Hoppus bantered between songs, cursed at the crowd, and reminisced. The show took a more serious turn when Hoppus shared with fans the details of his battle with stage four large B-cell lymphoma and his new outlook on life and the band. The arena recovered quickly from the heartfelt moment and jumped straight back into their older discography.

In recent weeks, Blink-182 has released four songs teasing the new album, none of which felt particularly promising. They lacked the emotion that you expect when you turn on “Enema of the State” full blast after a particularly rough day at work. The songs were technically good but unfulfilling. But left with “Edging” to carry me through, I still had high hopes for this album.

While “ONE MORE TIME…” holds true to Blink-182’s high-energy style, the tone is less angsty and more optimistic, giving up some of what made them so popular in the first place. The album opens with “… ANTHEM PART 3,” and instantly pulled me back to “Take Off Your Pants and Jacket,” where they released “Anthem, Part Two.” While Barker’s drumming and generous use of the hi-hat draws on the nostalgia, the hopeful messaging is new for the band. “… ANTHEM PART 3” is all about starting over and creating a meaningful life, with more colorful language in typical Blink-182 fashion.

Blink-182 has always had a unique sound, utilizing DeLonge and Hoppus’ dynamic vocals to create music that is instantly recognizable as their own and the same goes for “ONE MORE TIME…” but with a twist. Both DeLonge and Hoppus started their bands during their time apart, Angels and Airwaves and +44, respectively. The new record draws a lot from the sound of both bands, weaving slower riffs with a lighter sound through songs like “TERRIFIED” and “ONE MORE TIME.”

The album tells a story of regret, nostalgia, growing up, and changing. Through their separate careers, each member has developed their own styles and brought that back to the table to create something new, but still undeniably Blink-182.

Then in “TURN THIS OFF!” a 22-second track, we’re reminded of exactly who Blink-182 was and always will be – man-children masquerading as a pop-punk band. “If you’re too sensitive, well turn this off. If you’re offended by these words then please f*** off,” starts the fast-paced track, which is followed up by “WHEN WE WERE YOUNG,” a look back on teenage love and growing apart, a stark contrast to the previous.

Blink-182’s first five albums are angsty and angry taking jabs at their parents, the system, and the world in general. Songs like “What’s My Age Again?” “Anthem,” and “I Miss You,” painted a detailed picture of the emotional rollercoaster that is growing up, while energetic and vulgar performances gained the band global recognition. Their original style and sound are there, but it’s lacking the intensity that distinguished the band in pop-punk.

This album is Blink-182 but different, which can be viewed in two ways. The first is through the lens of nostalgia and excitement just to see the band back together. The other is aching disappointment, the loss of that edge that comes with being young and angry. I fall into the latter of the two camps. While “EDGING” and “ANTHEM PART 3” will definitely find their way to my favorite playlist, overall “ONE MORE TIME…” didn’t live up to the hype and anticipation Blink-182 created over the last year.