Green Day think their new album is ''epic''.

The 'American Idiot' hitmakers are proud of their new album trilogy '¡Uno!', '¡Dos!' and '¡Tre!' and feel the triple format has allowed them to achieve something that rocks ''really hard''.

Singer Billie Joe Armstrong told Classic Rock magazine: ''It was time for a change and a new era. You just start with one simple song at a time, where less is more, but we made three albums and it ended up becoming epic.

''We wanted to make something that rocked really hard, and partied really hard, with a lot of meaning behind it. And a lot of soul. Hopefully we achieved that.''

The spiky-haired rocker claims the band took a big risk by sticking to their beloved album format in today's music market and by staying true to their classic rock musical influences, but think the result is better than ever.

Billie insisted: ''We're based on tradition, we write tunes, we write melodies, and we do it in a way that rocks really hard.

''Whether it's The Beatles, The Who or 70s punk rock from England, or The Ramones or glam from the early 70s like Bowie, it's all over the place. It's kind of what a rock'n'roll collage.

''I think there's a big statement in putting out three albums, because right now people are so addicted to just singles. Making an album is like a lost art form.

''And where we come from is making albums - all our favourite bands make great albums.''

'¡Uno!' is released September 24, with the two other albums following in November and January.