Green Day will release its eighth studio album, "21st Century Breakdown," on Friday, May 15, the group announced today.  The long-awaited album, Green Day's first full length since 2004's "American Idiot," is produced by Butch Vig, known for his work with Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and his own band Garbage.

Like its predecessor, "21st Century Breakdown" has a narrative structure, telling the story of a young couple, Christian and Gloria.  The album is divided into three acts -- "Heroes and Cons," "Charlatans and Saints" and "Horseshoes and Handgrenades" -- and includes tracks like "21 Guns," "East Jesus Nowhere," "Before the Lobotomy," and "Restless Heart Syndrome."

The first single, "Know Your Enemy," will go on sale digitally in April.

Last month, Billboard previewed six songs from "Breakdown."  "Know Your Enemy" is a sturdy, catchy rock cut demanding "revolution," while "Before the Lobotomy" begins as an acoustic wash before shifting into a heavy three-chord riff and lyrics dripping with antipathy: "I'm not stoned / I'm just f*cked up."

The album's title track, an ultra-melodic midtempo rocker with Green Day's familiar three-chord verses and Billie Joe Armstrong's summation of society: "My generation is zero / I'd never make it as a working class hero."

Green Day will begin a North American arena tour in early July, to be followed by shows in Europe. In 2010, the band will hit Japan, Southeast Asia and South America before returning for more North American shows.