"I think this is our best," Knowles says. "I love the other albums because they are all really quite naive. I think it's great looking back and seeing things that could have been worked on. But I wouldn't want to change a thing."
A huge part of the fun was getting completely caught up in every aspect of the process.
"This year has been about the album; it's all encompassing. We really wanted to get people to understand what we are doing and be interested in where we are going.
"We would sort of end up in a bit of a haze, spending all day inside playing music, then sort of look back and think where did those three weeks go?"
The first single off Deadly Summer Sway, titled Candyman Shimmer evokes feelings of summer with its steady, laid-back drum line and low, smooth vocals. It is a sound The Checks worked hard to create for the new album.
"We were trying to get a bit tropical, to feel a bit dangerous," Knowles says.
Most of the recording was done at Neil Finn's Roundhouse Studios in Newton, Auckland, to get a clear sound, and was finished off at the band's makeshift recording studio in Anzac Ave downtown.
The former office space was converted into a hub of creativity, where they selected final tracks for the album.
"So much stuff that we had totally been in love with, all of a sudden didn't fit with the mix."
Feeding off the experience of record producer, Brockman and hearing stories about his dealings with the American music industry, was a highlight of their adventure.
"Working with Brockman from New York, we got to ask him about American music in the 1980s and 90s that he was such a big part of. He has worked with so many artists, people like Puff Daddy and Mariah Carey."
He agreed to come on board to produce the album after being approached by The Check's manager, while he was in New Zealand.
"He was speaking at a conference and Tim, our manager, hassled him to work with us. He gave [Brockman] a demo, and he agreed to do it. One thing led to another and we were eating fried chicken with him at 3am."
A 12-gig tour of the North Island began in Wellington on Friday and finishes in Raglan on December 10, following the release of Deadly Summer Sway.
The Checks formed in the teen rock'n'roll scene of Auckland's North Shore, inspired by The Strokes' debut album, This Is It back in 2003.
At the time most members of the band were 15 years old and willing to play "anywhere with electricity", Knowles says.
Two years later, they had picked up a New Zealand Music Award for Breakthrough Act and got their big break - joining the line-up for the NME New Music Tour of England with The Rakes, The Cribs, and Maximo Park.
A record deal and a move to London followed.
In 2006, they recorded Hunting Whales with producer Ian Broudie (Echo and the Bunnymen, Lightning Seeds, Terry Hall).
They also toured with The Hives, opened for international superstars Muse and The Killers and were added to an Oasis tour at the request of Noel Gallagher.
R.E.M lead singer Michael Stipe also personally introduced the band every night on an R.E.M tour after discovering the band through their song, Tired From Sleeping.
In 2009, they self-released their self-recorded second album, Alice By The Moon.
More recently they were invited to open for AC/DC during their tour of New Zealand last year.
Check out the video for Candyman Shimmer below:
