| Written by Alex Stojanovic TRACK LISTING Disc 1: Heaven Waiting On A Twist Of Fate Landmines I Can't Wait Time Won't Wait Future Primitive Dopamine Not Quite Myself Bad Mistake Johnny Libertine Radio Silence Disc 2: Hell Preparasi a Salire Rise Up Stranger In These Times I Don't Need Anyone Over The Edge House Of Liars You Wanted War Paint In Black (Rolling Stones cover) It's All Me How The End Begins |  SUM 41 IS: Deryck Whibley - Lead vocals & rhythm guitars Dave Baksh - Guitars & backing vocals Tom Thacker - Guitars & backing vocals Jason McCaslin - Bass & backing vocals Frank Zummo - Drums |
Release Date: March 29, 2024 / Label: Rise Records / Website: sum41.com
They say that when it's your last hurrah, you go big or go home. Well, when the news came out that after nearly 3 decades, Sum 41 were hanging it up, they are surely going big on their way out. By big, I don't mean just going out on a huge worldwide tour, but they're releasing a double studio album in addition to the tour, with the last show being a two-night stint on home turf in Toronto at the end of January 2025, and then one final encore performance in March, when they are to be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame. On a side note, we'll see if they stick with it, but I'm not convinced that this is a true farewell, because we all know the story about band farewells at this point. That being said, the band's new and final album titled Heaven x Hell is not just an album, but a double album, with two discs showcasing the two sides that Sum 41 have always been best at, which is pop punk and metal, and it was this element that really made them stand apart from their pop punk counterparts of the 2000s. Given that they've always been the most metal of all the pop punk bands, the first disc titled Heaven features 10 songs of high octane pop punk, and the second disc titled Hell features 10 songs on the more metal side.
I'm definitely part of the group of people that grew up listening to Sum 41. You watch any of their performance videos from the early 2000s, their look and their sound was the definition of that era. The first three albums were big for me during my middle school years in the mid-2000s, especially Chuck. The albums that followed (Underclass Hero, Screaming Bloody Murder and 13 Voices) were kind of hit-or-miss with a handful of good songs featured on each one. The last album Order In Decline was definitely the best album the band put out since Chuck, so needless to say that I was looking forward to hearing what they had cooked up with Heaven x Hell, especially since it mixes both pop punk and metal.
On the Heaven side, the band don't fail to deliver the goods of pop punk. Given that the band haven't done pop punk in a long time, it's no surprise that old school fans from the early years were elated to hear the band return to their roots. Tracks like "Waiting On A Twist Of Fate", "Time Won't Wait" and "Future Primitive" bring back many vibes of All Killer No Filler and Does This Look Infected. Not only that, but it feels like the band got stuck in a time capsule because Heaven sounds like it was written and recorded at the same time of Does This Look Infected. Deryck Whibley is also the voice of a generation. As a songwriter, he's managed to craft some songs that defined the sound of 2000s rock.
As we enter the Hell side, the second half starts off with "Rise Up", an metal-infused pop punk anthem with probably the catchiest chorus on the whole record. They also still manage to infuse some catchy pop punk sensibilities on the heavy songs, which has been one of their biggest strengths. Even with straight up burners like "Stranger In These Times", "House Of Liars" and "You Wanted War", the vocal patterns and melodies are damn memorable. At the same time, Dave Baksh's solos tear your face off, as he can shred with the best of them, and Frank Zummo is an absolute animal on the drums. "How The End Begins" is aptly placed as the closer, with the title describing the end of an era. Closing songs on final albums always emenate bittersweet vibes, because no matter how good the song is, there's also the feeling of dread that looms over the fact that this is the last serving of new music we'll get from the band. Still, waiting to see if this turns out to be true down the road.
I've always said that long albums, especially double albums with more than 12 songs are really ambitious, and sometimes pretty self-indulgent. However, with 20 songs and clocking in at under an hour, it shows that the songwriting abilities are focused on making easily digestible songs with parts that don't drag on for too long and hook you in the instant. It's also two full-length albums of Sum 41's two most famous and strongest sides: pop punk and metal. Even though I'm still not convinced that they're fully going away, but they sure ended their recording and touring chapter with the best album of their career. Thank you Sum 41 for all the great music and memories!
I'm definitely part of the group of people that grew up listening to Sum 41. You watch any of their performance videos from the early 2000s, their look and their sound was the definition of that era. The first three albums were big for me during my middle school years in the mid-2000s, especially Chuck. The albums that followed (Underclass Hero, Screaming Bloody Murder and 13 Voices) were kind of hit-or-miss with a handful of good songs featured on each one. The last album Order In Decline was definitely the best album the band put out since Chuck, so needless to say that I was looking forward to hearing what they had cooked up with Heaven x Hell, especially since it mixes both pop punk and metal.
On the Heaven side, the band don't fail to deliver the goods of pop punk. Given that the band haven't done pop punk in a long time, it's no surprise that old school fans from the early years were elated to hear the band return to their roots. Tracks like "Waiting On A Twist Of Fate", "Time Won't Wait" and "Future Primitive" bring back many vibes of All Killer No Filler and Does This Look Infected. Not only that, but it feels like the band got stuck in a time capsule because Heaven sounds like it was written and recorded at the same time of Does This Look Infected. Deryck Whibley is also the voice of a generation. As a songwriter, he's managed to craft some songs that defined the sound of 2000s rock.
As we enter the Hell side, the second half starts off with "Rise Up", an metal-infused pop punk anthem with probably the catchiest chorus on the whole record. They also still manage to infuse some catchy pop punk sensibilities on the heavy songs, which has been one of their biggest strengths. Even with straight up burners like "Stranger In These Times", "House Of Liars" and "You Wanted War", the vocal patterns and melodies are damn memorable. At the same time, Dave Baksh's solos tear your face off, as he can shred with the best of them, and Frank Zummo is an absolute animal on the drums. "How The End Begins" is aptly placed as the closer, with the title describing the end of an era. Closing songs on final albums always emenate bittersweet vibes, because no matter how good the song is, there's also the feeling of dread that looms over the fact that this is the last serving of new music we'll get from the band. Still, waiting to see if this turns out to be true down the road.
I've always said that long albums, especially double albums with more than 12 songs are really ambitious, and sometimes pretty self-indulgent. However, with 20 songs and clocking in at under an hour, it shows that the songwriting abilities are focused on making easily digestible songs with parts that don't drag on for too long and hook you in the instant. It's also two full-length albums of Sum 41's two most famous and strongest sides: pop punk and metal. Even though I'm still not convinced that they're fully going away, but they sure ended their recording and touring chapter with the best album of their career. Thank you Sum 41 for all the great music and memories!
FINAL RATING
| | |
RSS Feed
