Sum 41’s last album, Underclass Hero, was pretty good. It reminded me a bit of Blink 182, Good Charlotte, and some of those other fun pop punk bands.  Sum 41 has been a pretty fun band to follow mixing a lot of tongue in cheek humor with politics and a truthful outlook on society and life in general. With the release of Screaming Bloody Murder I find myself totally blown away. Its like the band took the ferocity of Chuck and honed it with darker more insightful lyrics? What comes to mind are the changes that the band and its members have undergone over the past few years. The departure of guitarist Dave Baksh and the inclusion of Gob front man Tom Thacker, who spent a bit as the bands touring only lead guitarist before officially becoming the new lead guitarist for the band, during which time this album was created and Steve Jocz confirmed Thacker now had writing and recording input, may be a significant factor in the change up of the bands sound. There is also the question of weather or not Deryck Whibley’s recent divorce had any influence over the new direction the band headed in including lyrical content. Call it as you like I personally translate it as having some significance.

So what’s new? While Sum 41 have been this kind of party pop punk band that dealt an equal amount of youth rebellion, teenage angst, and humor their sound seems to have gone less pop punk. Comparisons? I’d say they have a sound more closely compared to Bad Religion, Pennywise, Green Day, flirting with a metal front as well. The album is dark, ominous, and has very little humor in it. Its angrier and more mature then anything the band has ever released with obvious songs about heartbreak, moving on, and just being plain pissed off. Its not all just fast and furious though. The album has some moments on it that are uncharacteristically commercial, almost ballad like, that represent a more broken down emotional feel to them that is shockingly well represented here. There are 14 tracks here and for the first time, as a listener of the bands music, there isn’t a single track that I’d think of skipping over. Every now and then a band releases an album that’s so epic, so immensely important to their careers, and I believe this is that album. From here on out I am more watchful of Sum 41 anxious to find out what comes next. As always final judgment is yours. Enjoy.