This past Friday, punk legends Sum 41 released their latest offering entitled “Order In Decline”. The album has seen momentum due to their anti-President Donald Trump anthem “45(A Matter of Time)”.
In anticipation of this album, we wondered if Sum 41 still had it. Honestly, I was worried that they were just putting out an album just for the sake of staying relevant and to fulfill whatever record deal they signed with Hopeless Records. I was also intrigued to see if Sum 41 grew musically and mentally from their “Fat Lip/In Too Deep” days.
This album is interesting. It’s interesting in the sense that I would say that this is Sum 41’s heaviest record to date, it’s also their most experimental record to date. At first, this threw me for a curveball, but with each listen I developed a deeper sense of appreciation for this record. “The New Sensation” is packed full of punchy guitar riffs that get ingrained into your skull, the only thing I would change is that I wish frontman Deryck Whibley would sound stronger in the chorus, but it picks up during the bridge of the song. I just feel like screaming at him, “you have it in you, just unleash it”. However, the riffs and that thick ass bassline more than made up for it.
Now, let’s talk about the sexiest track of the album entitled “Heads Will Roll”. The song makes you bounce in your chair and air-drum, as Sum 41 kind of shows off their technical prowess in this song. The drumming in this song is absolutely sick especially in the outro, but once again they kill me by not continuing with the progression in this song. Overall, this is just a fun ditty.
You get political angst and wanting to take down Trump in tracks such as “45(A Matter of Time)” and “The People Vs.”, 45 sounds okay, I much prefer the thrash feelings in “The People Vs.”, which Sum 41 seems to tip their cap to love of 80’s thrash metal with the riffs.
From a mental health perspective, the track “Never There’ is a somber tale about a broken relationship and the arrangements and Deryck’s voice showcases that somber feeling in the track. The lyrics “I don’t need you by my side/I think by now I’m doing fine/Myself, on my own/And I feel you from time to time/Like you’re sending out a sign/I can tell, you’re not alone”, showcases the recovery from a broken relationship, which offers a feeling of hope to the listener. Sometimes, it’s difficult letting go of the past and one may not see it getting better after letting go, but eventually it does. I give kudos to Sum 41 for writing this track of hope for whoever may listen.
Overall, this album makes me appreciate Sum 41 for their growth as musicians and as people, and kudos to them for experimenting with new arrangements in several tracks in this album. The overwhelmingly majority of the punk world continues to take that all-too familiar path, Sum 41 chose to take the road less traveled and it has paid off handsomely for them, overall a solid record from the punk giants out of Canada. Madness To Creation gives this a solid 7/10 stars.
- Turning Away
- Out For Blood
- The New Sensation
- A Death In The Family
- Heads Will Roll
- 45(A Matter Of Time)
- Never There
- Eat You Alive
- The People Vs.
- Catching Fire
Sum 41 is continuing on the Rockstar Disrupt tour. Check out the dates below:
Tue. 7/23- White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington
Wed. 7/24- Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater in Boise, Idaho
Fri. 7/26- North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, California
Sat. 7/27- Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix, Arizona
Sun. 7/28- Isleta Amphitheater in Albuquerque, New Mexico
For tickets and further information, click here.
Sum 41 also has other tour dates coming up! Check them out below!
Tue. 8/6- Saskatoon Exhibition in Saskatoon, Canada
Thu. 8/8- RBC Echo Beach in Toronto, Canada
Sat. 8/10- Rock La Cauze Festival in Victoriaville, Canada
Sun. 9/29- Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, Kentucky
Sat. 10/5- Menace in Minneapolis at Skyway Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Fri. 10/11- Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, California
Sat. 11/2- The 27th Annual Halloween Howler in Edmonton, Canada
For tickets and further information, click here.
Fans can find SUM 41 at the following locations:
