Sum 41 - Heaven :x: Hell (March 29, 2024) • Page 19

Great interview by the way!

 

Tom probably introduced himself by saying, "Hi, I'm Tom and I can barely play this guitar. Please help."

 

Been on a Sum 41 kick since I'm seeing them for the first time in a long while so did a discog deep dive. Curious to hear what everyone's thoughts are:

HALF HOUR OF POWER - Some jams on here, dig the metal stuff but definitely kind of a rough draft on a major label's dime (save for the obvious single of "Makes No Difference"
ALL KILLER NO FILLER - Definitely perfected the formula while adding a few new twists. The fact that it's only half hour means it doesn't run of stream
DOES THIS LOOK INFECTED? - I believe Deryck is on record saying he doesn't like the production on this and, while I kind of see his point (sounds sort of muddy in some areas), it's definitely a nice fusing of the metal-pop-punk that they hinted at. Particularly the back half.
CHUCK - I can see how this is probably the preferred fan favorite, it's the most serious, heavy riffing and probably least poppy stuff they've ever done but still catchy. Also they start stretching out in new directions ("Pieces", "Slipping Away")
UNDERCLASS HERO - Feels like a bit of panic course-correction due to the commercial failure (relatively) of Chuck. Seemed out of place in the sardonic emo times of Fall Out Boy, Panic and MCR at the time and definitely feels a little over-thirsty. Some solid stuff on here but too long overall
SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER - Feels like the record the band truly wanted to make though it definitely sounds like a man in the throes of addiction and going through a divorce. Admittedly, my tastes had kinda changed at this point (even around UH) so I didn't spend too much time with this at the time.
13 VOICES - Again, I had kinda checked out at this point but upon really giving this a listen, definitely seems like a sequel to Underclass Hero but from clear eyes and with the theme of redemption.
ORDER IN DECLINE - Like a continuation of 13 Voices but more concise and focused.
HEAVEN X HELL - Good way to go out. Double album but never overstays it's welcome and the songs are short/concise enough that the hook sink in without becoming nagging. Great work on the Hell side in terms of the riffs and solos.

 

Bad Mistake is vintage sum 41. So good.

 

I'll check out the Heaven side tonight but I am not super interested in the Hell side tbh

I will check it out at some point but I just want some pop punk Sum to help me through this day

 

First listen Heaven is so much better than Hell. Which surprises me cause I def like heavier Sum but it's when it's a mix. DTLI style. Hell disc is mostly just fast with not a lot of personality kinda, idk. Not bad by any means. But I love Heaven.

 

Man, this is their best work in a long time (even though I still maintain that Order in Decline was really good and should have gotten more attention).

The Heaven side is super, super fun and catchy, although I do understand the MGK comparisons on a couple of the songs... those albums are guilty pleasures for me though so I didn't mind. Besides the singles, the ones that stuck out to me were Future Primitive, Bad Mistake and Johnny Libertine (reminded me a lot of King of Contradiction, a criminally underrated Sum song), but I really enjoyed the whole thing.

Hell wasn't quite as memorable as a whole but the best songs were fucking GOOD. Rise Up is still a banger, and Over the Edge, House of Liars and You Wanted War really stuck out to me too. Paint It Black was an interesting inclusion but I don't mind one cover on an album with this many songs

Only real complaint after first listen is that I really don't think this feels like a "final" album; I wasn't that crazy about How the End Begins as the closer either. I guess it doesn't necessarily need to dramatically draw attention to the fact that they're done after this but I would have liked to still feel that "well, this is it" emotion a little bit more like I did with Yellowcard's s/t for example. I guess it does fit this band's MO though that they go out doing all sides of what they always do best, and give us one more both super fun and catchy and super heavy and dark album at the same time. Gonna miss these guys... until the reunion lol

Can't wait to see them next month

 

If this were the 2000s Bad News by Blink and I Can’t Wait would definitely go on my most prized burned CD

 

Do people think MGK had a unique sound to only him? And that it didn’t exist before him?

I don’t understand.

 

I mean, Travis was co-writer and producer for Tickets, so really this is all Blink's fault.

 

Does anyone else get erase me era underoath vibes from I Don’t Need Anyone and Over the Edge?

 

I'm legit shocked at how much I like this. Sum 41 has been one of those "weezer" bands as of late. They'll release a single or a video and I'll say "this is good" but never really listen to it again or dive deep into its respective album


But this absolutely rules! If anything too long but this is a ton of fun.

I can't wait. Is my favorite so far. Johnny libertine is a.m great fast song

 

This is a mixed bag for me but y’all ain’t lying - Bad Mistake is classic Sum 41 and I love it.

 

Yeah I realized this on 2nd listen Hell songs aren’t really the old metal style from the past just mostly super fast drums and riffs and solos. Still good though!

Also forgot how great DTLI is until listening again this week.

 

Definitely feeling kind of underwhelmed with the Hell record as a whole. To echo the above comment - it doesn’t even feel like the old metal Sum 41 material.

Heaven is coming across as the stronger of the two IMO which is surprising since I much prefer the heavier Sum 41.

 

I feel like the following tracklist below would have made for one really solid final record:

1. Waiting On A Twist Of Fate
2. Future Primitive
3. Dopamine
4. Bad Mistake
5. Not Quite Myself
6. Rise Up
7. I Don’t Need Anyone
8. House of Liars
9. It’s All Me
10. How The End Begins

 

Surprised Time Won't Wait wasn't a single. Really catchy chorus and definitely a standout on the record.

 

I was going to ask…you know at some point after they decided to make a double record they were short a few songs. Which ones are the *ahem* filler?

 

Paint It Black

 

Yeah, that was my first thought..

 

Revised review because I didn't realize how long the album was haha

Okay yeah as an album it's tooooo long. It waters down the product a little bit. Songs sounding similar and its like "yeah sum41 we know you can write a 3 minute pop punk song in your sleep".

You can definitely chop this down to 11 songs and it would be excellent

 

Or just divide the album in half and pretend it's two albums.

You can even not listen to half of it for another two years to make it more realistic.

You know, seeing as how we're not getting another one.

 

Preach

 

As well, 55 minutes isn’t that long for a double album. *shrugs*

 

Not gonna lie, I was expecting more from the Heaven side. Singles aside, I Can’t Wait, Future Primitive, Bad Mistake and Johnny Libertine are the highlights, taking me back to prime pop punk eras Sum 41, but the rest often feels by the numbers. One exception being Radio Silence, which stands out stylistically, reminding me of Underclass Hero’s tender moments. On a side note, I was surprised much they seem to reuse to chord progressions and melodies this time. I can’t recall that being ever the case on past albums.

Now the Hell half is much more like it. I guess I’ve always been drawn to their metal side more because this contains everything I want from them and I don’t have any complaints here. Banger upon banger. I loved Order In Decline and thought it was their best since Chuck, and this is a great continuation of that sound. Took me a minute to get accustomed to I Don’t Need Anyone. For some reason the main riff and the vibe overall didn’t feel like Sum to me, more like I was listening to one of those Octane radio alt metal bands lol. Same for Over The Edge’s chorus and bridge I guess? House Of Liars is an early favorite, reminding me of We’re All To Blame and 88. Very pleased to recognize scrapped ideas and songs from previous albums in one place too!