Sum 41
Screaming Bloody Murder

We last left them four years ago with an album, that "Underclass Hero," quite predictable and suited for the summer season when it came out, which generally disappointed two-thirds of those listeners who had been captivated by the heavier and more serious sound of "Does This Look..." and "Chuck," and had previously snubbed them. And I probably share this line of thought, although I must admit that, all in all, the previous work also contained some interesting tracks like "The Jester" or "Count Your Last Blessings."

I was waiting for them at the crossroads, to see if they would drop anchor and sail back in time, or settle for staying docked onshore, offering a copycat of the previous album, leaning towards a pop-punk that today would sound very anachronistic, especially for those who had distanced themselves from it.

Fortunately, although we don’t have another "Chuck" in front of us, which remains the undisputed pinnacle, the Canadians’ menu still stands out for some interesting courses and dishes.

To be honest, the appetizer ("Skumfuk," ed.) was a bit bland, being a recycling of things already heard, but starting from the title track as well as the excellent first single "Screaming Bloody Murder" (the title of which might lead some to easy irony...) that the trio begins to set the coordinates and resumes a certain type of discourse set with the third and fourth albums.

Abandoning the beach tunes with their underlying carefree attitude, probably irreconcilable antinomies for anyone trying to engage a more heterogeneous and mature audience, Sum 41 now outline lines that are sometimes sweet, sometimes tense and dark, trying, as they had done in the past, to go beyond the label of a goofy band suitable only for an alcohol-fueled party among friends.

We're not talking about groundbreaking innovation, but the album is enjoyable with tracks that are anything but predictable from the opener "Reason to Believe," with its circular and progressive flow between electric sessions and soft parts on the piano, partially returning to those riffs derived from alternative and metal that had made Chuck's fortune ("Blood In My Eyes").

There are also more canonical pieces like the ballad "What I Am To Say," which suffers too much from a certain formulaicity, and surprises that frankly seem a bit at odds with the context and the dark and somber tone of the platter "Time For You To Go" and "Baby I Don't Wanna You Know."

Light Radiohead-ean echoes, but really faint like drops of dew, soak the moving "Crash," which nonetheless does not equal "Best Of Me," probably their best pop track.

For those like me who have always loved the band's edgier side, the mind immediately goes to the alienating and compelling "Jessica Kill" or "Back Where I Belong."

Finally worth mentioning is a mini-suite divided into three parts "Holy Image Of Lies" - "Sick Of Everyone" - "Happiness Machine," with this last part, with its stuttering guitars opposed to bittersweet glimpses, stealing the spotlight. The album closes with a fitting and atmospheric "Exit Song."

The instrumental breaks are excellent, often truly memorable. I'm thinking of the bridge in "Blood In My Eyes," and the many piano inserts, carried from the previous full-length, an instrument used here more intelligently and perfectly fitted. It should be noted that this is the first album to officially feature the new guitarist Tom Thacker, who joined permanently after having accompanied various tours.

The ship has set in motion again, the march has resumed, yet I'm convinced that despite the good work put into the aforementioned "Screaming Bloody Murder," these four former clowns can still push further, I feel it.

We shall see.