Artist: Sum 41 
Album: Chuck
Label: Island
Tracks: 13

Now, this might make me unpopular in the indie scene (not that I'm popular to begin with), but this record is actually pretty good.  The feel of this album is much different that what has been presented by their label for their previous records, which also is the reason why I never really liked them - they had the attitude of 14 year olds.  That it completely gone. 

 

What you have is a record that is very aggressive and combined with their punk, fortunately for me, is metal.  There is not one track that sounds like their happy-ish punk songs that they are known for.  All the harder songs, and I mean all, of the harder songs are minor key.  The only major keys songs they have are the slower ones, or power ballad type songs. 

 

Sum 41 has been listening to Metallica's Master of Puppets – the standard of what metal is supposed to be.  "Bitter End" is a song that basically says, "If we wanted to rewrite the song "Battery" from "Master of Puppets", what would it sound like if we did it?" Complete with Kirk Hammet leads and the ending from "Battery." Tell me if this doesn't sound like just like "Battery".  You can even sing "Battery" lyrics on top of it.

 

But since you have essentially a punk band with punk beats playing metal songs, the record comes across as a hybrid of the two.  What also makes this less metal, is that these songs don't have the signature instrumental parts of the songs.  No long intros, no huge bridges with oodles-of-noodles leads.  It's like metal with ADD.  Case in point, the only longer intro they have on the record is separated to its own track.  So while I might want more development out of the songs, it doesn't bother me all that much. 

 

You know their first video/single with the Solid Gold Dancers?  Well, that's what the feel of the record is.  The songs are very aggressive while keeping melody.  It never resorts to just yelling, which is what most "metal" bands do now.  The aggressive songs are broken up well by some slower songs.  While that might seem odd to say, you really need a break from fast beats and mean vocals.  A good job was done with song placement. 

 

The production thankfully is first rate.  The mix is great.  The mastering is big and beefy.  And my pet peeve?  Vocals too loud?  Nope, the vocals are not too loud.  There really is only one production element that gets on my nerves – all the vocals are doubled (digitally by an effect or the old fashion way, I dunno, what do you think I do, run a website about music?).  So it's fine by itself when just one dude is singing, but when he harmonizes with himself, then it gets irritating.  You have 4 tracks of the same singer with a simple harmony, and then 6 with another part harmony, then counter melodies with more doubled vocals, and then some gang vocals.  At small points, the record it becomes a sea of washed out vocals.  But with all that said, 99% of listeners won't even notice it – I just like to play pretend producer in my sad little life.

 

Bottom line?   Make no mistake - this is not mall punk.  Fans of Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, New Found Glory, this record is not for you. Melodic, minor key, aggresive punk with tons of metal.  If that's your thing, well Sum 41 finally grew up and made a record for you.