In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Grammy-nominated band SUM 41 have shared a first look at the details of their upcoming eighth studio album. Vocalist Deryck Whibley shared that the double album, titled Heaven and Hell, is shaping up to be the most ambitious of the band’s career – half of the album brings SUM 41 back to their pop punk roots, Heaven, and half of the album is strictly metal, Hell.
“As I listened to almost all of [the newly written songs], it just kind of dawned on me. Did I just make a double record on accident?”
On the metal half of the album, Whibley says, “Some of the metal stuff comes with a lot of anger for people who have stolen from me and hurt me in the past.”
“It all made sense to me why pop-punk is coming back: it’s feel-good music. There’s something that’s happy about it. Something young and innocent and free,” he continues on the pop-punk aspect of the new record.
The band has been straddling the line of pop-punk and metal for their 26-year career, and Heaven and Hell is a clear statement that the iconic band: nobody else is putting out an album like this because nobody else is capable of it the way SUM 41 is. The upcoming record is something special that will propel SUM 41 to new heights – a feat that seems nearly impossible with all their accolades so far, but this is merely the beginning of something great.
Looking back at the band’s storied career with over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard Charting releases, a Grammy Award nomination, 2 Juno Awards (7 nominations), a Kerrang! Award in 2002, as well as multiple Alternative Press Music Awards, SUM 41 is quite simply a rock band – uncompromising and honest with no intention of slowing down.
SUM 41 recently announced the Blame Canada Tour featuring co-headliners Simple Plan. This trek marks the first time both bands will be touring together, featuring Sum 41 performing All Killer No Filler and Simple Plan performing No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls.
For a full list of dates, please see below or visit https://www.sum41.com