Friday, March 25, 2011

Sum 41; Screaming Bloody Murder


I bought my copy of Sum 41's Screaming Bloody Murder today and, fuck me dead, it's brilliant!

They were so right when they said it was going to have the same vibe as ‘We’re All To Blame’ in relation to song structure and I love that! It’s up-beat, it’s heavy, it’s mature, it's dark, it's honest. It's one of those albums where you’re taken on a journey from beginning to end and couldn't possibly skip a song, much like the way I felt, and still feel, when I first heard Underclass Hero.

There is an evident theme of loss and pain on the record expressed through a range of different emotions. Deryck, as the main song writer for the band, has had to face and overcome many different trials in his life as of late, and I believe that is reflected through the songs that he has produced, whether intentionally or not. Songs such as 'Crash' and 'Exit Song' show the softer, more heartbreaking side of pain and, when you listen to these songs, it's difficult not to sense the emotion in Deryck's lyrics and vocals. Whereas 'Skumf*k' and 'Blood In My Eyes' show the more aggressive side to the same kind of loss. Not only is the album, in my opinion, about pain, but also about acceptance and a new beginning; picking yourself up after heartache and overcoming the hurt in order to find yourself once again. That's something that a lot of people can relate to and a message that everyone can take away from the record. It is through the three part A Dark Road Out Of Hell, comprised of 'Holy Image Of Lies', 'Sick Of Everyone' and 'Happiness Machine', respectively, that a story is told; a story of giving yourself over to another person, exposing yourself and your vulnerability, only to be hurt in the process and left scarred in the end. It shows a desire to want to move forward but not knowing the exact way to go about doing so. The opening song, 'Reason To Believe', essentially sums up the entire album, both through the lyrical content and the sound, and gives you a taste of what to expect from the rest of the record. The magical thing about music though is that, like most forms of art, it is open for personal interpretation; what one person might take away from this album could be something completely different to someone else.

With each new record that Sum 41 release, it is always so different from its preceder, yet they still maintain that ‘Sum 41 sound’. I love that kind of diversity within a band. Change is a good thing. It’s a sign of growth, as a band and as individuals. Screaming Bloody Murder is just another example of Sum 41's ability to reinvent themselves once again. It's a fusion of punk rock and metal, with many softer moments thrown into the mix, topped off with the always present energy of Sum 41. In the most simplest of terms, to quote a line I found online, "If Chuck and Underclass Hero met, and fucked, Screaming Bloody Murder would be the result." It's a record that I can highly recommend with utmost confidence.

To listen to the online streaming of Screaming Bloody Murder, check it out at Sum41.com.

Screaming Blood Murder Track List
1. Reason To Believe
2. Screaming Bloody Murder
3. Skumf*k
4. Time For You To Go
5. Jessica Kill
6. What Am I To Say
A Dark Road Out Of Hell
7. Holy Image Of Lies
8. Sick Of Everyone
9. Happiness Machine
10. Crash
11. Blood In My Eyes
12. Baby You Don't Wanna Know
13. Back Where I Belong
14. Exit Song

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