Capping nearly three decades on the scene,
Sum 41 bid farewell the only way they really could: merging their punk and metal extremes on the sprawling double album
Heaven :x: Hell. All those years of stylistic evolution collide on this 20-song collection, which is split evenly into the pop-punk Heaven side and the metal-leaning Hell side (naturally). Finding the sweet spot among
Billy Talent,
Green Day, and
blink-182, this is standard, anthemic pop-punk goodness, designed for pogo-bops, fist-pumping, and light moshing, all centered on
Deryck Whibley's acrobatic vocals. The big singalong choruses of catchy standouts like "Dopamine" and "Bad Mistake" ride
Frank Zummo's freewheeling drumming, as the twin guitar attack of
Dave Baksh and
Tom Thacker propel this track headlong into the sunset. Heaven, according to
Sum 41, sounds fun, urgent, and energetic (even when the lyrics say otherwise). Descending into Hell, fans of 2016's
13 Voices and 2019's
Order in Decline will have plenty to enjoy as the relatively lighthearted punk fest gives way to a hardened, emotionally charged whirlpool of rage and frustration. The pummeling "Rise Up" crushes with a head-caving breakdown and death scream, while the hardcore "Stranger in These Times" shreds and tears its way through "imbecilic morons" and
Whibley's insecurities. Hell highlight "I Don't Need Anyone" lurches its way atop
Jason McCaslin's bass groove before a killer guitar solo slashes its way through this metal assault, just as emotions are pushed to the limit on the
Linkin Park-leaning "How the End Begins." There's even a martial cover of
the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" that showcases their technical skill and adaptability (especially on the breakdown). Regardless of which
Sum 41 you prefer, there are two expertly executed albums here, each highlighting just how this group has grown from being rascally jokesters to hardened, concerned members of society. As far as swan songs go,
Heaven :x: Hell is a heartfelt goodbye to fans, an overly generous gift that aims to please the full spectrum of diehards and thank them for all their years of dedication. ~ Neil Z. Yeung
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