Sum 41 returns with “Screaming Bloody Murder”

After an extremely disappointing release in Underclass Hero in 2007, Sum 41’s first track off of their new CD show great promise for the band.

Underclass Hero was a record marked by recycled guitar riffs and blatant similarities to hits from both the band’s past catalogue and other bands’ releases.The songs on that disc leaned far more to the pop side of their pop-punk genre, and it can most likely be attributed to the fact that their original guitarist left the band prior to the release.

Their previous record, Chuck, was a much heavier album, with metal elements and scathing lyrics, injecting a furious energy into the mix — an energy and aggressive attitude that were distinctly absent from Underclass Hero.

Now, though, the Canadian quartet is returning with Screaming Bloody Murder, which is to be released on March 31, 2011.

The record’s title track and first single premiered on the radio station 89x on Jan. 13, well-received by both critics and fans. Throughout the recording process, the band blogged that the record would sound heavier and more like Chuck, and the pounding drums, blaring guitar riffs and guttural vocals provided by frontman Deryck Whibley certainly call to mind that entire record.

The band, though, shows some evolution in the mature beginning and ending of the song, with Whibley singing soft vocals over a piano.

With this single, Sum 41 have returned to form, and it will be exciting if the rest of the tracks can continue that trend upon their release in March.