This is the first single to be released from “Chuck”, the raucous new album from Canadian punks SUM 41. The album, the band’s fourth, sees an edgy progression from their ‘cartoon’ punk image of a few years ago. Political comment, death-metal and near death experiences have been added to the mix, and Sum 41 sound all the better for it.
Incidentally, the album is named after United Nations representative Chuck Pelletier, who, earlier this year, helped the band escape after they were caught in a deadly crossfire during a documentary shoot for relief organisation War Child, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
‘We’re All To Blame’ is a biting, anthemic dig at the attitudes, complacency and conscience of the people of North America. Canadians included, I presume. Blasting out from the off with a death-metal riff straight out of the Metallica textbook, the band mix it up with a soft boy band-like chorus, before launching back into thrash mode. I know, I know, it sounds ridiculous. But, to their credit, it very nearly works.
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The guitar work here of Dave Baksh, is excellent throughout, and lyrically the band have matured immeasurably. Lines such as: “How can we still succeed, taking what we don't need? Telling lies, alibis, selling all the hate that we breed” and the vicious chorus of: “And we're all to blame, We've gone too far, From pride to shame” is proof enough of the band’s development.
I suppose when I say death-metal, I’m doing that particular genre a real disservice. What I really should say is ‘soft’ death-metal. Comparing Sum 41 to, say, Dismembered Fetus or Mayhem, would be like comparing Green Day to Crass or the Dead Kennedys. Ridiculous. But ‘We’re All To Blame’ is all good, clean fun and as a crossover into the teenage skate-punk market it should prove to be very popular.
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