It’s been over four years since the Grammy nominated band Sum 41 have released a new album. The Canadian rockers took a break from touring and recording due to frontman Deryck Whibley’s health problems, which escalated last May when he collapsed due to liver and kidney failure. Sum 41 fans now have reason to rejoice, you can now pre-order the band’s upcoming album through PledgeMusic. On Friday July 10th, the band announced through their PledgeMusic campaign that “Sum 41 is back and stronger and more excited than we have been in a long time. It’s time to make a f***ing great record!” Several pre-order packages have already sold out including: a signed vinyl copy of the album, signed drumsticks, a personal Skype call with Whibley, and an LA studio visit to watch the band record. Other packages the band is offering are a twenty-five minute Skype call with Whibley, bassist Jason “Cone” McCaslin, and guitarist Tom Thacker; a guitar lesson with Whibley; a fifteen minute Skype call with Cone; a private listening party in LA; and a vinyl copy of the album. Each purchase also comes with access to behind-the-scenes photos and videos throughout the recording process. While the band haven’t discussed what direction they’ll be taking with the new album, in a recent interview Whibley stated that he began writing songs while he was still in the hospital. “You can’t go through something like that and not have it in your work but I mean, my life always comes out in my music. It’s finding ways to talk about these things without being direct.”
Recently Whibley has been easing himself back into touring. Playing under the moniker Deryck Whibley and the Happiness Machines, he played three shows earlier this month with former My Chemical Romance bassist Mickey Way. The group played Sum 41 fan favorites to an excited crowd, including Way’s brother, My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way, and guitarist Ray Toro; who stopped by LA’s Lyric Theatre for the last night of the tour. As for the band as a whole, Sum 41 will be playing later this month at the Alternative Press Music Awards in Cleveland, Ohio and at the Festival Rock al Parquet mid-August.