Various Artists

New school heroes Sum 41 may be neophytes in the world of music at large, but having honed their blend of pop punk melodies and hip-hop rhythms since the group’s 1996 inception in Toronto (purportedly 41 days into the summer between their junior and senior years in high school), they have quickly risen among the ranks of similar skate rock purveyors. Consisting of Derick Whibley (Bizzy D) and Dave Baksh (Brown Sound) on vocals and guitar, Steve Jocz (Stevo 32) behind the drums and Cone McCaslin (Cone) on bass guitar, this group sets themselves apart from the throngs of fellow new schoolers through their exceptional live energy and uncontainable stage presence. After signing to Island records in 1999 and releasing the Half Hour of Power EP the following year, the group toured in support of musical authorities Blink 182, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Offspring and Social Distortion. Their Jerry Finn-produced full-length, All Killer, No Filler, was released in 2001, and the metal-tinged follow-up, Does This Look Infected? is slated for release in late November, 2002.

– Maurice S. Teilmann (November, 2002)