Does This Look Infected?
A little extra weight does Sum 41 a lot of good on Does This Look Infected?. The guitars have a sharper attack, the solos are more prominent, and the band move between pop-punk and metal without making the change feel like a separate project. They still put the tune first, which keeps the heavier playing useful.
The Hell Song sets a strong standard. Its opening riff has a clear shape, the verse moves briskly, and the chorus offers a release without slowing everything down. Dave Baksh's lead guitar adds detail at exactly the point where the arrangement could have become predictable. The song sounds carefully built without losing its impatient character.
Over My Head (Better Off Dead) keeps the run moving with another direct guitar hook. Still Waiting is more forceful, taking a broad expression of frustration and giving it a compact musical form. Deryck Whibley's limited vocal range is less of a problem when the band provide such clear changes in pressure around him.
The best surprises come from the heavier passages. No Brains makes room for more active lead playing, and Mr. Amsterdam gives the shouted parts a harder edge. These tracks suggest that the band's metal interests can deepen the songs rather than simply add a display of technique between choruses.
There are also moments where speed does not provide enough distinction. A.N.I.C. makes its joke quickly, but there is little reason to return to it once the surprise has gone. My Direction is more complete as a song yet does not have the character of the opening run. A few tracks rely on a familiar structure without finding an equally strong hook.
The short format helps the album keep its focus, and Hooch gives the ending a different pace. Does This Look Infected? succeeds as a confident adjustment of the band's sound. It does not need a grand reinvention when a harder riff, a good solo and a better transition can make this much difference.
