Release Date: July 30, 2021 Genre: Pop Punk, Post-Hardcore Label: Fearless Records
French pop-punk/post-hardcore quintet are back after an approximately four-year hiatus. In 2016, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! took a much-deserved break after nearly nine years of an endless circle of touring and releasing new music. Inklings of the music on their fourth album were formed but didn't amount to too much. In late 2019, the band announced their return to the stage until COVID-19 derailed those plans entirely. During that time, they already prepared a few new singles to perform at a slew of festivals. Due to the pandemic, the band had yet another year off, and the band decided they would begin writing a few more tracks to release an EP. One thing led to another, and the band became ambitious while writing and ended up recording an entire album instead. Known now as Gone Are The Good Days, the band will release it on their long-time label Fearless Records on July 30, 2021.
The writing process of their fourth album, Gone Are The Good Days, had to be done remotely because of pandemic-related lockdowns and travel restrictions, as the five members of the band are currently living all over the globe. However, in January 2021, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! was able to get into a room together for the very first time in four years. The band only had a couple of weeks to track the album at the Poncet brothers Paris-based recording studio, Alias. The origins of the album date back to 2016, and throughout their 2020 writing sessions, their fourth album was soon reworked entirely to what it has become for release. Gone Are The Good Days was a redemption of sorts for the band. They finally got to realize the plan they had in 2016 before their hiatus and tune out an album that was pure and take the band into the future out of the pandemic. Additionally, the album was self-produced between the Poncet brothers, also at their studio, Alias.
The album's lead single, "Bitter," opens up the album displaying their newfound, fresh sound straight out of the gate. Following a sound bite from The Goonies -the movie where they get their name from- the band put their stripped back sound on display. The band has matured into a more polished modern pop-punk dynamic, but the band stays true to its core roots. "Bitter" features a monstrous post-hardcore/metalcore breakdown they're well known for. Move on to "Drift Away," the band showcases their new sound flawlessly with down-tuned guitar riffs that flow right into the album's third track and title track, "Good Are The Good Days." The title track continues to build upon each song and offers up one of the album's most infectious, melodic tunes with plenty of "sing-along-ability." Thank goodness there are another ten tracks that follow, as you want more after that track alone.
Chunk! No, Captain Chunk takes things down a notch with their acoustic guitar-heavy ballad, "Marigold," is a love song, a first for the band. "Made For More" features heavy use of radial pitch-shifting -also known as string bending- in its guitar riffs. Whereas on "True Colors," the band takes their sound to their roots entirely with a fun post-hardcore number. "Complete You" features a summery vibe to it. It also features The Dangerous Summer vocalist/bassist AJ Perdomo and a boisterous saxophone part that's just absolutely out there for the band, but it suits the track and the band's new sound. Furthermore, it showcases the band being more open-minded with their songwriting.
Also featured on Gone Are The Good Days is the track "Blame It On This Song." The song was first released as a single all the way back in 2016 before the band took their long-needed time off after seven long years on tour and recording non-stop. On an entirely different side of the band, "Painkillers" takes a shift to yet another side of the band's sound, and they offer up a tense hard rock track that opens with ominous synth. "Painkillers" builds up to the album's biggest breakdown. Things take a turn on the following song, "Tongue Tied." Featuring Covet frontwoman Yvette Young, the band delivers another ballad. Bertrand and Yvette duet on a sombre, heartfelt number. It once more showing the band taking risks and exploring their songwriting talents. Good Are The Good Days concludes with "Fin." The track blends every little piece of the previous eleven tracks and lyrically tackles the band's 2020 with how these tracks are the soundtrack to their end and as a means to the future of the band. Presave the album here and stream Good Are The Good Days once it releases on July 30th. Hopefully soon, Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! hit the road and come to a city near you.
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