In their original incarnation, reggae-ska-punk band Sublime left the world with two excellent albums – 1992’s ‘40oz To Freedom’ and 1996’s ‘Sublime’. Between these two essentials, the sketchier ‘Robbin’ The Hood’ presented some great tracks, but lacked the momentum of the other records, with the more obviously finished material joined by narrative skits and acoustic pieces. For the more patient fan, it actually offered a broader insight into how the band worked; never beholden to one style, Bud, Eric and Bradley were always keen to experiment.

Following Bradley Nowell’s untimely death following the release of the best-seller ‘Sublime’, the band were effectively over, but they kept their legacy alive with a series of live releases and leftover material sourced from the band’s vast archives. Over the years, the fanbase retained a keenness for unheard material, no matter how raw. …And then, in 2025, they were given the ultimate prize: a brand new Sublime recording, with Bradley’s son Jakob joining Eric and Bud, stepping into his late father’s shoes – a role previously considered pretty much unfillable. It was clear after one listen to ‘Esinada’ that this union would work. The music captured a sound that could’ve slot easily among the best tracks from ‘Sublime’, but more importantly, Jakob’s vocal was perfect. Throughout the number, he nailed his father’s soulful tones and vocal inflections to the point where it was practically impossible for anyone other than the most obsessed fan to tell them apart.

‘Esenada’ has pride of place as the opening track on Sublime’s fourth (proper) album ‘Until The Sun Explodes’, and really sets the tone for the twenty one track record. It immediately hits upon a classic reggae groove, where the bass and drums truly evoke a couple of the deep cuts from the band’s self titled record from 1996, which suggests a musical strength. The bass sounds very cool with immediate effect, bringing a tough but melodic edge to a mid tempo riff, but it’s when the vocals kick in that this track springs to life. Jakob Nowell turns in a fantastic performance, not just feeling the music, but sounding as if his father’s spirit informs the melody. For the fan, this isn’t just cool…it’s effing spooky; like hearing something pulled from the archives, then spruced for a new era. ‘Figuroa’ follows a very similar blueprint, but if you’ve loved the band for years, there’s a real thrill in hearing Eric and Bud lock down a strong, new groove, even if it’s one that sounds remarkably like a vintage, perhaps even over-familiar Sublime jam. The crisp sounding rhythm guitar work introduces a slow reggae arrangement, and Eric’s bass brings a decent amount of weight. Turntable scratches take the music a little further from trad reggae and into Sublime’s world of crossover sounds, but these never sound intrusive; instead, they compliment a deep groove while Jakob sells a really cool, relaxed vocal. As the track progresses, he launches into a more pointed melody, sounding even more like Bradley, while a shrill keyboard adds a sound that calls back to the synth embellishments of late 70s dub recordings from the Island Records archive. Never rushing, ‘Figuroa’ shows off the new Sublime in great shape, providing the kind of track that older fans will love.

For those hoping for some extra speed, ‘Backwoods’ tears along at full throttle, delivering high octane ska that falls somewhere between Sublime’s faster recordings from the past and an early Suicide Machines track circa ‘Destruction By Definition’. The decision to offset the ska with a chaotic punk riff ties things a little tighter to the Suicide Machines world, while a couple of mid tempo interludes – pushing Eric high in the mix – retain an undeniably classic Sublime feel and sound. There are arguably better tracks on ‘Until The Sun Explodes’, but in terms of packing most of the band’s musical interests into three minutes, this does a fine job. The mid tempo ‘Favorite Song’ tackles the subject of pre-gig boredom and how music you love fails to paper over any emotional cracks. Musically, it’s one of the album’s highlights, since its traditional reggae stance allows Eric to work a great bass, and overall, everything sounds like a definite throwback to the ‘Sublime’ LP in a way that’ll make you realise that this rebirth of the band is very natural.

Another album standout, ‘Wizard’ delivers some really tight ska with Eric and Bud throwing themselves into an arrangement that echoes the earlier ‘Wrong Way’ with its punchy style, and again, Jakob’s performance is every bit the equal of his father’s. In true Sublime tradition, the more traditional reggae and ska riffs are offset by a fiery lead guitar break, adding a rock slant, but without taking too much of an unnatural turn, before the harder groove of ‘Can’t Miss You’ shares something that sounds like a ‘40oz…’ leftover with extra bass applied. Overdriven guitars briefly unleash Sublime’s rockier side, sharing a riff that sounds like it could drop into part of ‘All You Need’ at any given moment, and in doing so reawaken the past in such a way it sounds vital in the present.

With a dominant phased guitar sound and furious soloing, ‘Personal Hell’ sticks out just a little too much, almost spoiling the flow of the album, even though ska influences cut through the track’s noisier aspects, but everything is quickly set back on track with ‘F.T.R.’, the record’s most blatant attempt at capturing a classic Sublime sound and a radio-friendly single. The laid back rhythm blends Sublime’s light reggae sounds with something a little more tropical, fitting a more soulful vocal presence. The biggest giveaway in terms of recycling, though, comes via an acoustic lead guitar break which almost mirrors the lead work on their US hit ‘What I Got’. Nevertheless, in terms of plagiarising their own work, Eric and Bud strike potential gold here. The same goes for ‘Trey’s Song’ which opens with a riff and feel that’s dangerously close to a couple of their mid 90s tracks, but still manages to appeal with an easy cool, blending reggae influences with a light alt-rock feel, which increases at the mid point thanks to some prominent lead guitar work. Bringing a little extra sass, a guesting H.R. – of Bad Brains fame – fills a brief, echo-driven interlude, adding a bit more of a deep reggae vibe. The elements may be predictable, but they blend together in great style.

Most of this album is good to great, even with a couple of less successful musical curveballs along the way: the slow, acoustic ‘Casino Tormina’ gives Jakob a little more room to stretch out vocally, and although this is far from the album’s most interesting cut, it plays an important role calling back to a couple of the band’s earlier mellow cuts and acoustic demos, while the audio verite inspired ‘The Problem With That…’ and ‘Maybe Partying Will Help’ feel like a definite nod to the more experimental elements present on ‘Robbin’ The Hood’, but arguably do a better job by presenting the sampled voices over some absolutely killer dub basslines. Even this album’s couple of nods to punk – while still not Sublime’s strongest suit – capture a real energy, and with one of those furious workouts recorded with skate punk legends Pennywise, fans of 90s punk and ska get an extra layer of interest. Even at the tail end of an (admittedly) rather long record, the band bring a spark via the title cut – another number that melds the energies of ‘Wrong Way’ with the reggae chops of a couple of ‘40z…’ standouts, before ‘Thanx Again’, an unashamed nod to the debut LP with credits to family, friends and collaborators read out enthusiastically over a rocksteady arrangement, brings everything to a suitable and very natural end.

Although there are times where the attempts to reawaken the classic Sublime sound are played so cautiously – and ultimately, effectively – that the quest for authenticity sweeps away a little of the energy and spontaneity, and fifty seven minutes is a little on the long side, ‘Until The Sun Explodes’ is largely a fine, fine album. It’s one that’s certainly more consistent than ‘Robbin’ The Hood’, and better than the many, many leftovers that filled the likes of the ‘Everything Under The Sun’ box set ever could’ve hoped to have been, in another life. As a son’s tribute to his father’s musical life and legacy, even with the occasional misstep, this feels like the perfect, heartfelt note; if it happens to be the final word within the Sublime story, it’s a worthy epitaph, no question. A recommended listen for fans and curious ears alike.

July 2026