Weezer Explores Their Metal Side With Announcement of ‘Van Weezer’

OK Humans — the time has come to welcome Weezer’s long-awaited homage to metal to the world:  Van Weezer will be released on May 7 via Crush Music/Atlantic Records.  A new song from the album, “I Need Some Of That,” has been released today as well.

“I Need Some Of That” follows the release of last year’s “Hero” and “Beginning Of The End,” as well as 2019’s “End Of The Game,” all of which appear on Van Weezer. The band also gave fans a sneak peek of Van Weezersong “Blue Dream” in last year’s Simpsons episode, in addition to performing the show’s iconic theme song at the episode’s end.   

Van Weezer, the band’s fifteenth studio album, is produced by Suzy Shinn (Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy).  The inspiration for this album derives from the deepest roots of Weezer – metal!  What has metal got to do with Weezer, you ask? In his earliest years, Rivers was a huge KISS fan; Brian was a big Black Sabbath fan; Pat worshipped at the altar of Van Halen and Rush; Scott loved Slayer and Metallica. The last time this vein of harder rock was mined by Weezer was on their much-loved 2002 album Maladroit; Van Weezer is primed to take that album’s sonics many steps further courtesy of producer Suzy Shinn.

Van Weezer follows the release of the band’s first-ever orchestral album, OK Human, earlier this year.  OK Human’s lead single, “All My Favorite Songs,” hit #1 at Triple A radio, and is currently top 5 and growing at Alternative. 

Weezer has sold over 10 million albums in the U.S., and over 35 million records worldwide since their debut album’s release in 1994.  The catalogue has included such megahits as “Buddy Holly,” “Undone (The Sweater Song),” “Say It Ain’t So,” “El Scorcho,” “Hash Pipe,” “Island In The Sun,” “Beverly Hills,” “Pork and Beans,” and more. 

Photo Courtesy: Sean Murphy