Sublime Returns With First Album in 30 Years, Until The Sun Explodes
Sublime Returns With First Album in 30 Years, Until The Sun Explodes
Sublime reveals Until The Sun Explodes, their first album in three decades, with Jakob Nowell joining Bud Gaugh and Eric Wilson; due June 12.
Sublime is releasing its first album in 30 years. Titled Until The Sun Explodes, the record brings the band’s veteran rhythm section—drummer Bud Gaugh and bassist Eric Wilson—back with singer/guitarist Jakob Nowell after he joined forces with the group in late 2023. Nowell’s father, Bradley Nowell, died in May 1996, days before the band’s maiden European tour, and months before the self-titled album. The new LP is out on June 12 via Atlantic Records, and the band spent about two months in a San Pedro-area studio just across the bridge from their Long Beach hometown, tracking more than 20 songs.
As Gaugh notes, returning to a studio now conjures memories of Sublime’s past but with a more refined perspective. Gaugh and Wilson gave Nowell’s younger energy space to lead, letting the group jam as a unit. The project also features contributions from touring guitarist Trey Pangborn, Zane Vandevort, and DJ Product, while John Joseph (not The Cro-Mags’ singer) produced Until The Sun Explodes. The album includes guest spots from friends: Zac Carper of FIDLAR, Fletcher Dragge of Pennywise, G. Love, and H. R. of Bad Brains, who famously inspired the band.
Bradley Nowell’s legacy looms over the project, both for Jakob and for Sublime’s surviving members. When Sublime recorded their self-titled album in Austin, they thrived on chaos—crashing golf carts and pushing the boundaries in the studio. This time around, the antics were kept to a minimum, and as Gaugh puts it, the recording process was more professional. “The whole album came together rather effortlessly,” he says.
Recorded in the shadow of the band’s storied past, Until The Sun Explodes signals a mature reinvention that still wears Sublime’s DNA. The collaboration with friends, the mix of veteran and new voices, and the sheer volume of material—more than 20 songs—hint at a record that’s both a tribute and a fresh chapter for a group defined by resilience and a lasting SoCal sound. Fans eager for new material after 30 years can expect a release that honors the band’s history while inviting Jakob Nowell to help steer the next era on June 12.
