Following the release of their epic new song Hero a couple days ago, Weezer were special guests on The Simpsons which aired in the U.S last night. UK fans will be able to watch the episode on 22nd May on Sky 1, at 8.30pm.

The episode, entitled ‘The Hateful Eight Year-Olds’, sees Weezer voicing a cover band named Sailor’s Delight, who are the house band on a romantic cruise taken by Homer and Marge. Some of Sailor’s Delight’s songs in the episode will sound familiar to you, particularly if you were a fan of Weezer (The Black Album) or Pacific Daydream, but one song is completely new: debuting worldwide on The Simpsons, the track is called Blue Dream, and will be featured on the band’s forthcoming album, Van Weezer.

Van Weezer, the band’s fourteenth 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. The highly anticipated albumwas originally set for release this month; a new release date for the record will be coming soon. Weezer tweeted out a statement about this, which can be seen here.

Van Weezer follows the release of last year’s Weezer (The Black Album), as well as their covers album, Weezer (The Teal Album), whose streaming numbers have well surpassed 100 million. Weezer have sold 10 million albums in the U.S., and over 35 million records worldwide since their debut album’s release in 1994. Their 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.