August 25
Better Noise Music
Asking Alexandria are one of those bands that I have never listened to enough to have the right to form an opinion. From what I have heard they are a band who are unafraid to experiment musically, with my lack of past interest in the band more a time and place factor rather than anything more sinister.
I even worked with frontman Danny Worsnop on his solo tour a few years ago, so it’s not as if I am a total stranger to the music.
What I do know is Asking Alexandria are releasing their latest album Where Do We Go From Here on August 25 through Better Noise Music, and the title alone was enough to have me intrigued enough to put my hand up to review.
According to guitarist Ben Bruce “Where Do We Go From Here? is the culmination of our entire journey as a band,” which makes it an even more likely starting point for our potential future relationship.
Bad Blood opens the album with a slick drum rim snap before an overtly high-pitched voice wails “bad blood” and we are away.
The guitars from Bruce and Cameron Liddell are thick and meaty from the outset before Worsnop eases into his work on the cleaner side of things that builds slowly into a pleasant kind of intro song.
Except for the double kicks from James Cassells. The man has already announced himself as a demon, adding a massively heavy drum sound that is seemingly at odds with the rest of the music.
Which is fucken awesome.
A Star Wars type lazer beam from Outer Space breaks proceedings fleetingly before a massive breakdown sends Bad Blood spinning into a parallel universe.
It’s heavy then it’s not then it is again which would normally send me packing for the bush, but there’s enough disparity in the one song to suck me in further.
Things Could Be Different starts as though it is far away before drawing closer and exploding in a fit of rage.
“I don’t wanna hear another fucken word about it,” Worsnop roars at us, and for once I actually find myself caring that someone doesn’t care.
Strange, huh?
This track is part electro beat, part metal, part Limp Bizkit hybrid, part radio-friendly. When Bruce said this album was a culmination of the band’s whole journey I didn’t think he meant in one song!
But, again, this song is catchy as fuck and as my body starts bopping involuntarily and the sporadic vocals spew forth the heaviness is almost enough to send me reeling.
Told you it was an earful.
Let Go begins with more electronics and an ambient presence before the high-pitched voice from earlier pokes back through and washes its calming influence over the sonic landscape.
This is a very dreamy track that doesn’t really have the same punch as the first few, despite threatening to boil over a number of times along the way. Not really for me.
But the next song Psycho should be but instead of tearing straight into my senses as alluded to it starts gently before the drums start rolling, building intensity to… a bit of a fizzer.
Maybe fizzer is a bit harsh, especially since it’s no one’s fault but my own that I assumed the song would travel closer to the trajectory of its title.
There’s a rhythmic pace going on here, offset by touches of R & B laced with electronics that isn’t too bad, he says as his body involuntarily starts moving along to the music once more.
Then the psycho comes out to play with a wicked drum fuelled breakdown that effectively pulls back just as it gains maximum momentum.
Well played boys.
Dark Void again eases to life – I have yet to be smashed between the ears immediately by any song – but maybe I have spoken too soon as Worsnop lets fly with an almighty growl.
But it turns out to be just a tease as he finds his inner peace a little too quickly and sets off down the accessible rock path that dominates large chunks of the album so far.
There is definitely heaps going on here musically and the way Asking Alexandria seamlessly transition between beauty and beast mode is impressive to say the least.
And then darkness reigns as the aggressive side of Worsnop’s psyche surfaces once more and this time lingers long enough to stop my body moving and my head banging.
Enough with the physical emotions, please!
Nothing Left starts with – surprise, surprise, – a quieter disposition that soon intensifies, washing away that feeling you sometimes get after a long, soapy shower. You certainly can’t accuse Asking Alexandria of sticking strictly to a genre or formula. Each song spawns life of its own with each member somehow managing to lock tight together while seemingly travelling in opposing directions at times.
Worsnop goes into full beast mode around the midway point as Bruce delivers his first significant crushing solo, adding further layers to what is already a full plate musically.
Feel has all the trademarks of a ballad and doesn’t disappoint.
But every album has to have one, right?
Unusually for me, I persist with said ballad, which is a good thing because I find the point where a ballad ceases to be a ballad after the two-minute mark, and it is enough to make everything seem right again in the world.
Let The Dead Take Me has an intriguing title that gives nothing away as to its direction, but the chunky guitar intro soon sets things straight.
This is a straight-up rock number that bears similar nuances with Buckcherry briefly before spiralling out of control into fuck knows what you would call it.
But it’s pretty cool. The track takes you on an emotional rollercoaster every step of the way and to have that impact on someone who hates rollercoasters like myself can only be a good thing.
Kill It With Fire races out of the blocks sounding a little like Prisoner Of Society with its carefree punk-driven attitude.
It’s totally unexpected and completely welcome.
This is by far my pick of the album, even before it gets halfway done, but to my dismay I realise it’s much more than halfway done. It’s actually finished, clocking in at a little over one minute of pure sonic aggression.
Please Sirs, can I have some more?
Holding Onto Something More restores the balance, with a pleasantly soothing opening passage that oozes pain and sorrow.
You have to give it to these guys, they definitely do things their way. Such drastic and eclectic changes of music and momentum would usually spell disaster and confusion for band and listener, but Asking Alexandria not only embark on that journey themselves, they also make it a smooth and enjoyable experience for their passengers.
The title track closes proceedings and by virtue of the title alone doesn’t inspire much hope for a headache-inducing noggin bang to go out in a blaze of glory.
And what little hope there was evaporated the moment the soothing strains of acoustic guitars fill the silence.
But having seen a couple of Worsnop’s solo shows featuring himself and a guitar for the most part this is actually a poignant and strangely uplifting final chapter.
The man can most assuredly sing like a champion – harsh and cleans – and this track accentuates his vocal supremacy against the harsh bitterness of some that came before it.
It almost feels as though when he asks “where do we go from here” that he is genuinely seeking your response. It is much more of a question than a statement which doesn’t necessarily need a reply in the immediate future.
Wherever Asking Alexandria are going it promises a bright future which is all we can really ask for as lovers of music, isn’t it?
