Asking Alexandria - ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ review
Asking Alexandria
Asking Alexandria have released their eighth album, a showcase of what they do best: completely evade expectation. Where Do We Go From Here? plays with genre, it uses different genres as building blocks, layering different influences and sounds. The album is jam packed with ingenuity.
Where Do We Go From Here? cover art
Listeners are plunged into the album with its opener: “Bad Blood”. The song samples slight electronicore influences alongside a brilliant hook and insane drumming. The song’s vocals seem, upon first listen, to rival its quick-fire drum beats. Yet, further plays reveal the intricacy of “Bad Blood” layering and its unique charm.
“Things Could Be Different” boasts an upbeat hi hat: proving their ability to continue adapting. The clipping distortion answers the crisp percussion; a sort of conversation that unfolds throughout the song.
Before the songs are anywhere near predictability, “Psycho” sweeps listeners into a brand new direction. “Psycho” experiments with layering genre: giving us hints of a more poppy style, fragments of melodies, topped with lyrical commentary on cyclical self-destruction. Ben Bruce has explained that the song joins two of Asking Alexandria’s previous albums, “Like A House On Fire” and “From Death To Destiny”. The band pulled from their past eras to create a new sound that better reflects their present.
“Holding Onto Something” acknowledges the group’s progression from their first albums. Fourteen years after their debut album, “Stand Up and Scream”, the group feel disconnected from their original sound and recognise that as they grow their music will, too. Fans have shown mixed responses to this sentiment online: some expressing their disappointment and longing for a return to their earlier albums while others show only support.
The album’s titular song, once again, subverts expectations. The acoustic guitar and gentle melodies express nostalgia and aimlessness. The lyrics are conflicted, stuck between the comfort and familiarity of the suffocating, miserable present and the frightening desire to leave.
All together, Where Do We Go From Here? is a beautifully crafted album that showcases their skills; from James Cassell’s expert drumming, to Ben Bruce’s riffs, and Danny Worsnop’s biting vocals. The album revisits old paths and forges brand new ones, it is a playful interaction with genre and style.
Where Do We Go From Here? from Asking Alexandria is out now via Better Noise Music and available on all streaming platforms. Asking Alexandria have also kicked off the "Psycho Thunder" co-headlining U.S. tour with THE HU and support from Bad Wolves and Zero 9:36.
Partnering with a local food bank in each city on the "Psycho Thunder" tour, the band are requesting that fans attending the shows bring a non-perishable food item to donate which will be collected at identified locations at each venue. Following the shows, donations will be collected by local food banks to help those in need in the local community as the colder months in the calendar approach.