Leaving the security of label Sumerian for the first time in their 12-year career seemed to spell uncertainty for the future of Asking Alexandria, especially considering their sound has changed almost beyond recognition since the Stand Up And Scream days. However, the fact that their seventh album comes to Better Noise only a year after the last quells all concerns that these guys are by any means winding up to a close. Where 2017’s self-titled album stepped out of the metalcore shadows and into the hard rock unknown, then Like A House On Fire settled into their new sensibilities, this latest venture bathes in the glow of a genre that feels far more comfortable than their heavier roots.
The band’s most collaborative effort in a decade, produced while locked away together in a house in Tennessee, pays homage to their classic rock inspirations with AA’s inimitable stamp slapped upon it, mixing compelling anthems with deeply personal reflective odes, sometimes simultaneously. Even while Alone Again exudes contagious hard rock, each note is laced with the poignancy that later bursts through Find Myself and You’ve Made It This Far.
For those still seeking a glimmer of nostalgia, the classic Asking Alexandria sound cleverly bubbles away under the surface and guides proceedings throughout. Faded Out and If I Could Erase It expose undertones of early AA’s melodic carnage, closing the album on a dual-threat that juggles the best of both worlds. Fame bleeds their trademark sass-laden Not The American Average vibe, blending in an addictive Led Zeppelin-esque riff that carries into The Grey’s beautifully unpredictable curtain call. This is the outrageously infectious sound of a band revelling in their influences and the creativity they inspire.
See What's On The Inside is out October 1 via Better Noise Music
