Review Summary: Asking Alexandria is a group of talented people who worked hard and created something unique and timeless, I think everyone should hear it at least one time.
You know, there are albums that heavily shape the scene they belong to. Today I'm reviewing one these influential albums. This masterpiece was released in 2009, it gained influence from bands such as Enter Shikari and The Devil Wears Prada, anyway the final result seems to bee timeless.
Every time I listen to this album it feels fresh. Anyone who contributed deserves credit but I've got to emphasize three people:
let's start with the most obvious, Danny Worsnop..
Well, this guy is easily one of the most versatile metalcore singers of all time
His vocals has a lot of shades, but the main reason why I like him is his CREATIVITY
If you think I'm exaggerating, you must listen to the song "The Final Episode" and you will hear how many tones he can scream in, before getting blown away by one of the best metalcore choruses ever. Seriously, the clean vocal theme is incredible, but the same can be told about almost every song on this album. A Candlelit Dinner with Inamorta and Nobody Don't Dance No More are both top notch but my personal favorite is "A Prophecy", it's just simply beautiful.
"We'll be home soon, so dry your eyes..."
The next talented person who worked hard and deserves credit is Ben Bruce.
Some might criticize him for using such a huge amount of breakdowns but these people are wrong. Albums like this or Someday Came Suddenly are typical "less is more" cases, and their simplicity is intended. Anyway Bruce is very good at writing breakdowns and metalcore riffs, and what's even more important, his guitar work never gets too cliched. The chord progressions are simple but not overused. The one in "The Final Episode" is unarguably the best. It's not complicated at all. I'ts basically a "vi - iii - V - V - ii - ii - riffing", but it's exclusive to this band/song and anyone who calls it generic, clearly doesn't know much about music. Bruce is such a genius that when Danny sings "counting down" the riffing has the feel of a giant ticking clock. This is what happens when incredible talent meets hard work.
Last but not least
Everyone who's a fan of this release (or this kind of sound which is often referred to as risecore) needs to give some credit to Joey Sturgis. This guy has done everything to make this release sound powerful and sleek, and he succeed! The guitar tone is incredibly good, whether it plays a dissonant or a fully open breakdown, a riff or chords, it sounds amazing! Danny's vocals are in the foreground but they don't overwhelm the mix. The drums are punchy and heavy at the same time. So we could say, the production is perfect for this kind of metalcore.
I didn't write anything about the drummer, James Cassells, the bassist, Â*Sam Bettley, and the rhythm guitarist, Cameron Liddell , but it doesn't mean they aren't talented... They're just not as important for Asking Alexandria as Danny or Bruce but they're still awesome musicians, especially James. He has a great sense of adding dynamics just by changing the cym in the right moment. Haha.
In short, Asking Alexandria is a group of talented people who worked hard and created something unique and timeless, I think everyone should hear it at least one time.
