Album review: ASKING ALEXANDRIA – See What’s On The Inside

Better Noise Music [Release date 01.10.21]

Formed in 2006, in York, North Yorkshire, by Ben Bruce, Asking Alexandria are now back to their original line-up as a 5 piece band. There’s no doubting that Asking Alexandria have achieved success over their years, not just with albums or headlining their own shows in no less than five continents, but also touring with the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, Avenged Sevenfold, Alice In Chains, and Slipknot. Impressive pedigree it has to be said.

So in the early months of 2021, having signed to Better Noise label, the band found themselves hunkered down in a house in Franklin, Tennessee, to write and record their seventh studio album, ‘What’s on the Inside’.

The album comprises of 10 tracks, with the opening track ‘Alone Again’ collaboratively written by the whole band. This was released as single in August, and is a powerful and poignant track that I think most of us can relate to “I think I’m ready to be on my own …. Take some time to be alone again” we have all been there when the walls close in and you need to escape! The guitars are sublime on this and Danny’s vocals have meaning to them – you can feel this is going to be a cracking album if this opener is anything to go by.

This is an album that will appeal across the rock community and suit most, there are heavy riffs to almost heavy metal-esque vocals, and I really like how the band are pushing boundaries and using different styles on each track.

In places it felt like a soundtrack to my life, ‘Never Gonna Learn’ hit a (raw) nerve and ‘If I Could Erase It’ certainly struck a few chords – these are meaningful lyrics that paint pictures that the majority of us can relate to, when combined with frankly sublime guitars, heavy drums and Danny’s vocals, what is not to like? This is a very playable album, I suspect airplay will be forthcoming!

Recently, the band announced that they’d be heading out on tour to on A Day To Remember’s “Re-Entry Tour” throughout North America. Please add some UK dates too! ****

Review by Karen Clayton

‘Alone Again’ video

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Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

IZZY REIGN Spooky Scary Skeletons (FiXT)
THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)