“I’m so tired of not knowing who I’m supposed to be.”
Asking Alexandria are a band that can’t seem to escape divisiveness. Be that of the war between lovers and detractors of their sceenie-weenie days in the early 2010s, or of the ongoing frustration many -core stans have had with their transition to a more traditional heavy metal/hard rock sound. In any case, controversy seems to follow them wherever they go. Truth be told, I loved these guys back in my teens.
They were one of my gateways back into metal in 2013 or so. Through the years I’ve definitely grown apart from their early works (aside from 2011’s Reckless & Relentless, that shit still bangs) but I’ve always had a nostalgic appreciation for the music. I may chortle at the basic Drop D metalcore riffing of Stand Up & Scream nowadays, but there was a reason I loved it in my teens even if I don’t feel the same now. It had energy, it had angst. I, however, understand that people don’t stay angry forever – and that’s where Asking Alexandria’s new era comes in.
I’m always down for bands to change things up. It was clear from as early as 2013’s From Death To Destiny that something was amiss with the group’s relationship to metalcore. Chalk it up to vocalist Danny Worsnop progressively giving less of a shit about metal as the years went on, or just them growing away from that style as musicians. Either way – 2017’s Asking Alexandria signaled the band going full steam ahead with a stark sound change. Trading in the group’s former metalcore sound for a more subdued alternative rock endeavor, the group’s self-titled record took me quite by surprise – for better and for worse.
Tracks like “Under Denver” and “Room 138” among others showed the group’s knack for crafting catchy bangers, even in this softer style. It wasn’t without its growing pains, however. Tracks like “When The Lights Come On” signal some of the very worst this band has ever penned. Feeling less like a hardened rock outfit and more like a weak latter-day Fall Out Boy cover band on that track in particular, it went further in demonstrating something slightly off about the album as a whole to me – the authenticity. The songs were largely good, and the album was fairly well-written, but it didn’t feel that honest, that them.
That brings us to now, with their most recent era. 2020’s Like A House On Fire signaled a shift in a direction that, while not quite as strong as their previous outings, felt more authentically them. Owing the basis of their sound to their personal roots in 80s heavy metal mixed with a twinge of modern alternative rock and pop, like it or not it was clearly what they wanted to make.
It wasn’t perfect, though. The tracklist felt bloated, and some songs fell considerably flat. I felt that with some refining, some punchier production and the willingness to leave some of the weaker cuts on the cutting room floor, they could craft a truly great album once more. With that, I’m happy to report that 2021’s See What’s On The Inside has done just that. Putting their best foot forward with ten refined, catchy, headbanging anthems, this album is truly everything I wanted Like A House On Fire to be.
I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Opener and lead single “Alone Again” sees the group venture into the heavy metal territory that inspired them to begin with. Evoking a very Avenged Sevenfold energy, the opener, while not the strongest track on the record, opens the record well with a gorgeous introductory instrumental before dropping right into some gnarly hard rock riffs and driving drums. It’s quite the tone setter for the record, and while the album ventures into some more interesting directions later down the line, a middle-of-the-road tune like this is an apt introduction to the album’s sound as a whole.
In a welcome twist, and the first venture beyond the tone set by “Alone Again”, third track “Never Gonna Learn” feels like Asking Alexandria’s take on a softer Alter Bridge tune. The chorus here sounds like it would be right at home on 2013’s classic Fortress, and while that may sound like me implying a degree of plagiarism, I promise it’s not. It’s undeniably their own take on this sound, but the parallels that can be drawn here showcase the group’s newfound strength in these gargantuan choruses. See, in my opinion, where See What’s On The Inside excels most is in its huge, anthemic tracks like these.
Mid-album track “Find Myself” particularly stands out as one of the strongest rock tracks I’ve heard all year. An infectious, emotive chorus to worm its way into your head; and the track’s stellar string-led closing moments make for one of the best tracks this group have penned in some time. Title track “See What’s On The Inside” and closer “The Grey” impress similarly, with equally planet-sized choruses drenched in emotion that are sure to be stadium screamers and staples of their live shows in the near future.
It’s not all perfect, however. Aside from the fact that I personally feel this brand of hard rock has a particular quality ceiling so to speak, there are a couple of moments across the album that don’t quite hit. Penultimate track “Fame”, while an aggressive, tongue-in-cheek rager, falls short of greatness due to its slightly too hair-metal-y edge to its verses. Worsnop sounds ferocious on this tune all the same, but this sound just doesn’t quite land for me. Further, late album track “Misery Loves Company” disappoints in its failure to capitalize on its massive, heavy opening.. Fun chorus aside, I feel that the verses could have gone much further to maintain the energy built in the track’s introduction. Luckily, the closing moments of the track bring back the chunk for a satisfying payoff, assisting the track in not feeling like a total blue-ball.
On that note, there are some twists and turns that fans may not expect on this record, too. Mid album track “If I Could Erase It” features a small amount of screamed vocals from Worsnop, as well as a pretty (contextually) heavy breakdown in its bridge. Closer “The Grey” also features a meaty post-chorus toward its mid-section, which helps give some hefty contrast to the track’s more sombre emotional tone. Admittedly, I don’t think these guys need (or particularly want) to implement heaviness to keep their songs fun nowadays, but it’s a more than welcome contrast in the context of these songs.
Truth be told, tracks like “Find Myself”, “See What’s On The Inside” and “The Grey” are the chief reason in why See What’s On The Inside is the most fun I’ve had with a brand new Asking Alexandria project since Worsnop’s return in 2016. Sure, it’s not gonna blown any minds or break any records. What it will do, however, is prove to the masses that Asking Alexandria still have what it takes to craft honest, fun, engaging tunes. Infectious hooks, great hard rock riffing and snappy production aplenty; this is about as good as this brand of hard rock gets in my opinion, and I had an absolute blast with it for what it is. It may not appease the -core stans of yesteryear, but See What’s On The Inside is inarguably, unapologetically them – whether it’s for you is up to you.
See What’s On The Inside will be available next Friday, October 1st via Better Noise, and you can pre-order the record here.
7.5/10