Asking Alexandria
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Asking Alexandria

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“It definitely feels like a fresh start. I feel like that every time we
sit down to write a record, and this one’s no different. We always
try and be completely true and honest with ourselves, what we’ve actually been through and what we have experienced. We are not some top forty pop act that just sings about break ups, a random girl or shaking your ass in someone’s face. We have always represented ourselves in a truthful manor, so it was the same with this record.”

 

The band soon went to work after welcoming their new member, Denis Stoff. Having an already existing appreciation for the band, Stoff was discovered doing covers of Asking Alexandria songs on YouTube four years ago. Fast forward a little bit and he has found himself in the passenger seat of a well-established band. Stoff has given Asking Alexandria a burst of positive creativity, and it’s a breath of fresh air. “Denis had a lot to write about because of what he’s been through. It feels good again now. It feels like it should have always been.”


 

Off the back of releasing the title track off the latest album, the band wanted to release a video that reflected how they feel, and to tell the world that they’re back. “We wanted all the imagery that was used for the video to be crisp and powerful. We wanted a modern video but also for it to be black and white to match the album artwork. Everything that ashes represents power, and it really hammers home the force that we are intending to come back with.”

 

The Black can be described as their most mature record to date with a clear direction, as the band has found themselves without the roadblocks that they have previously had with Warsnop. “Danny’s only response to everything is ‘nah that’s shit, I don’t like it, I don’t want to play heavy music’ or ‘I want to write country songs’. It was really difficult and I had to reinforce that we aren’t a country band, and I guess that’s where creativity clashed. It’s just so stressful. Whereas this time Denis got involved. It was a completely different vibe and he was suggestive in trying new things, and since he’s been a fan of the band for so long he demanded more. He actually pushed really hard. He would pipe in with ‘that’s cool but I’ve heard you do better in the past’. It made me realise that this has to be our best record and he really pushed me.”

 

Lyrically, Bruce is the primary writer. Bruce’s writing process however, has been much the same with previous records. “I’ll sit down on my own, normally in my bedroom, or on the bus, and I’ll write the basis for a song and when it’s coming along I then send it across to James. He’s the first person I’ll send it to and he’ll tweak it and then we will head into the studio and add the final touches.”

 

One song in particular that is incredibly personal to Bruce is Gone, a touching four-minute tribute to the bands guitar technician and Bruce’s best friend who tragically passed away last year. “The guys gave me a whole song on the record; I dedicated
a song to Chris and about him leaving me and the world behind. I definitely have a strong connection with that song. All the songs are extremely personal to us because we write about experiences that we have been through. That one makes me sad but it’s a good song.”


 

Asking Alexandria have announced extensive tour dates and look to be on the road for some time, but it’s hard to miss the excitement in Bruce’s voice about a return visit to Australia this month. It’ll be Stoffs first Australian visit and it will be a brief one. “I know we aren’t here for very long, but we always want to come out here and have a bit
of a holiday but we never have enough time. We
do nothing but talk about touring Australia just because we love it so much. I fell like in Denis’ mind he feels like it can’t be as good as we say
it is. I’m so excited to get there, I don’t think he really realises how much fun it actually is, so we just can’t wait to get there with him. But first, I have to get through this tour because normally we just tour with each other for like three weeks and this has been a six and a half week tour. It’s alright, ill survive and if not you won’t see me in April.” 

 

Tour Dates

APRIL 7 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC
APRIL 8 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC
APRIL 9 – THE MET, BRISBANE QLD
APRIL 10 – HQ COMPLEX, ADELAIDE SA
APRIL 13 – ASTOR THEATRE, PERTH WA
APRIL 15 – UNSW ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY NSW

 

The Black is out now via Sumerian Records. For more details, head to askingalexandria.com