Review - Asking Alexandria

It’s very rare to see a lead singer wearing a hoody on stage. First impressions would be, ‘oh dear, this is going to be unenergetic’. But forget that when Asking Alexandria step up to the mark.

Reserved looking vocalist James Murray seems to smash many preconceptions as a front man, with effortless vocal malice instantly making you sit up and take note of what you’re witnessing.

On the back of album “The Irony Of Your Perfection” reviews, such as “one of the most outstanding riffs you’ll hear all year” and “it rapidly kicks arse, violently and with extreme force”, the live set this band put the final nail in the coffin of those who imagine the conceptual “emo” to be a crying wreck, sapped of energy from hating the world.

Live, it’s important for the band to enjoy what their producing. Unmistakably so, with influences such as UnderOath, Killswitch Engage and Blessthefall, this was never going to be the case.

There is a clear evolution in the song writing in Asking Alexandria, with older songs such as “Bite Your Lip And Fake It” still being musically ace (in fact with pounding riffs and breakdowns), but somehow the newer material seems more progressive.

Songs such as “Bitter Revenge Sweet Tragedy” almost force you to at the least move your head, with the more punk based beat and the “Hey! Hey!” that the crowd seem to lay in wait for.

Even the keyboard use in “Wings for the Sake of Falling” seems to euphorically contradict the vocals in an eerie, gut twisting style and song “The Irony Of Your Perfection” has an definite tinge of more brutal Avenged Sevenfold about in the closing solo.

Unfortunately, the poor crowd turn out through the poor promotion marred slightly the potential for a riot, but seemed to not tarnish the vigour of the bands stage presence, and the handful that turned up certainly did not regret doing so.

Don’t get me wrong, the self confessed emo band conform lyrically to the stereotype, with lines such as “scream goodbye, your dropping dead, and it’s all over”. But it’s clear that this is no emo-dribble. In fact, there is no reason why 2008 is the year we all hear of Asking Alexandria.