Asking Alexandria haven't given their fans an easy ride in the 14 years since they released their debut album, Stand Up And Scream. There have been unapologetic changes in style, from feisty, electronics-laced metalcore to increasingly pop-laden radio rock, as well the shifts back and forth between frontmen Danny Worsnop and Denis Stoff that forced followers to take sides. However, this eighth studio album, still with Danny at the helm and produced and mixed by Matt Good (Hollywood Undead, From First To Last), features some undeniably catchy songwriting and a much sought-after nod to their more aggressive past.
AA’s newly favoured direction was already made clear with Bad Blood, a big and bold single with a snarling singalong chorus and heavy production, satisfyingly packed with riffs and blastbeats. However, as songs get more melodic and radio-friendly, the band could well be mistaken for Fall Out Boy or even Maroon 5, not least during the particularly quirky, polarising and strangely memorable single Psycho. Meanwhile, the super-sticky synth-tinged standout Things Could Be Different, metalcore charmer Feel and the surprisingly fast-paced industrial punk track Kill It With Fire are great fun.
Dark Void is a touch overworked and dreary, but it’s impossible not to sing along to the gentle closing title track – a ballad that builds into a euphoric state and shows off Danny’s silky, vulnerable vocals.
Asking Alexandria stress that they worked hard to incorporate parts of many prior albums here, and in doing so they’ve produced some chart-worthy anthemic stadium rock songs. Where Do We Go From Here? also achieves something fans have craved for a long time: glimpses of the heaviness that made this inherently emotional band so beloved in the first place, albeit doused with some hefty doses of modern electronic influences.
