Six albums into an unpredictable career, Asking Alexandria redefine themselves once again with Like A House On Fire.
Everyone loves an underdog story, and it is easy to understand why. Overcoming the odds and proving every hater wrong is the quintessential path to success we all aspire to follow in life. We want to make our dreams a reality, and from there, discover new goals that change that consistently challenge us while we continue to evolve. Living life on terms we set is the only way to exist, and Asking Alexandria have built their career by subverting expectations at every turn.
But we are taught something different. Music industry classes and conferences will tell you to stick with what works. If your fans love ballads, for example, then keep writing them. In other words, “give the people what they want,” but Asking Alexandria disagrees. No two records in the band’s catalog sound the same, but they each play an essential role in the shaping of the band and their devout followers. The group understands that taking a hard left turn sonically may scare fans away, so rather than jump the shark altogether from record to record, Asking Alexandria does so in steps. Not unlike a well-written story, their career has a clear and riveting narrative that makes sense to all who experience their art.
Like A House On Fire is a testament to Asking Alexandria’s insistence on constant progression. The young lads that screamed about heartache over 808-enhanced breakdowns on Stand Up And Scream in 2009 have matured into men concerned with problems more significant than themselves. The album delivers raw rock cuts that take stock of the world around us and the role we play in it. There is no shortage of heart or rage, nor does the energy let up for even a moment. For the better part of an hour, Asking Alexandria bleed themselves dry to deliver honest music that not only makes you feel something but also encourages positive change.
But make no mistake, Asking Alexandria knows their latest creation may upset people. “The Violence,” which began the long album rollout in 2019, tackles the idea of thinking for yourself by addressing the way pop culture and mainstream media manipulate the masses. It’s not hard to understand how the music business forces similarly unfavorable ideas on creatives. “They Don’t Want What We Want (And They Don’t Care)” explores a similar theme, albeit in a more direct manner. The powers that be don’t want you to satisfy your creative urges; they want to profit. To them, Asking Alexandria and their fans are merely cogs in a machine fueled by people willing to exchange passion for financial gain, and the band is sick of it.
“Down To Hell” is the song most likely to become the next inescapable rock anthem. It’s a thesis statement, not just for the album, but for Asking Alexandria’s entire career. Packed with gang vocals and a relentless spirit that is highlighted by an incredibly catchy riff, the song reinforces the idea of forging your own path in life. It’s a giant middle finger to the people who mock you because they’re too afraid or too stupid to be themselves, and it’s got a replay value higher than the vast majority of music in rotation at radio today.
The most exciting element of Like A House On Fire is how it sets up what Asking Alexandria will do next. The band’s willingness to try new ideas to keeps their sound feeling fresh even when it seems to borrow from other, arguably more established artists. Those moments of imitation are rare, but they serve to make the band more accessible without sacrificing the soul of the group. Like A Burning House is the kind of album that can only be made by people who are comfortable in their skin, and it points to an even brighter future in the years ahead.
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