Asking Alexandria
Where Do We Go From Here?
Release: August 25, 2023
Review by Laur Wirth
Asking Alexandria, a prominent name in the metalcore scene, have just released their new album Where Do We Go From Here? after already releasing the songs Psycho, Dark Void and Bad Blood, giving listeners a taste of what the album will be like.
PHOTO BY DANNY WORSNOP
The 11-track album will be no. 8 in their discography. With this album, the band dives into everyone's personal struggles with anxiety, depression and loneliness due to the world becoming darker and darker. About the album's theme, Ben Bruce, lead guitarist and founder of the band, says "we all have our own journeys and challenges, but we all have our inner strength to fall back on."
With Bad Blood they already set a great start for the whole album. With a rocky but metal sound, the protagonist talks about letting go of someone who is not good for them. They let them down way too many times, which was mentally draining, and so they finally cut them out of their life for good.
The even more intense metal-flavored second track, Things Could Be Different, is like a sequel to Bad Blood, as if it's everything the protagonist wanted to say to the person who failed them. If only they had known earlier, they would not be in this situation now.
In Let Go the band wrote a letter to the same person, pleading to let go and reflect on how they feel about the whole situation. As they keep repeating the line "am I dreaming?", it's almost as if they cannot yet realize if it is actually true or just a dream. The female voice in this situation gives the impression of the other person's point of view.
Psycho is the fourth track on the album and a slight lyrical change. The protagonist admits they like to see others suffer for the sake of their own (in)sanity and how they feel satisfied by seeing others get hurt. Almost as if their true mind is locked up and someone else is taking over.
Talking about their own insecurities and how they wish they could change, Dark Void is almost like a cry for help and a plea to whoever is listening to help them out of this situation so they can be free of the burdens.
"One more chance to fall asleep inside This nightmare that's taking every part of me"
The sixth track, Nothing Left, is a confession to themselves, talking about how they cannot let go of what once was, even though they tried their best. The will to let go of the past and the memories was so draining that they have nothing more left in them, so they try to find a reason to fight again for things to get better.
With Feel they continue the story by talking about the ghost of their past. The main character is not sure how they did it all without the other person, and still keeps dwelling too much on what happened.
Let The Dead Take Me gives you a feeling of hope with its energetic melody, even though the lyrics say otherwise. The break in the middle of the track, and the build up, makes it even more energetic. The character is still dwelling on the past but slowly breaks out of the state of depression.
The 1-minute-and-6-seconds-long track Kill It With Fire reminds me a lot of very old Asking Alexandria songs, kind of a quick throwback to what was before all this happened. The melody is almost frantic, with the same line repeated over and over again.
In Holding On To Something More the whole album turns around. The protagonist is finally grabbing onto the good things, they're tired of feeling so sad and are trying to find a way out.
"I'm holding onto something more, I'm breaking out tonight"
The album ends with the track Where Do We Go From Here, which is a perfect ending to the story. Everything ends with a very emotional, and at first calm song, in which the protagonist finally realizes that it is not worth living in old memories. Their state won't get better if they continue thinking about the past and they're coming to terms with the person who's gone.
This album is a culmination of their entire journey as a band, with bits and pieces of previous work put together to create something new and unique. Old fans of the band may recognize things here and there, but even for new fans it's an album that will introduce them more to the band and their struggles and the past. There is a storyline that runs through the entire album and finishes with a very emotional message to the listener. It almost feels like the band is breaking up with their past self and even if the past was nice, they have to focus on what is now and what will be.
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