Music
Asking Alexandria: “We feel completely refreshed”
As Asking Alexandria prepare for their first UK tour with new vocalist Denis Stoff, our resident metalhead, Dan Hudson, checks in with lead guitarist Ben Bruce.
When a successful rock band changes their frontman, it can go either way. Sometimes it turns out better (Iron Maiden), sometimes it’s completely respectable but maybe not quite as good (Audioslave, Judas Priest) and sometimes it’s just a total disaster (Van Halen).
Asking Alexandria’s last singer Danny Worsnop left the band at the start of this year to focus on his 80s-inspired We Are Harlot project, but guitarist and founding member Ben Bruce tells me there’s only one way this change is going, “We feel completely refreshed, we’re happy, we’re having a good time, we’re inspired again, we’re doing our jobs again, we’re all in high spirits.”
Whilst the split with Danny was amicable, after talking to Ben, one can’t help escape the feeling that maybe it should have happened some time ago.
Due to complicated issues with new singer Denis’ visa last time round, resulting in the cancellation of shows, UK fans have yet to witness their new live show and so to some extent the jury is still out on the new line-up until the release of their new album. Judging by their video to latest single, I Won’t Give In – made up of footage from Warped Tour in the States – Denis is fitting in just fine.
The rest of the album is considerably heavier, and Ben tells me that new single Undivided (which dropped today!) is a good indication of the album’s overall sound.
Looking forward the guys will be over here in October, with full production, to headline the UK leg of the Warped Tour at London’s legendary Alexandra Palace.
Sharing a headline billing with Black Veil Brides at the all-day event, Ben tells how Warped’s split stage system will work for them. “It’s perfect,” he admits, “nobody wants to sit around and wait while there’s no music playing, it’s great that there’s constantly music”.
Asking Alexandria’s full UK tour continues at full speed after Warped, where they’ll be joined by friends Memphis May Fire, August Burns Red and In Hearts Wake. Ben tells me, “we’ve been touring for so long now that we like to tour with our friends, it just makes it easier and more enjoyable,” which also explains their upcoming US dates with our boys in Bullet For My Valentine.
So for a band that tour so relentlessly, how’re they feeling about returning to the UK? The frontman adds, “the shows are always fucking insane when we get back to the UK so we’re really excited about it.”
In short, the new Asking Alexandria are firing on all cylinders. Meanwhile, We Are Harlot released an absolute stormer of a debut album earlier this year and their track, Denial is currently being used as the theme tune to WWE Raw. It’s safe to say that this is one frontman change that definitely worked out for the best.
Asking Alexandria will tour the UK between 20 – 28 October, book now at Ticketmaster.co.uk. Plus catch them headlining Vans Warped Tour UK on Sunday 18 October, tickets on sale now.
Like this review? See more from Dan at @danhudson and danhudson.net.
