Having nailed Asking Alexandria 3.0, with last year’s vibrant See What’s On The Inside (Better Noise), the UK metalcore-turned-rock beasts are keen to capitalise on the critical and commercial success of their seventh album with a four-track EP, featuring two exclusive tracks.
Third time has been the charm, as on their third full-length since Danny Worsnop returned, the group have found the sweet spot of contemporary heavy rock that best utilises the songwriting chops of the collective while allowing the whisky-smoke vocals to shine.
The story goes long-time producer and collaborator Matt Good and Worsnop both, independently, had the idea to whistle the hook that ushers in the title track for the EP. And it can’t be argued that it doesn’t work as from the second listen there’s a snaking little earworm dancing in your brain. As a tune, ‘Never Gonna Learn’ mixes its motif with a restrained chorus not too far from Alter Bridge school and a cool chug and stomp.
That said, it is the first song on the EP that steals the thunder from the title-track. A lurching groove muscles in, as Worsnop and Maria Brink trade verses before eventually coming together on the second chorus of the sort of track that you can imagine soundtracking a Wrestlemania main-event build-up package. It’s a stylish and effective heavy contemporary rock tune bordering on metal; Brink and Worsnop’s compatibility effortless.
Elsewhere, the whimsical ‘Miles Away’ has a dusty back-porch US radio vibe to its earnestness, containing the class of an album song, while …Inside track ‘Feel Myself’ closes things out with sombre, heavy reflection.
So, two strong new songs, with ‘New Devil’ in particular a rousing addition to the AA repertoire, the question comes from ‘Never Gonna Learn’ being one of the lead off videos for the album (that was released a few months ago), so what is the real purpose of this release? To fully convince as an EP, the collaboration with Brink is worthy of the title (and a video) and more new material, particularly considering the quality of ‘Miles Away’, would have moved this into essential territory.
As it is, it remains ‘pretty cool’, and all four songs have merit in their own right, it keeps up momentum, and it beats a bonus track version of the album being released so soon. Any sense, and they’ll be pimping out ‘New Devil’ for adverts, theme songs, or the grandest stage of them all.
Buy the EP here: https://www.askingalexandria.com
7 / 10
STEVE TOVEY