Warning: The videos in this review contain profanity. Viewer discretion is advised.

Asking Alexandria has been in my ears for a decade now. Stand Up and Scream was massively inspirational to my perception of metal and how heavy, angsty, and focused it could get. The band would go on to release Reckless & Relentless, From Death to Destiny, and a self-titled album with Danny Worsnop helming the vocals, seeing a few stylistic changes, but nothing drastic. That’s changing with their newest album, Like a House on Fire.

Once the staples of metalcore with the likes of Bring Me the Horizon and The Devil Wears Prada, Asking Alexandria has gone soft. I will contend that a band changing their sound is perfectly-acceptable, even if it’s a complete overhaul. Hundredth, once a hardcore band, is now dreamy shoegaze with a sound so refined and anti-formulaic that I’m still reveling over their 2017 album RARE. Asking Alexandria’s change, however, doesn’t stick the landing quite as well.

Opting for a more arena-rock sound, Like a House on Fire borrows too heavily from its influences to craft a unique sound. Any song off this record could be mistaken for a modern Bring Me the Horizon song in style, just without the lasting power or memorability. Most of the press leading up to the release of this album has been geared towards AA trying to distance themselves from their past so vehemently, acting as if a re-brand was the only means of survival.

This isn’t to say this is an unbearable album, just an unremarkable one. In their previous effort, Asking Alexandria, songs like “Hopelessly Hopeful” had so much depth to them and were the peak of Danny’s vocal chops, whereas “When the Lights Come On” actually nailed the desired arena-rock effect attempted in this new record. There’s a little experimentation, thankfully, like having Grace Gundy feature on “I Don’t Need You” to craft a decent ballad, and some solid production in “Here’s to Starting Over” making for a striking track.

The biggest problem with Like a House on Fire is its length. It’s nigh impossible to have an LP last for 15 songs without having some filler, and this is felt in the skippable songs like “What’s Gonna Be” and “In My Blood.” For the first review in a while, it really felt like work listening to all ~52 minutes of the album, as I kept hearing the same progressions and songwriting echoed in tracks that didn’t get the single treatment. I usually love finding deep cuts, but none are present other than “Here’s to Starting Over” and “Give You Up.”

It’s a shame that a lot of the elements that made Asking Alexandria an album to come back to aren’t present in Like a House on Fire. I can’t fault the band for trying something new, but it’s too reminiscent of other bands that it feels like they’re following in more successful acts’ footsteps. This is far from the worst thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s a disappointing album through-and-through, and a stark departure from one of my previous favorite acts. Judge for yourself with the videos in this article!

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Like a House on Fire

$9.99

4.5

Score

4.5/10

Pros

• Danny is still impressive on vocals
• Good production

Cons

• Sounds like every other hard rock band
• Full of filler
• Instruments are an afterthought