Artist: Asking Alexandria Album: From Death to Destiny

Year: 2013
Duration: 50:16

Unleashing the Metalcore Genius in Asking Alexandria’s From Death to Destiny

Asking Alexandria is a British metalcore band, formed in 2008, that has swept over the Alternative Metal and Rock Music realm, with their unique style and uncompromising performances. Their third studio album, From Death to Destiny, was released in August 2013, featuring innovative and grandiose metal soundscapes, dipped in raw emotion and punk rock vibes. This dissects this metalcore genius album, exploring their brief history, the music genre, and the best songs, innovative parts, and criticism of the album.
From Death to Destiny is a delightful tapestry of heavy metal instruments and electro-acoustic infusion, under the unhindered vocals and groovy rhythm guitars of Danny Worsnop, Cameron Liddell, and Ben Bruce. This album proves how the band’s growth and maturity in writing and arranging music effused in this sixteen-track wonder. Moreover, the production was top-notch that materialized the off-kilter song structures and highlighted the lyrics. If you’re looking for a genre, it’s hard to pin down neatly, but it’s a perfect representation of mixing conventional death metal and electronic music.
The best tracks in this album are the high-octane and adrenaline-pumping songs. ‘Run free,’ the album’s opening track, unleashed the band’s prowess in burn-your-ears, in-your-face sound. ‘Break down the walls’ and ‘Don’t pray for me’ seemed to follow the pattern, with its relentless and thunderous drumline and powerful chorus hooks. Another powerful track is ’Killing You,’ featuring a ferocious breakdown riff that leads to Worsnop’s visceral vocals and dark lyrics.
One of the album's highlights is the poetic and haunting single, “The Death of Me,’ which captures Worsnop’s vocals' beauty over the synth-driven instrumental. The innovation in the album goes beyond the music’s technical aspect, as the electronica elements blend seamlessly with the heavy guitars and drumline, providing a significant depth to the genre. In addition, the band also drew influence from classic rock music and infused the emotional rawness in their delivery. This blend of styles is an excellent indicator of the band's stylistic growth and experimentation, marking a departure from their previous pure metalcore sound.
Despite the superb quality of the album’s sound and production, at some point of the album, the songs falter and become repetitive, predictable, and formulaic. This is one of the criticisms of some music critics that the album relies heavily on the brutal and loud elements of metal music that played safe with their song structures. It could also be argued that the album is too long, and some tracks do not fit well in the playlist of the album. Thus, limiting the album to twelve tracks could have worked wonders than sixteen.
In conclusion, Asking Alexandria’s From Death to Destiny is an engaging, energetic, and innovative album that showcases the band's stylistic growth and maturity. The infusion of different genres, electronica, and synths made a significant development in the metalcore genre. The album's best songs, including the ultra-heavy tracks and poignant acoustic tracks, testify to the band's ability to craft potent yet poignant music. Even though the album is not without flaws, the sheer musical genius and experimentation of the band overshadowed it. This album beckons the listeners to delve deep into the metalcore abyss, where complexity, intensity and nuance intersected. It is a metalcore masterpiece that is a must-listen for any heavy music enthusiasts.