Alexisonfire - Crisis

Mon 21st Aug, 2006 in Music Reviews

Screamo alt-rockers Alexisonfire’s latest release, Crisis, follows hot on the heels of the hugely successful Watch Out (2004), a breakthrough album in terms of exposure, triggering a rapid surge in the band’s fanbase, and numerous accolades, including a perplexing award for ‘New band of the Year’ at the 2005 Juno awards (Canada’s answer to the Aria’s), as well as a nomination for ‘Band of the Year’ in Spin.com. Consequently, securing the spotlight on Alexisonfire as a band to watch, both a curse and a blessing for an independent group.

This saw the band touring relentlessly across Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. Australian fans went so completely berserk for the chance to see Alexis on tour that tickets sold-out almost instantly. The band even send-up the exhaustive nature of touring in the cheekily amusing video-clip to ‘Hey, it’s your funeral Mama’ (if you haven’t seen it you’d better check it out).

With all the touring and side projects, including Dallas Green’s acoustic solo venture City and Colour, and Wade MacNeil’s, The Black Lungs) it’s a wonder that the band had a chance to release a recording with as much substance as Crisis.

The album is somewhat of a departure from the brand of music embraced by Alexisonfire’s ever-growing legion of fans. Though there is still a great deal of tracks to keep the devotees chirpy, Crisis reveals Alexisonfire’s readiness to progress and further develop their music.

To the uninitiated, Alexisonfire’s sound could be described as a violent tumultuous, energetic affair layering George Pettit’s screaming vocals and MacNeil’s frenetic punk-esque guitar riffs with Green’s harmonic vocals and melodic guitar.

Essentially Crisis is in keeping with the band’s sound, however Alexisonfire, are more adventurous in this album, mixing it up by throwing in slower songs and some more hardcore songs. When compared to previous albums, Crisis introduces several tracks that showcase a considerably darker, heavier and even more aggressive, hardcore side to the band, whilst also allowing for more melodic, polished tracks.  

Crisis kicks off in an explosion of aggression with ‘Drunks, Lovers, Sinners and Saints’ it’s fast-paced full of screams and melodies sure to appease fans of their earlier albums.

‘This Could Be Anywhere in the World’, with Green’s hauntingly melancholic voice layered with Pettit’s heartfelt screams, is most likely to be a favourite track.
‘Mailbox Arson’ and ‘To a Friend’ delve into the hardcore elements of such bands as Avenged Sevenfold or Thrice.

The track ‘You Burn First’ the change is so strikingly dissimilar that is completely unrecognizable as an Alexisonfire song. Featuring guest vocalist Gared O’Donnell (Frontman for hardcore punk group Planes Mistaken For Stars) O’Donnell’s deep, raspy vocals and the dark creeping guitars sound more comparable to a Nine Inch Nails or Tool release.

‘Rough Hands’ is a beautiful ending to the album, a bittersweet atmospheric track to finish with.

Crisis highlights the great diversity Alexisonfire are capable of, presenting a band that have matured both lyrically and musically. It’s a release which more than capably follows on from Watchout and is so far my favourite of the albums the produced…hopefully an Australian tour to follow?