IN REVIEW: Alexisonfire - "Otherness"

 

Reunions can be tricky things to navigate, especially when they result in new music. Expectations become deeply engrained in fans' minds when the prospect of a grand recorded return is floated; it's only natural that, when you think of any artist you respect or admire, you remember their best work first. The risk of sullying a legacy comes into play if what you're returning with doesn't meet those expectations, even if they're unfair; that said, to expect any band to maintain the same youthful energy and creative intensity that they had during their peak is to practice a losing game in most cases, and I would argue that the responsibility is just as great for the listener as it is the artist in these situations. 

For example, if you're prepared to dismiss the first full-length Alexisonfire album in 13 years because it doesn't go as hard as Watch Out! or Crisis, you're entitled to your opinion but you're not doing yourself any favours as a fan; hell, in 2009 they were already singing "we are not the kids we used to be", and tacking on another 13 years' worth of emotional distance was never going to reinstate Alexisonfire as kings of screamo while its members are in or approaching their forties. One has to also consider all of the musical explorations they've exposed themselves to through other projects; while the most obvious example is Dallas Green's long-running City and Colour (which has arguably become more popular and acclaimed than AoF, if we're being honest), you've also got George Pettit's work with Dead Tired and Jordan Hasting's drumming with Say Yes and Billy Talent. Then there's Wade MacNeil, who took over for Frank Carter as frontman of Gallows and later launched himself into scoring films and starting up the psychedelic rock outfit Dooms Children.

So, with all of this experience under their proverbial belts, it's foolish to believe that none of these elements would find their way into Otherness. While there were subtle hints toward their current musical direction to be heard on standalone singles Familiar Drugs and Complicit in 2019, the third and final of those singles was most telling; Season of the Flood displays some of those expansive psych elements and a greater focus on atmosphere than intensity. So as to say, the album as a whole prefers to deal in slow burns than violent speed.

Committed to the Con sets the stage beautifully, its references to societal division wrapped in a menacing mid-tempo storm of noise; the repeated refrain of "Which side are you on?" may as well be a defiant mission statement to fans, a paraphrased "Are you coming with us on this new sonic journey or do you just want to listen to Waterwings again?" (okay, I admit I'm reading too much into it, but you get my point). A pair of pre-release singles helped to drive the point home; Sweet Dreams of Otherness allows ample space for Pettit's throat-shredding screams and Green's unmistakably melodic crooning, while Sans Soleil's harmonic layering and soaring chorus position Alexisonfire as close as they've ever gotten to radio friendly territory.

After such a methodically slow start, Conditional Love hits harder as the tempo picks up and anyone pining for a hint of that old fire is treated to a gleefully intense three minutes before sinking back into the album's prevalent atmosphere with the gloomy tones and heavy melodies of Blue Spade, which features a rare instance of George Pettit singing rather than screaming; I'd be lying if I said there was much range in his singing voice, but it certainly doesn't sound bad and it's nice to get yet another layer on an album that's already revealed many.

There's very little drop-off on the album's second half, as evidenced by the six-minute thrill ride Dark Night of the Soul; after an a capella intro, the song shape shifts through tempos and styles as it progresses, even offering a dreamy instrumental section halfway through that will no doubt become transcendent when jammed upon in a live setting. It's followed by the tender and emotional Mistaken Information which, like Sans Soleil earlier, plays like an amped up City and Colour track. To be clear, I don't intend any negative connotation with that statement; these are beautiful songs, and unapologetically so.

Out of nowhere, a thick '80s synth stab opens Survivor's Guilt, acting as a distraction and/or palate cleanser before a furious, sinister groove smashes through the speakers (fun fact: in addition to his work with Alexisonfire George Pettit is also a firefighter, and this song draws inspiration from some of his experiences on the job). The penultimate track, Reverse the Curse, stood out as a pre-release single for being the most Alexisonfire-like song teased before Otherness' release; indeed, this song keeps that status on the album as a whole, picking up the tempo and allowing for a bit of that classic energy to flow one more time.

We're then left with World Stops Turning, a sprawling and outstanding closer; opening with a gentle acoustic guitar before the full band joins in with an immediate majestic turn, this song reveals its melodic secrets slowly over the course of its first half. By the time its glorious final three minutes arrives, the band is fully locked in and reaching for the heavens; in this stunning and near-perfect conclusion, every strength is accentuated, from MacNeil's sinewy soloing to the rhythm section's masterful groove to Green and Pettit's duelling vocals. Then, a reprisal of the acoustic intro, and we can all start the recovery process from what we were just hit with.

I think it's important to acknowledge that Otherness could have just as easily never existed; even with the reunion shows and one off singles, it took inter-band reconciliations, artistic/personal growth and a global pandemic to really get the wheels rolling on this project. It's also important to mention that the talented human beings behind its creation could have just as easily focused their energy on their own outlets, and never committed to working together as a band toward the common goal of releasing a new Alexisonfire record. Thankfully, as though the universe willed it to happen, Otherness does exist; moreover, it's a tangible and enduring reminder that a reunion album needn't deal in rehashing old tropes or peddling nostalgia to achieve a new career best.

June 24, 2022 • Dine Alone

Highlights Committed to the Con • Dark Night of the Soul • World Stops Turning