HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: From Death To Destiny – Asking Alexandria

Music, not just rock and metal, has been full of tension and feuds throughout its history, however, the most infamous often come from in-band arguments and squabbles. From GUNS N’ ROSES to MÖTLEY CRÜE, OASIS to METALLICA, rock and metal albums have had blood, sweat, and tears go into their creation from the in-fighting and collision of ideas. In a weird sense, this has more often than not produced some muddling work, but on the rare occasion, the battle of creativity can make one of the band’s best albums, such as the case with ASKING ALEXANDRIA’s third album.

From Death To Destiny’s release came at a tense time between vocalist Danny Worsnop and the rest of the members, mainly lead guitarist Ben Bruce. Between Worsnop’s issues with his voice, and the band’s change in direction from their electronicore and metalcore beginnings, in hindsight, the band have spoken about their regrets in this period, as this was the last album before Worsnop temporarily left the band.

With Run Free as the lead single, released a full year before the album came out, this was the first taste fans got of this new direction, where there were still the unclean vocals that the AAFamily (the band’s fanbase) were accustomed to. In fact, the song is still within the metalcore genre, just with a softer edge to it that musically eased listeners into the new album era. However, even with this taste of the third album, there would be a lot of hurdles. A lot of the album was recorded on tour and in any studio they could find and book whilst on the road. In an interview, Bruce discussed how Worsnop would refuse to scream or sing on the songs the band wrote so there were a lot of compromises made in their recording.

Even so, the lyrics discuss topics of self-expression and freedom away from societal expectations and living life the way the person wants to, which could be an insight into the feelings in the band at that time as well as relatable to their demographic. Speaking of the lyrics, the album is full of themes like this, with songs like The Death Of Me, Break Down The Walls, Moving On, and The Road discussing similar themes of progressing onto something new, moving past the listener’s old self, and not wanting to be stuck in the same cycle as a touring musician. Whilst not new topics were heard in music, with the issues underneath the music at the time, it actually elevates the songs onto an incredible level that, looking back, still stands strong as a point in the band’s history. For example, Moving On is a hard rock ballad, with emotive guitar riffs and raw and emotional lyrics, especially from the point of view of a young musician and how much they sacrificed to make their dream happen, particularly with the lines “If I stop to catch my breath I might never breathe again” and “His red eyes tearing up at the man that he’d became/ Slowly but surely on the fast track to falling into his grave.”

Speaking of The Death Of Me, two versions of the song were created for the album, with the “Rock Mix” showcasing the band’s penchant for hard rock and their draw to the style, something they would embrace in more recent records. This version received a music video that not only depicted different vices in vending machines, relating to the band’s relation to substance addiction but also the iconography was used for the album’s cover, showcasing themselves, even their dark parts, even from the first look at the record. This is also evident from the first track of the record, Don’t Pray For Me, where audio from a show where Worsnop drunkenly fought the audience and Bruce telling the crowd they’ll help him get to rehab.

With all these feelings on display, it shows the band, even at their darkest points, weren’t afraid to shy away and play it all for their audience. Accompanied by exceptional drumming, fiery guitars, and heavy bass riffs across the board that kept to the metalcore structure and style whilst also exploring new territory in an effective manner that doesn’t deter long-time fans back when the album dropped and now. In addition, the album includes a collaboration with former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE vocalist Howard Jones on Until The End. With lyrics reading “I’m sick and tired of being admired/ I don’t deserve this pedestal you’ve put me on, no/ All I want is to be proud of who I am, I brought this hell upon myself/ Now I got to see it through until the end”, it’s a very heartfelt song that, aside from the “Rock Mix” version of The Death Of Me, acts as the final track on the album, as well as the last words from Worsnop before his exit, giving the song so much weight and depth, especially with the vocals from Jones.

Looking back, this is still an excellent record from a band that had many highs and lows throughout their career. Although Worsnop returned to the band and is still performing with them to this day, the album is still an interesting mark in the band’s career with where they were as musicians and as people. It’s also notable how the hard rock styles started here and would become more prevalent, remaining an influence on their more recent records. From Death To Destiny should be fondly remembered for the incredible musical ideas it put forward, as well as the raw lyricism displayed across all tracks. Its background assisted in its creation and create an open record that allows the listener to peek inside the band and relate more to who they are as people. A decade later, it’s still a record many resonate with and is still a standout in the band’s discography. 

From Death To Destiny was originally released on August 6 2013 via Sumerian Records.

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