Asking Alexandria are an English rock band formed in York, North Yorkshire, consisting of guitarist Cameron Liddell, drummer James Cassells, vocalist Danny Worsnop, and bassist Sam Bettley.
Initially formed in 2006 by Ben Bruce, the band officially established as a six-piece in 2008 with the founding line-up consisting of Bruce, Worsnop, Cassells, Liddell, Joe Lancaster and Ryan Binns. After the departure of Lancaster and Binns, as well as the recruitment of bassist Sam Bettley in 2009, the band released their debut album Stand Up and Scream (2009). The band released two studio albums Reckless & Relentless (2011) and From Death to Destiny (2013), before the departure of Worsnop in January 2015. He was replaced by Denis Stoff and the band released The Black (2016). Stoff departed from the band in October that year, and Worsnop subsequently returned to the band. The band released their self-titled fifth album in late 2017, which was a marked stylistic departure from their previous works. Their sixth studio album, Like a House on Fire, which was released in 2020, showed the group's continuity of a more straightforward and melodic hard rock sound, while also shifting into different genres. Its follow-up and their seventh studio album, See What's on the Inside, was released in 2021. Their eighth studio album, Where Do We Go from Here?, was released in 2023.
History Background and early iterations (2003–2008) In 2003, guitarist Ben Bruce originally founded a group while living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, initially named Amongst Us. The band was later renamed End of Reason before settling on the name Asking Alexandria in 2006. This early iteration of Asking Alexandria had multiple releases, including the debut EP Tomorrow. Hope. Goodbye (2006), followed by the self-released debut album The Irony of Your Perfection (2007). At age 17, Bruce returned to Nottingham, England due to homesickness. Although the Emirati musicians initially accompanied him, he ultimately formed an entirely new lineup under the same name with local members. Among them was lead vocalist Danny Worsnop, whom the two became close friends, Bruce had even invited Worsnop to move into his flat in York.
Formation, early releases and Stand Up and Scream (2008–2009)
The newly founded Asking Alexandria started in 2008, and was a six-piece after recruiting Ryan Binns on synthesizers, James Cassells on drums, Joe Lancaster on bass and Cameron Liddell on rhythm guitar. Later that year, Binns decided to leave the band. In January 2009, Lancaster also decided to leave and was replaced with Sam Bettley. Lancaster later joined the metalcore band With One Last Breath.
Bruce carried the name of his previous Dubai-based band over to his new one, due to not wanting the bother of coming up with a new one. However, he insists that despite having the same name, it is not the same band. When asked why he chose that particular name, he explained that "Most bands have a pretty shit band name, so I just came up with something. I came up with Alexandria as a human name, because people relate to humans."
The English Asking Alexandria's debut album Stand Up and Scream was recorded during Spring 2009 and was produced by Joey Sturgis. The band signed to Sumerian Records and released their debut album on the label on 15 September. The album charted only in the US peaking at 4 in the Top Heatseekers, 24 in the Top Hard Rock Albums and 29 in the Top Independent Albums. Four singles were released from Stand Up and Scream: "Final Episode (Let's Change the Channel)", "A Prophecy", "If You Can't Ride Two Horses at Once... You Should Get Out of the Circus", and "Not the American Average". On 3 December 2014, the single "Final Episode (Let's Change the Channel)" was certified gold by the RIAA after 500,000 copies were sold in the US. On 30 March 2017, the band's fourth single "Not the American Average" was also certified gold by the RIAA after 500,000 copies were sold in the US. The band toured across America as a support act for the remainder of the year, supporting Evergreen Terrace along with For the Fallen Dreams and Unholy in October, and Alesana along with From First to Last, The Word Alive and Memphis May Fire in November and December.
Reckless & Relentless (2010–2012)
They toured across the US as a headlining act in March with bands We Came as Romans, From First to Last, Our Last Night, and A Bullet For Pretty Boy. The band supported metalcore outfit Attack Attack! throughout March and April along with Breathe Carolina, I See Stars and Bury Tomorrow in the US. They later supported Dance Gavin Dance during their European tour in April to early May along with In Fear and Faith, during which they performed at The Bamboozle festival on 1 May. The band performed at the "Thrash & Burn" tour as a headline act along with Born of Osiris, Kittie and Stick to Your Guns from 16 July to 14 August in America.
After touring the band announced that they would release a limited edition EP and DVD titled Life Gone Wild both digitally and excursively at Hot Topic on 21 December 2010 and would feature a new song titled "Breathless" which was initially a demo for their second album Stand Up and Scream and multiple covers while the DVD provides video footage of the band themselves. The band also announced that they would release a remix album titled Stepped Up and Scratched and was initially announced as the remix version of their debut and would be released in January 2011, however was later announced to be released in November instead and would contain remixes of songs from their to be released second album. Their third album, titled Reckless & Relentless was released 4 April 2011. This time, the album did chart in the UK, peaking at 7 on the UK Rock Chart, and also charted in Australia at 30 on the Australian Albums Chart. The band also released a cover of Akon's song "Right Now (Na Na Na)" for the Punk Goes... compilation series, specifically for the album Punk Goes Pop 3.
Asking Alexandria later performed at the "Soundwave 2011 Festival" in Australia during late February and early March. In April and May, the band headlined in the UK with support acts Of Mice & Men and Chelsea Grin. Also in April comedian Charlie Sheen had offered the band a spot on his 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth' tour across the US however the band had to turn it down due to their touring schedule at the time, but expressed their flattery and admitted to being fans of Sheen. The group was also the headliner for the Vans Warped Tour 2011 in July. The band co-headlined a toured with rap rock band Hollywood Undead throughout November across America, dubbed the World War III tour. After their tour both bands supported Avenged Sevenfold during their headline arena tour throughout the remainder of November to mid December.
In 2012, the band was listed by Revolver under the most anticipated albums of 2012, with Danny Worsnop giving the statement that the general sound of the album will be a "...musical baby of Mötley Crüe and Slipknot." In March the band participated in Dallas' 'South By So What?!' festival and later toured with support acts Trivium, Dir En Grey, I See Stars, Motionless in White and the Amity Affliction throughout North America from early March to early April, naming the tour 'Still Reckless'.
In early May, the band debuted a trailer for their short film titled Through Sin and Self-Destruction featuring the band members, said to contain a "controversial, uncensored look into the real lives of a new era of rock stars for today's generation" and was officially released on iTunes on 15 May. The film itself consists of the three music videos from their second album: "Reckless & Relentless", "To the Stage" and "Dear Insanity".
On 5 August, the band performed at the 2012 Mayhem Festival tour along with other bands such as Motörhead, Slayer and Slipknot. Later the same month, the band offered a free download for their new song titled "Run Free" and was said to be from their third album that had yet to be announced. A month later, when asked about the sound of the third album, Ben Bruce explained that the band had matured and in order to excel in their career they will be recording and releasing radio friendly singles, however this will not result in the sound of the overall album as he describes the rest of the album to be "balls-to-the-wall kind of stuff", adding that it would be released in 2013.
In November, the band headlined in Monster Energy's 'Outbreak Tour' throughout November and December across North America with support acts As I Lay Dying, Memphis May Fire, Attila and I See Stars who replaced Suicide Silence who had issues regarding the death of their singer, Mitch Lucker. Also in November, the band performed at Metalfest California along the likes of Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying and Black Veil Brides. On 30 November, the band released an EP exclusively through Revolver Magazine for free via subscription, containing covers of 80's rock bands including; Whitesnake, Journey, Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, along with their song Run Free released earlier that year.
Towards the end of their Outbreak tour, Danny Worsnop sustained a torn vocal cord, causing him to sit out the New York performance and allow the singers of Atilla and I See Stars, along with a multi-talented roadie to perform vocal duties. Despite the injury the singer later performed at the memorial concert for Suicide Silence's Mitch Lucker in order to raise money for his now fatherless daughter.
From Death to Destiny (2013–2014)
After Worsnop tore his vocal cord in December 2012, he visited a doctor weeks prior to the events of January 2013, giving an update that he will need to rest his vocals until he has recovered fully but also reassured fans that this will not hinder the release of their third album as the majority of the recording had been complete before his injury. In January, they performed a short headline tour across the UK with support acts Motionless in White and Betraying the Martyrs. In late March, the band released the first song of their third album titled "The Death of Me", and announced that the album will be released later that year in Summer. The official release date was later revealed to be 6 August with the album title, From Death to Destiny.
The band toured across America in April and June with Whitechapel, Motionless in White, Chimaira and I Killed the Prom Queen, dubbing the tour 'Don't Pray for Us'. Also in April the band partook in the Rocklahoma festival. The band also performed at Rock on the Range festival in mid May. The band later performed at Rock AM Ring in Germany, Download in England, Graspop in Belgium and also With Full Force in Australia in June.
From Death to Destiny was successfully released on 6 August, and became the band's highest-charting album to date and their label's highest first-week selling album, debuting at 5 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 41,000 units. In September the band participated in the annual Aftershock Festival and later toured with nu metal band Korn in America in September and October as a support act, along with Love and Death. The band embarked on their own 'From Death to Destiny' tour in October after touring with Korn, featuring support acts All That Remains, Sevendust and Emmure, across America.