Page 7 - Black Velvet Issue 96

BV96 pg6,7,8,9_BV96 pg07 13/03/2018 23:26 Page 2

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Ch-Ch-Changes

In December 2017, Asking Alexandria released their fifth studio album. It saw the return
of Danny Worsnop on vocals, after leaving the band in 2015. The reunion and release
brought about a refreshingly new style of music emanating from their renewed collabora-
tion, with songs such as ‘Alone In A Room’ and ‘Hopelessly Hopeful’ infused with smooth
and delightful melodies and big choruses. Black Velvet caught up with drummer James
Cassells on The Resurrection Tour, where he chatted about new fans, improving as people
and as a band, and changing the world – or one life.

n ‘Alone In A Room’, the opening track we should continue the way we began’.” often when you’re in the music industry and
Ion the new self-titled album, Danny the music business and you get to go to all
sings ‘I can be better than I was’. So we sking Alexandria have achieved so these crazy places, and play to so many
begin by asking James if he thinks the band Amuch since their formation in 2006. adoring fans and play so many beautiful ven-
are better today than they used to be. The band signed to Sumerian Records and ues, it’s all quite emotional. It’s like, ‘Wow!
James begins, “I think we’ve improved released their debut album, ‘Stand Up And Sick! This is happening!’”
on a lot of fronts, not just as musicians, but Scream’, in 2009. The album reached No. 4 The band stood out from most other
as friends, as adults, as men, really. A lot of in the Top Heatseekers chart. 2011 saw the bands at the time. Their brand of metalcore
things that happened and the things that release of ‘Reckless & Relentless’, which de- hit a special spot with the masses.
have been going on was the result of being buted in the top 5 of the Billboard 200 with James says, “I feel like back when we
a better band and a better group of people. I 2013’s ‘From Death To Destiny’ being the were first starting to get a bit of fame and put
think there are a lot of lyrics like that in the first album to reach No. 1 in the UK Rock & our stamp on the world, we were doing some
new album. There’s a lot of ‘We’ve got Metal albums chart. Those times brought things that were very different and quite… I
through this, this is what’s happened and many highs – and a few lows. “The first time don’t want to seem conceited, but kinda
this is what we’ve become’.” we played Brixton and sold it out, that was groundbreaking… kind of pushing the boat
When Danny announced his departure definitely an emotional time. Seeing these out, you know, and definitely making quite
from the band in January 2015, things were enormous crowds and playing these awe- an aggressive and abrasive style of music,
up in the air for Asking Alexandria. “I think but getting
at that moment there was quite a lot of re- quite a lot of
sentment and a lot of anger, I think both success from
ways. It had been a tough few years leading it, where
up to the split, and honestly, I do think it was maybe at that
something that needed to happen.” time there
As the saying goes, absence makes the weren’t so
heart grow fonder and after touring with many doing
Denis Stoff through the latter part of 2015 that, not in
and releasing ‘The Black’, which featured our realm
Denis on vocals, in March 2016, Danny made anyway…
amends with the band, later rejoining. “Our sec-
“Coming to the realization that we ond release
needed each other, not just as musicians, did quite well
but as friends, as people, it’s made us on the Bill-
stronger,” says James. “Sometimes the best board Charts
way to learn is to fail a bit, you know? Learn in America
the hard way. We both did. Some things were and we got
broken, but I think they have been mended played on TV
better than ever.” and shit, and
It seems that quite possibly the five it was quite
members – James and Danny are joined by crazy for the
founding member Ben Bruce on guitar, band who
Cameron Liddell on guitar and Sam Bettley have the
on bass – needed each other. “Yeah, I 100% most offen-
think we do,” agrees James. “I think we all sive songs
realized that. We went our separate ways and possible.”
did our things. We obviously carried on with The band
Asking for a bit, he did his stuff. After a reaped the
while, we realized, ‘Actually, you know, us rewards of
five guys, we started this thing together, we their hard
really had something magical,’ and I think we some venues and playing Download Festi- work, although found it hard to slow down.
wanted that back. Yeah, we did need Danny, val; we played main stage Download, that Life seemed to just be getting faster and
and he needed us. We’re better for realizing was like ‘Wow!’ I used to go to this festival faster.
it - on our own accord. It wasn’t someone when I was 16 and see all these bands on “A few years ago we were going through
saying “You need me,” you know what I this huge stage. That was like a dream come the motions and we were like, ‘how long can
mean? It was a mutual agreement of ‘Yeah, true. I feel like emotional moments are quite we go, we’re a ticking time bomb?’ Luckily

ASKING ALEXANDRIA