Alexisonfire is still on fire

With their iconic punk sound, sold out re-releases, and upcoming tour dates, Alexisonfire proves that staying relevant in 2016 is no accident.

Hailing from St. Catharines, Ontario, this post-hardcore band’s history dates back to the early 2000s. Since that time, members George Pettit (unclean vocals), Dallas Green (clean vocals, guitar, piano), Wade MacNeil (guitar, backing vocals), Chris Steele (bass guitar), and Jordan Hastings (drums, percussion) have released four studio albums, the most recent being 2009’s Old Crows / Young Cardinals. Even after various side projects and a break up, Alexisonfire somehow managed to reunite, and even now have plans to head out on tour to Australia at the beginning of 2017. A great indicator of how successful Alexisonfire remains is that within a day of announcing their 10th anniversary vinyl re-release of their third LP Crisis, it sold out.

But how is there still such a high demand for their music? What is it that makes their sound so appealing?

Well, one of the most notable and unique features of Alexisonfire is the presence of dual lead vocals. George Pettit’s gutteral screaming contrasted with Dallas Green’s emotional serenades stirs a huge range of emotions in the listener (a great example is “Control“). The wails of Pettit’s voice, accompanied by crunching power chords, and barrage of lead guitar licks instills a sensation of chaos, while Greens’s melodic and haunting tones, paired with drawn-out echoes of guitar in the background, evoke isolation and fear.

Alexisonfire has the ability to write tunes heavy enough to please hardcore fans, but can make them catchy as well — as exemplified by their biggest hits. “This Could Be Anywhere In The World” hits with heavy chord strums, screeching guitar hooks, and rasping howls, but the most memorable aspect is the emotional delivery of Green’s vocals, which ranges from achingly emotional to aggressively anguished.

Although Alexisonfire has a tough sounding exterior, they’re big softies too. Their ability to have songs that are both aggressive and emotional allow them to tackle a variety of dark subjects no one else can. For example, Pettit struggles with bi-polar disorder. Alexisonfire allows him to convey his thoughts and feelings of living with this condition so eloquently, something demonstrated in the song “Sharks and Danger.” While the song starts with the gentle echoes of guitar plucking and Green’s serene lulls, it gradually builds into a clusterfuck of guitar shredding and impassioned screams. Coupled with the fact the entire song is scored with a conversation taking place on a psychiatric health line, the track leaves you with a sense of misery and anxiety that “chokes (you) like razorwire.” The feeling of having bipolar disorder is brought to life in their music.

For a little band from Ontario, Alexisonfire has earned their place as a hardcore household name. Even to this day, their music can instill emotions ranging from destructive to sensitive, an achievement few other bands like them have been able to do effectively — they are, after all, “the only band ever.” If you didn’t get a chance to snag one of the limited edition vinyls, still have a listen to the Crisis, or take a trip out to Australia to listen live, and you’ll understand why Alexisonfire is still on fire.