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Alexisonfire's "Self-Titled" record has actually been out for well over a year, but their full influx wasn't felt in the United States until the band signed with Equal Vision Records, on which the album was re-released with updated packaging, art and CD-Rom enhancements. I had actually heard a copy of the Distort Records version, and was impressed by the fact that Alexisonfire could remain in a group of bands characterized by Thrice and Thursday, but expand on the genre and create their own raw sound. More than one year later, upon listening to this album again, I still feel that it is a strong effort with a gritty punch.
One of Alexisonfire's main draws is the guitar work throughout the record. The dual guitar attack works wonders for the band, allowing the two to develop some interesting interplay and combinations. While there is some spastic picking, Alexisonfire doesn't go overboard and instead employs a proportional balance between intricate picking, more technical noodling, and chunky chords. Alternating between explosive moments and subdued, sometimes atmospheric passages, Alexisonfire creates a lot of tension and energetic climaxes that give the music a lot of dramatic feeling.
Without the intense guitar attack, Alexisonfire would surely lose some of their punch, as the remaining aspects of their sound are fairly run of the mill. Three band members contribute vocals, but it ultimately is a singing and screaming combination, with the two overlapping quite frequently. Raspy screams dominate the vocals, but there is a healthy portion of relatively unpolished singing. The drumming isn't very flashy, but remains precise and gets the stamp of approval, as do the bass parts (although "Adelleda" has some notable bass lines).
Alexisonfire luckily can structure songs well, as is proven by their usage of lengthy introductions and numerous bridges. Although each song goes through a good deal of separate parts, they manage to flow smoothly, a quality that seems to be really strong in "A Dagger Through The Heart Of St. Angeles." The song begins with some chaotic drum and guitar work, drifts into a delicate passage, and is once again set into motion for a climactic ending by a scream of "Go!" "Polaroids Of Polar Bears" evolves in a similar fashion, while "The Kennedy Curse" sees Alexisonfire entering melodic hardcore territory, with some upbeat tempos and metallic guitar riffing. And growled vocals at the end -- a nice touch in my mind.
If you've read this far into the review without dismissing this "Self-Titled" record, then you'll definitely want to give it a listen. Even if the (very) melodic hardcore sound has become terribly common in the last year, I can't help but enjoy most of the material presented here. There is some life in the genre, and it will be exciting to see where Alexisonfire takes their music in the future.
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