From humble beginnings as a “local” opener for many shows across Southwestern Ontario over a number of years, St. Catharines, Ontario quintet Alexisonfire quickly caught the attention of many and have now toured the globe repeatedly. Having achieved legendary status in the process, the band returns with their first full-length record since 2009 entitled Otherness, due for release on June 24, 2022 via Dine Alone Records.
The familiar tones of frontman George Petit permeate Otherness, transporting many longtime fans back to their youth. There are no signs of rust present in the effort put forth by Petit and his bandmates, guitarists Wade MacNeil and Dallas Green (known also for his project City and Colour, which has collaborated with the likes of P!nk), bassist Chris Steele and drummer Jordan “Ratbeard” Hastings.
Otherness finds the perfect balance between Alexisonfire’s signature sound, heard on tracks such as “Conditional Love” while reaching new stylistic heights on “Sans Soleil,” the mesmerizing highlight of the album. The band’s experience shines through in the depth of the themes explored on Otherness, including wrestling with spirituality (“Is this what grace is?” sings Petit on “Blue Spade”).
While Alexisonfire may have enjoyed many years of mainstream success and have diligently utilized their platform to address societal injustice, the band was formed out of the very otherness for which the record is named. Speaking on the record’s title, the band states, “Otherness drew us all to spaces where a band like this could be formed…even at our most domestic and mundane moments, we are true outliers.”
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TAGS: Alexisonfire | Dine Alone Records
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