Today,ALEXISONFIREis excited to announceOtherness, the first full-length album in over 13 years from the bandRolling Stonedeclared "put Canadian post-hardcore on the map."Othernesswill be released on June 24 via Dine Alone Records. The album features 10 new tracks including the explosive first single, "Sweet Dreams Of Otherness" which can be heardHERE. The album is produced byAOFand mixed by punk stalwart Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, Career Suicide).
George Pettit says,"This song was largely Dallas' brain child but over the course of writing this record it became more of a mission statement for the band. It's kind of about performance and embracing a new found confidence in a state of peculiarity."
Pre-orders for physical variants will be available as of Friday, March 11 at 4pm GMTHERE. Each vinyl variant is 2x12" with a gatefold jacket and printed inner sleeves. A limited deluxe edition variant, with an alternate lenticular cover will also be available alongside curatedOthernessmerchandise. See below for details and images on physical variants available for pre-order.
A video for "Sweet Dreams Of Otherness" directed by the inimitable actor/director Jay Baruchel (Goon,This Is The End,Random Acts of Violence, How to Train Your Dragon) premieres via theAlexisonfire YouTube channelat 11pm GMT tonight. Fans can sign up for reminders to view the premiere alongside the band who will join fans worldwide in conversation in the moments leading up to the premiere.
Stream / share "Sweet Dreams Of Otherness"HEREon Spotify or on your streaming platform of choice.
A continuousthread through the fabric of Alexisonfire is the state of otherness. Otherness drew us all to spaces where a band like this could be formed. We attract the type ofindividuals that have all felt the sensation of being strange or unique. Perceived or otherwise, otherness has followed us through childhood, adolescence, and into our adult lives. It drives our tastes and proclivities. It bonds us with ourselves and others. And make no mistake, even at our most domestic and mundane moments, we are true outliers.
-Othernessmission statement
Othernessis the band's most cohesive and self-actualised record to date. For those who need a refresher,AOFreleased four hugely successful studio albums, all Music Canada Platinum-certified:Alexisonfire(2002),Watch Out(2004),Crisis(2006), andOld Crows / Young Cardinals(2009).Crisisdebuted at #1 on the Top 200 Soundscan (Canada), andOld Crows / Young Cardinalsdebuted at #2, and charted at #9 on the US Billboard Independent Album chart. The number of albums made outside ofAlexisonfireby different band members over the years - including City and Colour, Dead Tired, You+Me (with pop icon P!nk), Dooms Children, and Billy Talent - could fill several record store racks.
The mix of classicAlexisonfireand newfound textures of "Sweet Dreams Of Otherness" became a roadmap for the rest of the record. Dallas Green's engaging croon; the urgent attitude of Wade MacNeil; the heavy bellow of George Pettit; all anchored by a mix of vulnerability, confidence, iconoclasm, and celebratory recklessness. As everyAlexisonfiresong persistently expands and contracts, bassist Chris Steele and drummer Jordan Hastings remain impossibly tight, locked into unrelenting swinging grooves.
AlexisonfireproducedOthernessthemselves in roughly a week. They kept it a "family affair," working closely with folks who've been with them for years. Writing took place at the Dine Alone Records clubhouse. The album includes organ, keys, and pedal steel from Green's longtime collaborator Matt Kelly. Jill Zimmerman and Darren "Jeter" Magierowski (who is also Steele's cousin) engineered, at Jukasa Recording Studios.
"The biggest difference is the space we are all in. We were all really thrilled to make a record, and it was such a respite from what was going on in the world. It felt like life could be beautiful,"MacNeil says."We were supportive of one another. Everyone was in such a good mood. It was such a treat to be able to do it again."
AsRevolver Magazinenoted in 2019:"It's hard to overstate the influence Alexisonfire had in post-hardcore through the mid-2000s, their combination of singing and screaming setting the blueprint for many artists to come."Five guys playing aggressive rock (with no less than three of them singing and screaming) grew to a hockey-arena headlining phenomenon while pushing and pulling between spirited guitar leads, melodic might, and emotional weight.
"As much as we love playing the old songs, we don't want to be a nostalgia act. The only reason to come back is if we feel we still have something to say,"Pettit insists."We spent so much time on the road thinking that if we stopped, people would lose interest. But when we went away, it only got bigger. We all carved new paths for ourselves, so coming back to Alexisonfire is a purely enjoyable creative venture. Something special happens when we get in a room together."
OthernessTracklist
01. Committed To The Con
02. Sweet Dreams Of Otherness
03. Sans Soleil
04. Conditional Love
05. Blue Spade
06. Dark Night Of The Soul
07. Mistaken Information
08. Survivor's Guilt
09. Reverse The Curse
10. World Stops Turning
Upcoming pre-order links:
Digital + physical - https://alexisonfirestream.com/AOFOtherness
Physical only - https://alexisonfirestream.com/Othernessvinyl
2022 Tour Dates
March 18 - Lollapalooza Chile - Santiago, Chile
March 20 - CWB Hall - Curitiba, Brazil (headline)
March 21 -CWB Hall - Curitiba, Brazil (headline)
March 23 - Vivo Rio - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil*
March 24 - Audio - São Paulo, Brazil*
March 26 - Lollapalooza Brasil- São Paulo, Brazil
March 27 - Teatro Flores - Buenos Aires, Argentina (headline)
May 21 - Welcome to Rockville - Daytona Beach, FL
May 29 - So What Music Festival - Dallas, TX
June 3 - Slam Dunk Festival - Temple Newsam, Leeds - UK (headline)
June 4 - Slam Dunk Festival - Hatfield Park, Hatfield - UK (headline)
July 13 - RBC Bluesfest - Ottawa, ON
September 23-25 - Furnace Fest - Birmingham, AL
October 6 - Aftershock - Sacramento, CA
*co-headline w/A Day To Remember
ALEXISONFIRE ONLINE:
https://www.theonlybandever.com
