German metalcore act Burning Down Alaska gathered good momentum in 2016, building a loyal fanbase and touring the UK in support of Being As An Ocean, but that came to a halt when the band cryptically posted a picture on Facebook with the caption “2012-2017”. Much to their fans’ relief it wasn’t the end for the band, but simply a rebirth; having made a change in personnel and musical direction, the band could no longer relate to the old moniker. Now under the name Alazka, ‘Phoenix’ is the debut full length from the rebranded quintet.
The introduction of clean vocalist Kassim Auale in 2016 has been a catalyst for these changes and his participation in ‘Phoenix’ will no doubt be divisive for followers of the band’s previous incarnation. Fans of Burning Down Alaska’s abrasive, fully screamed brand of metalcore may find that Auale’s pop-tinged vocals smooth the band’s edge too far, but for those who enjoy their aggressive music with a large side of melody, there’s a lot to enjoy here and this melodic expansion will no doubt open the band up to a wider audience.
Formerly a contest on Germany’s version of X Factor, Auale brings melody to the record via a silky smooth, R&B tone that packs a staggering amount of soul and emotion. His tone and subtle inflections demonstrate a wonderful control of his instrument and the nuances in his voice create a plethora of memorable melodies. ‘Ghost’, ‘Empty Throne’ and ‘Phoenix’ are stand-out examples of hooks that stay in your head for days, making this record as impressive a platform for Auale’s introduction as Downtown Battle Mountain was for then-Dance Gavin Dance vocalist Jonny Craig.
With the powerful vocal pairing of Auale and aggressive vocalist Tobias Rische taking centre stage, the musical aspects of the band provide more of a foundation, rather than imposing directly on the songs. The guitars are substantial and well produced, providing a solid base for the vocalists to build from and there are still echoes of the melodic hardcore direction of the band’s past thanks to the occasional use of ambient lead lines to add warm ambience in the background. Moments of individual flair do appear in the form of guitar solos towards the end of ‘Ghost’ and ‘Everything’, which add a fresh texture.
Alazka’s series of short, catchy alternative songs offer some of the best vocals that you’ll find in this genre, but with little distinction in the instrumentals, the band haven’t differentiated themselves too much from their peers. ‘Phoenix’ is a confident, impressive debut that introduces the band’s new direction and highlights their new secret weapon in vocalist Auale and if they can inject more originality and variation in the music beneath, they’ll have a powerful sound that could see them emerge as future stars in this genre.
MARK JOHNSON