Asking Alexandria, “Where Do We Go From Here?”

English rockers Asking Alexandria have quietly built a reputation as one of the most dynamic and reliable bands in heavy music. Their eighth album, Where Do We Go From Here?, asks a fitting question as it seamlessly fuses the band’s identities into one cohesive piece.

There’s no more example of that chemical reaction of melody and ferocity than on opening track “Bad Blood.” Danny Worsnop jumps from gruff, bluesy singing to a guttural scream. The music follows suit, bouncing between dark atmospherics and a relentless punishing attack. Drummer James Cassells delivers the pulsating blast beats while guitarists Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell offer up the riffs.

“Things Could Be Different” raises the stakes, combining a danceable upbeat rhythm with a brutal scream-laden metal attack, even sprinkling in some electronic and orchestral elements into the mix.

The heavy/soft fusion isn’t unique to Asking Alexandria, but the band excels at never losing sight of the infectious and anthemic nature of its songwriting. An example is evident on “Let the Dead Take Me,” with a memorable chorus that explodes with energy.

“Take me down to the river of the hopeless/ Wash my sins if the dead take me,” Worsnop sings.

The band is known for throwing in a good share of curveballs, as it does on “Psycho.” The song maintains its heaviness while verging into pop territory. Yet even with the stylistic shapeshifting, Worsnop’s voice is up for the test, getting stronger the more unorthodox the assignment.

Some of the band’s contemporaries are evident in its sound. Papa Roach, Atreyu and Shinedown can all be reference points, but Asking Alexandria keeps the style its own.

Without the driving bass drumming on the chorus, “Nothing Left” might veer into power ballad territory. Instead, it packs a punch, reaching a crescendo on a melodic chorus. “Dark Void” sounds like it will be one of the heavier tracks with an extended scream igniting the intro, but the sound shifts back toward a more melodic direction.

Then, dramatic mid-tempo rocker “Let Go” accelerates into a fist-pumping rocker. It features an uncredited female vocalist that adds an extra layer of depth. “Feel” trades the heavy guitar riffs, if only briefly, for more of an atmospheric and synth-laden verse before the heavy riffs kick back in for the rousing chorus. “Kill It With Fire” takes on the identity of a classic punk rock track. It’s an unrelenting one-minute romp filled with screams, churning riffs and light-speed drumming. It makes for an unexpectedly natural transition into emo-influenced hard rocker “Holding On to Something More.”

It’s like with each passing track, Asking Alexandria mixes in an earworm hook or a chorus in the right places.

The only true ballad is the title track, which closes the album. The acoustic and piano-laden “Where Do We Go From Here?”  is a masterful fusion of hard rock personality with vulnerability. Worsnop’s voice once again carries the day, offering a dynamic aggressive-to-soft shift. A layering of harmonies takes things home, sounding like a choir as the song fades away.

Follow writer Mike DeWald at Twitter.com/mike_dewald.