The Black (Asking Alexandria album)
| The Black | ||||
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| Studio album by Asking Alexandria | ||||
| Released | 25 March 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:41 | |||
| Label | Sumerian | |||
| Producer | Joey Sturgis | |||
| Asking Alexandria chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Black | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | (90/100) |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Ultimate Guitar |  |
| Rock Sound |   |
| Alternative Press | |
The Black is the fourth studio album by English metalcore band Asking Alexandria. It was released on 25 March 2016, and is their first and only album to feature second lead vocalist Denis Stoff, who replaced original lead vocalist Danny Worsnop. Worsnop returned to the band in October of 2016. It was preceded by the singles "I Won't Give In" released on 26 May 2015, "Undivided" released on 25 September 2015, and the album's eponymous track "The Black" released on 2 February 2016. The first song on the album, "Let It Sleep", was released on 3 March 2016, with a music video for the track being released the following day.
On 22 January 2015, former frontman Danny Worsnop announced his departure from the band to focus his work on hard rock band We Are Harlot, however, he stated that the band will continue touring as well. This has been done with the induction of former Down & Dirty and newly introduced Asking Alexandria frontman Denis Stoff. Stoff's Asking Alexandria covers on his YouTube account above92 had drawn the attention of Ben Bruce, with Bruce stating that "it had to be Denis" for whom he was praised for his much greater vocal range and his style which was inspired by Worsnop during the band's early stages, believing he was capable of performing their songs live on a much higher level than his predecessor. Moreover, just like Asking Alexandria, Stoff's previous bands were contracted to Sumerian Records, which may have granted him an easier transition on succeeding Danny Worsnop.
Stoff was also commended by the band and their fans for his enthusiasm towards the band that the remaining members felt had been a missing presence during the past few years with Worsnop as lead vocalist. Ben Bruce, on Danny's gradual loss of interest in performing with the band, stated that his departure was “inevitable” and “needed to happen for… I wanna say a few months, but it’s probably more like a few years.” He added, “Danny just stopped caring about Asking Alexandria; his heart wasn’t in it anymore. He didn’t like screaming, he didn’t like heavy music, he didn’t like the fans, he didn’t like anything to do with Asking Alexandria.” Bruce felt that Stoff's introduction to the band was "the right choice to make", adding that "[I think Denis is] an incredibly talented vocalist, from the multiple wide range of screams that Asking Alexandria obviously needs and will continue to have, and his singing and range is out of this world. He’s been a fan of the band for a long time, so he’s familiar with all our old songs, and he really cares about the band.
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