There is something that I love about ALESANA.  They’ve got this stylistic musical direction that almost seems to create its own following.  ALESANA is a screamo / metalcore band that adds in a poetic, conceptual, and sometimes an epic feeling, grasping the listener for their last breath.  Musically, ALESANA has a ton of great pop sensibilities, and I love how guitarist / clean vocalist Shawn Milke seems to change character throughout The Emptiness, especially with all the mood swings – the man has really expanded his vocal range here.  Along with this, these guys know how to get heavy.  Their mixture of both modern melodic metal and post hardcore shows great balance that fits ALESANA well.  The band keeps things entertaining, and is definitely one of the more artsy bands in this side of the genre.  This may look like a weird comparison, but ALESANA reminds me a little bit of Panic At The Disco!, at least with that entertaining and broadway-like feel that makes for an interesting listen.  ALESANA can get pretty dark at times, and ignite sparks of hope a heartbeat later - again the mood swings on The Emptiness are great.  There’s even a storyline filled with murder, time travel, and many more thrills.  Get ready for the story, and get ready for the show!

Their first single, “The Thespian”, is a hot track that demands your attention right away.

The clean vocals from guitarist / vocalist Shawn Milke are as moving as can be, pulling your heart’s strings, and the mood itself just gives you a good feeling inside.  Don’t forget his partner in crime on the screams, Dennis Lee, who has a pretty good range of highs and lows.  The two really team up great together, considering all of the twists and turns involved in The Emptiness.  ALESANA sure adds a ton of memorable melody in “The Thespian”, and I believe this song is where the band has found their sound.  You should have no problem singing along.  The Emptiness is filled with a ton of great songs, and I do love the ones that grab you more as metal songs.  Songs such as “The Artist” and “The Murderer” start out with some great and stylistic melodic metal intros, while other songs like “To Be Scared By An Owl” show more of a rock groove, which I must say they are pretty good at.  And how about their song, “The Lover”?  Man oh man there's some pretty killer riffs on that song!

If you don’t own a copy of The Emptiness, you should really go out and pick up a copy.  And catch them in concert as well if you get the chance.  They’ve really been a touring machine lately, and have an incredibly loyal fanbase that’s bound to keep getting bigger.  If ALESANA created such a beast of a CD with The Emptiness, their future is going to continue to grow rapidly!