Alesana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alesana
|
|
|---|---|
Shawn Milke (left) and Dennis Lee in 2010
|
|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels |
|
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
Alesana (pronounced AL-iss-AN-uh) is an American post-hardcore band. They formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2004. The band was started by Steven Tomany, Daniel Magnuson, Shawn Milke, Dennis Lee, and Patrick Thompson.
Alesana is known for mixing different sounds. Their music often goes from light and soft parts to heavy and loud sections. They use influences from pop, punk, metal, and classic rock. Their third album, The Emptiness (2010), helped them gain many more fans. The band's name comes from Aliceanna Street in Baltimore, where Shawn Milke and Patrick Thompson lived when they were younger.
Contents
Band History: How Alesana Started
Early Days and First Songs (2004–2005)
Shawn Milke and Patrick Thompson lived in Baltimore, Maryland, in the early 2000s. They played in a few bands there. They later decided to move to Raleigh, North Carolina, because they liked the music scene. In Raleigh, they met Dennis Lee, Steven Tomany, and Daniel Magnuson.
With these new members, Alesana officially formed in October 2004. The band's name was inspired by Aliceanna Street in Baltimore. This street is in a neighborhood called Fells Point.
Alesana was the first band to sign with Tragic Hero Records in 2005. Three of their demo songs were on a music collection called All The Tragedy Money Can Buy. In May 2005, they released their first EP (a short album) called Try This With Your Eyes Closed. That same year, their first drummer, Daniel Magnuson, left. Will Anderson replaced him, and then Jeremy Bryan became the new drummer. Alesana then toured across the United States. They even played at the Cornerstone Christian music festival.
First Full Album and New Members (2006–2008)
In 2006, Adam Ferguson joined the band as a guitarist and singer. They released their first full album, On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax, in the summer of 2006. This album was their first "concept album." Most of the songs were based on old Greek mythology stories.
Later in 2006, Alesana signed with Fearless Records. This label re-released their album in March 2007. They also made a music video for their song "Ambrosia." In 2007, the song "Apology" was released as an acoustic (unplugged) version on a collection called Punk Goes Acoustic 2. Steven Tomany left the band and Shane Crump joined as the new bassist. Shawn Milke's sister, Melissa Milke, also started singing female vocals on their songs.
In early 2008, On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax appeared on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. It reached number 44.
New Album and Tours (2008–2009)
In 2008, Alesana finished their second album, Where Myth Fades to Legend. It came out on June 3, 2008. The album's title was also the name of their tour. They toured with bands like Sky Eats Airplane and Our Last Night.
During the 2008 Warped Tour, Shane Crump had to leave for a short time. Jake Campbell filled in as bassist. When Shane came back, Adam Ferguson left the band. Jake Campbell then became the new guitarist and singer.
On January 20, 2009, they released a music video for "Seduction." On March 10, 2009, Alesana's cover of "What Goes Around...Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake was released. This was on the album Punk Goes Pop 2. Where Myth Fades to Legend reached #96 on the Billboard 200 chart. It also hit #13 on the Billboard Hard Rock Album chart.
The Emptiness and More Success (2009–2010)
In early 2009, Shawn Milke announced that Alesana was writing new music. They started recording their third album in July 2009. The album was called The Emptiness. The band let fans follow their progress online.
After recording, Alesana went on their "Vs." tour. They played two new songs, "To Be Scared By An Owl" and "The Thespian." They then headlined the "You'd Be Way Cuter in a Coffin" Tour. On October 15, Milke and Lee said they were making a music video for a song from The Emptiness. Milke also said the album would be released on January 26, 2010.
On November 23, Alesana released "To Be Scared By An Owl" as a single. They then filmed their video for "The Thespian," which came out on December 8, 2009. In 2009, Alesana won "Best Hardcore/Screamo Band" at the Rock on Request Awards.
Before the 2010 Warped Tour, guitarist Jake Campbell left the band. Alex Torres from Greeley Estates took his place. When The Emptiness was released, it reached #68 on the Billboard 200. This made it their best-selling album at that time.
In July 2010, Milke said he loves writing stories and music. He called The Emptiness his "first printed story." He also said new music for Alesana was already being created. The band announced a tour called Two Frail Weeks of Vanity and Wax. On this tour, they played their first album, On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax, from start to finish. In November 2010, Alesana left Fearless Records and signed with Epitaph Records.
A Place Where the Sun Is Silent (2011)
In early 2011, the band confirmed they were working on a new album. They recorded new songs in March 2011. By summer, the recording was finished. Alex Torres, Shane Crump, and Dennis Lee confirmed the mixing was done. The album was named A Place Where the Sun Is Silent and was released on October 18.
Before the release, many magazines and websites promoted the album. On August 24, 2011, Alternative Press released the first song from the album, "A Gilded Masquerade." On September 20, Buzznet streamed "A Forbidden Dance."
This album was based on Dante Alighieri's famous 14th-century poem, Inferno. On December 20, 2011, the song "Circle VII: Sins of the Lion" was voted best song of 2011 by Revolver magazine readers.
New Projects and Confessions (2012–2015)
In May 2012, Dennis Lee started a side band called Child of the Jackyl. Shawn Milke also released music with his side project, Tempting Paris. Later that year, Alesana announced that Alex Torres was leaving the band. Jake Campbell then returned to Alesana.
On May 8, Milke announced that the band had left Epitaph Records. Their next album would be released by themselves. They planned to release it in the fall. Shawn Milke would produce the album.
On March 27, 2014, Alesana released a new song called "Double Or Nothing." This song was from their The Decade EP.
On September 12, 2014, Shawn Milke was interviewed about their next album. He said it would be the last part of their "Annabel trilogy." This album would also be based on "The Time Quintet" book series by Madeleine L'Engle.
On February 24, 2015, the band announced Confessions. This album was the third and final part of the Annabel trilogy. Confessions was released through Revival Recordings. The first song, "Oh, How The Mighty Have Fallen," came out on March 17. Alesana also went on a tour with other bands like Capture The Crown.
On April 2, 2015, the song "Comedy of Errors" was released. A music video was also filmed for it. On April 21, 2015, Confessions was released.
On December 30, 2015, the band released a trailer for "Comedy of Errors" (Part 1). Part 1 came out on January 7, 2016, and Part 2 on February 7, 2016.
New Book and Tours (2016–Present)
On July 26, 2016, the website www.theannabeltrilogy.com was launched. It announced a new tour and a novel (book) called "Annabel." This book is based on the band's three concept albums. The book was released on August 31, 2016. A new Deluxe Edition of Confessions was also released. It included two extra songs, "Fatima Rusalka" and "Ciao Bella." The band also went on a "10 Frail Years of Vanity and Wax" tour. This tour celebrated 10 years since their first album, On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax.
On July 27, 2016, the band confirmed they would play at Slipknot's Knotfest in Mexico. Other bands at the festival included Avenged Sevenfold and Slayer.
On April 11, 2017, Alesana announced they would play at the Vans Warped Tour MX. They later played in Mexico City on September 16, 2017.
On October 31, 2017, the band announced a new project called "Origins." This project was a collection of the band's history. It came in 1000 limited-edition boxes. The boxes included a shirt, guitar picks, posters, and a new EP called The Lost Chapters. It also had a USB drive with rare songs. "Origins" was released on Black Friday, 2017. On November 22, 2017, they released the first song from The Lost Chapters EP, called "Fits and Starts." A music video for the song was made from fan-submitted videos.
As of 2023, Alesana continues to tour and play at festivals. They are active on social media and have a new online store. They have confirmed that a new album is being planned.
Alesana's Music Style
Alesana's music style can be hard to describe. They often mix light, pop-like sounds with heavy, metal-influenced screaming vocals. Their music is described as post-hardcore, heavy metal, pop, emo, screamo, and metalcore.
The band has been influenced by many different artists. These include The Beatles, Mae, Mew, The Smashing Pumpkins, and The Black Dahlana Murder. Alesana's early music was also influenced by other North Carolina metalcore bands. These included Prayer for Cleansing, Between the Buried and Me, and Undying.
Band Members
|
Current Members
|
Former Members
Session Musicians
|
Timeline
Alesana's Music Albums
Studio Albums
- On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax (2006)
- Where Myth Fades to Legend (2008)
- The Emptiness (2010)
- A Place Where the Sun Is Silent (2011)
- Confessions (2015)
EPs (Short Albums)
- Try This with Your Eyes Closed (2005)
- The Decade EP (2014)
- The Lost Chapters EP (2017)
Other Songs
- "What Goes Around... Comes Around" (Justin Timberlake cover) (2009) – from Punk Goes Pop 2
- "Fatima Rusalka" (2013) – a single song
- "Hiatus" (2016) – from It's All Acoustic (a collection album)
Music Videos
| Year | Title | From the album | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "Ambrosia", "Ambrosia" (director's cut) | On Frail Wings of Vanity and Wax | Jeremy Jackson |
| 2008 | "Seduction" | Where Myth Fades To Legend | Scott Hansen |
| 2010 | "The Thespian" | The Emptiness | Stephen Penta |
| 2011 | "Circle VII: Sins of the Lion" | A Place Where the Sun Is Silent | Shawn Milke |
| 2011 | "Lullaby of the Crucified" | A Place Where the Sun Is Silent | Stephen Penta |
| 2014 | "Fatima Rusalka" | Non-album Single/Confessions (on 2016 re-release edition) | Rita Amal Baghdadi |
| 2014 | "Nevermore" | The Decade EP | Cole Dabney |
| 2015 | "Oh How The Mighty Have Fallen" | Confessions | N/A |
| 2016 | "Comedy of Errors" (Part 1) | Confessions | Justin Reich |
| 2016 | "Comedy of Errors" (Part 2) | Confessions | Justin Reich |
| 2017 | "Fits and Starts" | The Lost Chapters EP | Shawn Milke |
Images for kids
-
Shawn Milke (left) and Dennis Lee in 2010
-
Former Greeley Estates guitarist Alex Torres joined Alesana in 2010.
-
Scream-vocalist Dennis Lee performing in 2012.
-
Alesana has three guitar players on stage.
See also
In Spanish: Alesana para niños
