Most of my planned week of metal is dedicated to the ladies, but I figured that I could be nice and let the boys in on the fun, even if Alexisonfire is more hardcore. Let's just stretch the rules today, okay? Now, flash back seven years ago to when Crisis came out. Me, fourteen and already obsessed with Watch Out!, got my hands on the band's new album. I thought I had fallen in love before, but who knew that there was still a long way to go? What Alexisonfire had for me back then was screaming, melody, and beauty, and I will always credit the band for creating the metalhead you all follow today. If there's a best song to pick off of Crisis, it's definitely "Boiled Frogs."
Poor little tin man still swinging his axe,
Even though his joints are clogged with wax
"Boiled Frogs" stems from the idea that a frog will jump from a boiling pot of water, but if you slowly raise the temperature, it will stay in the pot until it dies. It's high-energy hardcore that not only has the stellar combination of George and Dallas, but now Wade is in the mix. The guitar work is utterly fantastic, reminiscent of "Hey It's Your Funeral Mama" in some ways, and Mr. Hastings on drums knows how to drive the song along. The lyric content is commentary on working-class jobs and how low-pay and intense demands leads to the boiled frog effect (clever title, George), and though it's gritty, it's also quite lovely. Though I can't believe it's been about seven years since "Boiled Frogs" first consumed my life, I can believe that it's still just as infectious. This was the high point of Alexisonfire, and if they were still together now, one can only imagine would be with us today.
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