Released: 2017
“Alone In A Room” by Asking Alexandria is a symbolic journey about confronting one’s demons, accepting the hard truths and growing mentally stronger from it. The artists lay bare their experiences with emotional turmoil, personal struggles, and the search for inspiration and purpose.
When they state “I’ve been away a little while, sometimes I just can’t help myself”, it represents a period of isolation due to emotional issues. This isolative phase acts as a catalyst for self-reflection where they acknowledge their mental state. Phrases like “my mind’s runnin’ wild” and “crazy things the voices tell me to do” refer to anxious thoughts and self-destructive urges that they grapple with. Yet they strive to write about their struggles as a form of catharsis.
The recurring line, “All I needed was the last thing I wanted, to sit alone in a room and say it all out loud”, embodies the necessity to confront oneself. It speaks to the fear and struggle of facing one’s own shortcomings, but ultimately recognizing it as a path to healing. This is a metaphorical room, the space where one is raw and unfiltered, reckoning with their own ‘bad’ side.
The lyrics like “Every moment, every second, every trespass, every awful thing, every broken dream” candidly talks about reliving past regrets and failures. This is a testament to their personal growth journey, and their courage to face the past, however bleak it once seemed.
The repetition of “lonely” emphasises their solitary introspection, but it’s also used to stress they are not alone in this struggle. The line “I might be lonely, but I ain’t alone here” serves to remind us that everyone battles similar issues and no one is truly alone in their fight.
The fight is further conveyed in phrases like “banging my head ‘gainst the wall, tryna put words on a page”. It shows the difficulty they face in expressing their turmoil and the physical exhaustion that comes with it.
Finally, the line “I can be better than I was, I can be better than I am” symbolizes self-improvement, hope, and resilience. It’s a fabulously positive note demanding listeners to recognize that they too can grow and overcome their struggles.
So, “Alone In A Room” stands as a gritty testament to Asking Alexandria’s journey to self-discovery and acceptance. It’s a powerful message that it’s okay to acknowledge our flaws, confront them, and ultimately grow from it.
