Following a catastrophic ”is-he-even-singing?” performance at Warped Tour on June 15th that left fans either in despair or uncontrollable meme mode, ASKING ALEXANDRIA has issued a bold, groundbreaking, totally not-a-cop-out statement: they are now becoming a masked band.
In an official press release shared via Instagram stories and hastily deleted Tweets, the band declared:
“After careful consideration, many sleepless nights, and one very awkward band meeting where nobody made eye contact with Danny, we’ve decided to join the prestigious ranks of anonymous vocalists. Think Ghost, Sleep Token, Slipknot… now think us, but with more makeup and less coordination.”
The decision comes after months (read: one very loud week) of backlash over frontman Danny Worsnop’s performance, in which he allegedly:
Hid his face under a black hoodie,
Sounded like someone’s Bluetooth speaker kept cutting in and out,
Forgot screaming was part of the job, and
Walked the stage like he was trying to find the exit to his own career.
Fans on Reddit called for his resignation, a reinstatement of Denis Stoff, or just some audible vocals at this point. One top comment read:
“It was like watching a ghost front the band. Actually, not even a ghost. More like the memory of a ghost.”
Rather than address the performance directly, the band has chosen to lean entirely into ambiguity.
“You can’t critique what you can’t see, or prove is real,” said bassist Sam Bettley, while sipping Monster Energy in a dimly lit room with fog machines. “If Ghost can win a Grammy by being spooky and vague, why not us?”
THE NEW ERA: “MASKING ALEXANDRIA”
Under the new vision, each member will now perform in masks resembling early-2000s Hot Topic clearance bin creatures. Worsnop’s mask, reportedly titled “Danny Phantom of the Vocally Lost”, will feature a stitched mouth, in honor of “what fans already assume he’s doing onstage anyway.”
Backing tracks will remain, but will now be accompanied by a sign at each show that reads:
“It’s not lip-syncing if you don’t have lips visible.”
Meanwhile, former vocalist Denis Stoff took to Instagram again to celebrate the decision:
“Can’t wait to see what they sound like muffled through a latex rubber mask. Might actually be an improvement.”
Asking Alexandria’s next Warped Tour date in Long Beach will mark their official masked debut. Fans have already begun placing bets on whether:
Danny will still ghost the crowd emotionally,
The hoodie will now be part of the mask,
Or the band will fully commit and just send in a pre-recorded VHS tape and a fog machine.
Stay tuned as AA attempts the ultimate sleight of hand: convincing fans that if you can’t see the trainwreck, it maybe didn’t happen.
