Ben Bruce of ASKING ALEXANDRIA has revealed his decision to “take a step back” from the group to focus on family
The guitarist and primary songwriter, who founded ASKING ALEXANDRIA in 2006, has been an integral part of all eight studio albums, including the most recent full-length release, “Where Do We Go From Here?” unveiled in 2023.
Ben‘s statement reads as follows:
“To my amazing AA family,
“First and foremost, I want to say thank you to everyone for the years of love and support. It means more to me than you can imagine.
“I’ve spent my entire life dedicated to music. It’s been my first love since about the age of 2 and the journey I’ve been on has been absolutely incredible. As I’ve grown older and my life has inevitably changed, I have come to realize how precious time is. The time I have spent with all of you has been the time of my life. But now it’s time to dedicate my life to my family.
“On top of family medical situations, leaving my children means missing out on too many important moments in their lives. It’s so important for me to be there for them as they grow, and to be here for my family as they need me to be, which means, after a lot of thought, I will be stepping away from ASKING ALEXANDRIA.
“Thank you to everyone who has come and seen me play live and listened to the songs I’ve written over the years. The memories will love on in my heart forever. I truly love you all so much for the years of support you’ve given me and ASKING ALEXANDRIA. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
ASKING ALEXANDRIA treated fans to a fresh EP titled “Dark Void” earlier this month.
For nearly two decades, Bruce served as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and chief songwriter for ASKING ALEXANDRIA, making his departure a significant development in the band’s history.
ASKING ALEXANDRIA’s critically acclaimed eighth album, “Where Do We Go From Here?“, features their second-ever #1 Active Rock radio single with album track “Psycho.” Produced and mixed by Matt Good (HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD, FROM FIRST TO LAST), the album is a culmination of the band’s career, melding their flagship sound with experimental electronics.
The latest album from ASKING ALEXANDRIA has accumulated 43 million streams since the start of its campaign. The album’s official music and lyric videos so far have accumulated 5 million YouTube views. Get a copy of WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? on CD, cassette, vinyl, and/or digital download at this location. ASKING ALEXANDRIA recently added new vinyl and CD bundles comprising exclusive merch designs from WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? to the Better Noise Music EU / UK store.
ASKING ALEXANDRIA, which featured Ben Bruce (lead guitar), Danny Worsnop (vocals), Cameron Liddell (rhythm guitar), Sam Bettley (bass) and James Cassells (drums)—spent last fall touring across the U.S. on a co-headlining run with labelmates THE HU along with stops at several of the country’s top rock festivals such as Rocklahoma, Louder Than Life, Inkcarceration and Rock Fest.