Alexisonfire Are a Scream

Canadian screamo act Alexisonfire is living up to the title of its sophomore album, Watch Out!. Released in June, the record surprised the Canadian music industry by going gold in less than three months with no commercial radio play, save some spins on select specialty shows. Out now in the States, this latest effort may be the cross-over moment for the band, who's Web site is modestly enough, theonlybandever.com.

"There's this underground network of with-it kind of bands and record labels that kids tap into, and it's been going on underneath the noses of the major industry," says screamer George Pettit of how Alexisonfire have been catching in America.

Named after "the world's only lactating contortionist" Alex Fire, the band -- Pettit, vocalist Dallas Green, guitarist Wade MacNeil, drummer Jesse Ingelevics and bassist Chris Steele -- is currently on a U.S. tour hoping to win over new fans the old-school way.

"We don't necessarily care how many SoundScans our album has done and how many plays our song is getting," says MacNeil. "We just want to be able to play to a roomful of kids every night."

Following this summer's Vans Warped Tour, Alexisonfire performed at the U.K.'s Reading and Leads festivals and will follow their ongoing American tour with dates in Japan and Australia. The band's enthusiastic fans sing along -- screams and all -- as the band rails against cocaine ("White Devil") and creepy hospital smells ("Accidents"). But will radio stations follow suit?

"I really don't know," Green says. "People are still listening to Evanescence and Nickelback. We haven't gotten any love from radio yet -- and we don't really care."

Alexisonfire U.S. tour dates:

11/5: Sayreville, NJ, Starland Ballroom
11/6: New York, NY, B.B. Kings Blues Club
11/8: Bloomfield Ave. Cafe, Montclair, NJ
11/9: Millvale, PA, Mr Smalls Theater
11/10: Cleveland Heights, OH, Grog Shop
11/11: Lathem, NY, Saratoga Winners
11/12: Providence, RI, Living Room
11/13: Cambridge, MA, Middle East