Old Crows / Young Cardinals

In October and November 2008, the band toured Europe as part of The Eastpak Antidote Tour.[15] In December, it was revealed that the band would be recording their next album in 2009. Guitarist Wade McNeil said the record would be "fucking heavy."[16]

In an interview in January 2009, Wade MacNeil and band manager Joel Carriere confirmed that they have 10 songs ready for recording,[17] one of which being "Emerald St." (given full title "Emerald Street" on the album).[18] The band announced they would begin recording on February 1, 2009, documenting the process as it happened on their internet blog,[19] with MacNeil stating that "For the first time ever we have too many songs".[20] Recording took place in Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia,[21] working with engineer Nick Blagona (who has previously worked with April Wine and Cat Stevens, as well as the band's 2006 album, Crisis).[2][22] One week later, Dallas Green announced that the band had already completed seven songs, including "Midnight Regulations",[23] and "probably 8 by the time we finish up".[19]

By March 1, 2009, the band announced in their studio blog that they had "drums, bass and most of the guitars completed", and had "now moved on to leads and overdubs".[24] Later the same week, MacNeil announced that work on the album in Vancouver had been completed, with the exception of Green's vocal parts.[18] Upon returning from Vancouver, further recording took place at Silo Studios in Hamilton, Ontario, the same location used on the band's 2004 album Watch Out! and some parts of Crisis.[22] Here, the band co-produced with Julius Butty, who had also worked on the band's previous two albums.[21] Mastering of the album was completed on April 8, 2009,[25] by Brett Zilahi at João Carvalho Mastering.[26]

Double vinyl record edition.

On April 20, 2009 the band released their first single from Old Crows / Young Cardinals called "Young Cardinals". On May 20, a music video was released for "Young Cardinals".[27] Old Crows / Young Cardinals was released on June 23.[21] The album was released on Dine Alone Records, an independent label founded by the band's manager Joel Carriere. It was mark the first time the band have not released through Distort Entertainment in Canada. Dine Alone released the disc in Canada, Australia and South Africa, while the album will be released in the United States by Vagrant Records.[21] Between late June and late August, the band performed on the Warped Tour.[28]

In February and March 2010, the band performed at Soundwave festival in Australia.[29] On March 3, Dine Alone released Old Crows/Young Cardinals on coloured vinyl discs. After the initial run, a standard black pressing will replace it.[30] The initial run contains the following French quote across all four sides of the album in the deadwax: Et ses mains ourdiraient/Les entrailles du prêtre/Au défaut d'un cordon/Pour étrangler les rois. It is a quote from philosopher Denis Diderot's poem Les Éleuthéromanes, translated to: And his hands would plait the priest's entrails, for want of a rope, to strangle kings. More succinctly, it has been taken to mean, "Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest."[31]

The first single, "Young Cardinals", was played on radio on April 20.[32][33] The official release date was May 12, 2009. "Born and Raised" was released October 14, 2009 and "The Northern" was released December 29, 2009.

All lyrics are written by Alexisonfire; lyrics on track 6 based on the hymn "Roll, Jordan, Roll"; all music is composed by Alexisonfire.

Old Crows/Young Cardinals Bonus Tracks EP
EP by Alexisonfire
Released	July 14, 2009
Label	Dine Alone
Producer	Julius Butty

Old Crows/Young Cardinals Bonus Tracks EP is an extended play available separately from Old Crows/Young Cardinals. The EP was released on July 14, 2009 through Dine Alone Records.[35] The release contains two tracks written and recorded during the Old Crows/Young Cardinals, but were not released on the standard edition of the album.

Alexisonfire

• George Pettit – vocals, organ
• Dallas Green – vocals, guitar
• Wade MacNeil – guitar, vocals
• Chris Steele – bass guitar
• Jordan Hastings – drums, percussion

Production

• Produced by Julius Butty and Alexisonfire
• Engineered by Nick Blagona
• Assistant engineering by Rob Stefenson (Vancouver, BC) and Marco Brasette (Hamilton, ON)
• Mixed by Julius Butty at Metalworks Studios
• Assistant mixing by Dave MacFarquhar
• Pre-production by Nicholas Osczypko
• Mastered by Brett Zilahi at Joao Carvalho Mastering

Art

• Art direction by Alexisonfire
• Paintings, collage and design by Paul Jackson
• Layout by Paul Jackson; assisted by Justin Ellsworth
• Typed by Tricia Ricciuto; assisted by Scott Rémila

• Old Crows/Young Cardinals on Vagrant
• Alexisonfire official website
• Alexisonfire in the studio blog