Both on and off the stage, Arizona quintet The Word Alive has always pushed themselves to the limit to create music that’s rich in energy and passion. Latest creation ‘Dark Matter’, produced by Matt Good, is no exception and comes bearing 12 tracks that are packed with chug riffs and impressive power.
The problem with metalcore these days is, no matter how big and impressive the release is, it’s always going to be rather boring. It’s an incredibly overdone genre that doesn’t offer much new. However, saying that, if produced correctly, there are still some artists that play to their strengths well and carry on creating work that will whip rooms up into a frenzy.
The Word Alive is one such band and, as always, deliver well-done songs. Tracks such as ‘Dreamer’ and ‘Insane’ are huge; staggering choruses come into play, which sees seriously impressive vocals from frontman Tyler ‘Telle’ Smith. Hefty riffs and a thunderous bassline come together to create ‘Sellout’, whilst ‘Suffocating’ is an anthem in itself.
‘Made This Way’ is a hopefully optimistic track; lyrics such as “I don’t believe that we’re defined by our mistakes/I don’t believe that you’ve had all you can take” are structured in such a melodic way that the vocal hook is catchy and instant. Then there’s ‘Piece Of Me’, which features guest vocals from a mystery woman – her vocals add a touch of emotion to an already bruising track.
‘Dark Matter’ doesn’t push the boundaries of this scene but what The Word Alive have produced is a fast and furious album, complete with bludgeoning riffs and melodic vocal hooks. The production is a little much and there’s the wonder about how well this will hold up within a live setting but it still showcases the guys talent extremely well.
JESS TAGLIANI