| Real | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 10, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Metalcore | |||
| Length | 45:15 | |||
| Label | Fearless | |||
| Producer | ||||
| The Word Alive chronology | ||||
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Real (stylized as REAL.) is the third studio album by American metalcore band The Word Alive. It was released on June 10, 2014, through Fearless Records and was produced by Cameron Mizell and John Feldmann. [1] [2] It is the first album to feature drummer Luke Holland.
Vocalist Tyler Smith discussed the sound of the album in an interview stating that the album would feature some of the heaviest songs they have ever written and some of the most melodic with no unclean vocals in some tracks. [3] On December 20, 2013, the band released their first studio update for their forthcoming album with the first update detailing the sound of the guitars on the album. [4]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 75/100 [5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [6] |
| Alternative Press | [7] |
| Kerrang! | [5] |
| KillYourStereo | 59/100 [8] |
| Revolver | [9] |
Real received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 75 out of 100 based on 4 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [5] AllMusic gave the album a positive review saying, "As more and more bands continue to experiment with the fusion of electronic music and metalcore, the Word Alive set themselves apart from the pack with a more nuanced view of how these two styles can complement one another, proving that things don't always need to be pushed to extremes to be interesting or exciting. Because of this, Real is a rare metalcore album with enough depth to demand repeat listening, which definitely won't disappoint the band's die-hard fans." [6]
Brendan Manley of Alternative Press gave the album a 4 out of 5 stars, saying: "It takes serious swagger to be a modern metalcore/post-hardcore band who drop a record called REAL.—a musical shot across the collective bow of fellow contenders and also-rans alike—and Phoenix quintet the Word Alive back up the insinuation with a shock-and-awe barrage of blast beats, blazing guitars and perhaps most crucially, a formidable array of razor-sharp hooks." [7] KillYourStereo gave the album 59 out of 100 and said: "There are elements in REAL. that are new and exciting within the world of The Word Alive, but that world is held down by the giant hand of the metalcore genre, which is starting to sound like more and more of the same with each new release." [8]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Play the Victim" | 4:19 |
| 2. | "Never Forget" | 3:31 |
| 3. | "Broken Circuit" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "Light House" | 3:19 |
| 5. | "The Fortune Teller" | 3:52 |
| 6. | "Glass Castle" | 3:50 |
| 7. | "94th St." | 3:46 |
| 8. | "Your Mirage" | 3:59 |
| 9. | "Terminal" | 4:01 |
| 10. | "The Runaway" | 3:20 |
| 11. | "To Struggle and Claw My Way" | 3:06 |
| 12. | "Collapsing" | 4:18 |
| Total length: | 45:15 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Pull Us Out of the Grave" | 2:47 |
| Total length: | 48:02 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Exit Strategy" | 3:39 |
| Total length: | 48:54 | |
Credits adapted from AllMusic. [12]
| Chart (2014) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 [13] | 33 |
| US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [14] | 12 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [15] | 4 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard) [16] | 7 |
| US Digital Albums (Billboard) [17] | 22 |
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing, while other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming; more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However, the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre, incorporating elements of melodic death metal and metalcore; it has a heavy emphasis on melodic instrumentation, distorted guitar tones, palm muting, double bass drumming, blast beats, metalcore-stylized breakdowns, and vocals that range from aggressive screaming and death growls to clean singing. The genre has seen commercial success for employing a more accessible sound at times compared to other forms of extreme music. Many notable melodic metalcore bands have been influenced by At the Gates and In Flames.
Sleeping with Sirens is an American rock band from Orlando, Florida, currently residing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The band currently consists of Kellin Quinn, touring lead guitarist Tony Pizzuti, Nick Martin, Justin Hills and Matty Best. The band was formed in 2009 by members of For All We Know and Paddock Park. The group is currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released seven full-length albums and an acoustic EP.
The Word Alive is an American metalcore band formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008. The band was signed to Fearless Records since their formation. In 2022, they changed their label and signed to Thriller Records. The band currently consists of vocalist Tyler Smith, guitarist Jose DelRio, and drummer Daniel Nelson. The group has had several line-up changes throughout their career, with no founding members remaining. Their second EP, Empire reached No. 15 on the Top Heatseekers, meeting a great amount of positive acclaim upon its release in 2009. The following year, the group recorded and released their debut studio album, Deceiver on August 31, 2010, which reached No. 97 on the Billboard 200 and 15 on Independent Albums.
Deceiver is the debut studio album by American metalcore band The Word Alive. It was released on August 31, 2010, through Fearless Records. The title derives from a passage of lyrics within the chorus of the song "The Wretched".
Empire is the second EP by American metalcore band The Word Alive. It was released on July 21, 2009, through Fearless Records. The EP was produced by Andrew Wade and charted at number 15 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers. After this EP, founding drummer Tony Aguilera was fired from the band, it is however, the first release with lead vocalist Tyler Smith.
This Means War is the third studio album by American metalcore band Attack Attack!. It was released on January 17, 2012, through Rise Records. Initially scheduled to be produced by John Feldmann, production was instead handled by frontman Caleb Shomo in his home studio, making it the band's only album not to be produced by Joey Sturgis.
Life Cycles is the second studio album by American metalcore band The Word Alive. The album was released on July 3, 2012, through Fearless Records and was produced by Joey Sturgis. The album features a heavier and more "metal-headed" sound as stated by lead vocalist Tyler Smith. Life Cycles is the first release by the band to be without keyboardist, Dusty Riach, who parted ways with the band at the beginning of 2012.
Capture is an Australian metalcore band formed in early 2010 after the break-up of another metalcore outfit, Atlanta Takes State. The band rose to prominence under their original name Capture the Crown when they released the music video for their song, "You Call That a Knife? This Is a Knife!" (2011) on YouTube. The band was signed to Sumerian Records in December 2012 but were dropped in October the following year. Since their formation they have issued two studio albums, 'Til Death, which appeared on three Billboard component charts Top Hard Rock (No. 21), Top Heatseekers (No. 7), and Top Independent Albums (No. 25), and Reign of Terror, which charted at #86 on the U.S. Billboard 200. In August 2013 the group announced the proposed release of an extended play, Live Life, which was released on 4 February 2014. Later in 2014, they announced that they had signed with Artery Recordings. In March 2017, the group shortened its name to simply Capture and unveiled a new song under the new title.
Genesi[s] is the second album by metalcore band, Woe, Is Me. The album was released on November 20, 2012. It is the first album to feature Doriano Magliano, Hance Alligood, Brian Medley, and Andrew Paiano, and the last album featuring Austin Thornton on drums before their reunion in 2022. Genesi[s] is noted for being the band's first album since the departure of original members Michael Bohn, Tyler Carter, Cory and Ben Ferris, and Tim Sherrill. The entire album was produced by Cameron Mizell.
Fight the Silence is the fifth studio album by American Christian metalcore band For Today. The album was released on February 4, 2014 through Razor & Tie.
Unconditional is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Memphis May Fire. It was released on the March 25, 2014 by Rise Records and distributed by Fontana Distribution. The deluxe edition was released on July 17, 2015.
Phinehas is an American metalcore band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2001. The group consists of vocalist Sean McCulloch, guitarist Daniel Gailey, bassist Bryce Kelley and drummer Isaiah Perez. They are currently signed to Solid State Records and have released five studio albums. Their most recent studio album, The Fire Itself, was released on August 27, 2021.
Reign of Terror is the second album by Australian metalcore band Capture The Crown. This is the final album the band released with the name Capture the Crown before they changed their name to just Capture. The album was produced by both Matt Good and Taylor Larson from the band From First to Last, and was released through the record label Artery Recordings. The first single off the album, "To Whom It May Concern", was released on 9 June 2014. It is the last album to feature guitarists Kris Sheehan, Jye Menzies, and drummer, Tyler March, after their departures on 4 October 2014, as well as the first album to feature bassist Maurice Morfaw. Reign of Terror was re-released as a deluxe edition with the five tracks from the "Live Life" EP on 24 November. Reign of Terror charted at No. 86 on the U.S. Billboard 200, the band's first album to chart in the U.S., as well as the third Australian metal band to chart.
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