Deceitful Muffins

The Word Alive has only been on the scene for two years, but in those two years, they've managed to tour extensively and release an EP (Empire, 2009) and their debut full length album on Fearless Records entitled Deceiver.

This six piece band out of Arizona have certainly created a name for themselves with their own take on "scene metal" (which is probably the dumbest name for a genre ever). Featuring a blend of two guitars, a bass, drums, and a keyboard, they have a fairly typical line up for the scene today, but they mix things up so well, and no single element ever overwhelms the others. The mixing is top notch, and the whole album sounds very crisp.

Deceiver kicks off with a bang on "The Hounds of Anubis", as Tyler "Telle" Smith's screams rip through the air, followed quickly by some excellent dual guitar work from Zack Hansen and Tony Pizzuti. The keyboards (played by Dusty Riach) and bass (manned by Nick Urlacher) give a perfect background blend, while drummer Justin Salinas absolutely obliterates any doubt that these boys mean business. The chorus kicks in with a melodious clean vocal harmony, courtesy of the boys on guitar and Mr. Smith. They keep the metal coming with a blistering guitar riff that opens the second track: "Epiphany", which follows the onslaught of the verse with more clean vocals that truly compliment the musical prowess of the band members. Track 3's opening has a bit more of a focus on the drums and keyboard, then switches it over to a brutal breakdown before bringing you back to the formula that has worked so well on the album thus far.

"Consider It Mutual" changes the pace of the album. It begins with a reverberating guitar riff and some more clean vocals. The song starts building upon itself as the verse continues, and all the instruments come in to give a melodic metal anthem that will have you singing along in no time. This track also features some wonderful work on the keyboards, in addition to the guitars. "2012" returns to the style of the first three tracks of the album before "Dream Catcher" brings an almost atmospheric feeling track to showcase the versatility of the band. "Like Father Like Son" is, without a doubt, the heaviest track on the album, and it is perfectly placed to bring you back down to earth and hold you there by crushing you in the chest. "Battle Royale" has a wicked little post-hardcore feel to it, and is also the only track to make it to the album from their EP.

"You're All I See" slows things down a little bit more with echoing guitars and a preponderance of low toms and kick drum. Deceiver rounds itself out with a skull-rattling, breakneck speed track dubbed "We Know Who You Are". The boys of The Word Alive really bring the pain on the album closer and end this release on a truly brutal note.

One of the best releases of this year, Deceiver is most definitely worth picking up, especially if you enjoy the musical stylings of bands like The Devil Wears Prada, We Came As Romans, or Attack Attack! Overall, it has some incredible guitar work, subtle yet skillful use of keyboards, and a nice balance of screamed and clean vocals - a spectacular full length debut from a very talented band.

>Pawn