ALBUM REVIEW: Hard Reset – The Word Alive
Having formed in 2008, THE WORD ALIVE are no strangers to the rock and metal scenes. They’re back with their seventh release, Hard Reset, hoping to gift their fans an album that fully portrays the real them. Lead singer Telle Smith said, “We wanted to take the essence of the band—the heaviness, the atmospherics, the experimental elements, and the melodic side—and put everything into one album.” This 13-track collection of self-expression also holds some mighty features from popular artists in the alternative scene right now – how exciting!
Starting the album off strong is The Word Alive Is Dead…, opening with some of those aforementioned atmospherics, then melding into a rhythmic drum beat bringing a consistent groove. We’re then introduced to some calm soft spoken vocals from Smith, but the lyrics are anything but chill. The repeated words “It’s not the end, welcome in, are you ready to live?” whilst haunting and almost inspiring, may also bring about an existential crisis. Have you been really living until this point? Who knows, but a quick drop and sharp scream is sure to distract you from those thoughts. A general theme of helplessness and frustration is further embodied through deep toned and drawn out guitar riffs, and it’s definitely a strong if not eye-opening start to the album.
Next up is the title track, which combines electronic and distorted elements to get off to a flying start. Not messing around, a quick paced verse featuring unclean vocals and fast rhythms is a real punch to the gut and catches your attention. This is switched up for a more melodic chorus with clean vocals and deep toned guitars, rounding up with a faster breakdown section. The verses in this track have a rap sound to them but are backed up with the heavier guitars and drums, taking a nudge towards the nu-metal genre.
The first of the five features on this album is from one of metalcore’s hottest bands right now, BAD OMENS. Vocalist Noah Sebastian appears on One Of Us, which starts off at a decent pace, focusing on the more atmospheric element and some softer toned vocals layered on top of that. All goes quiet for a brief second before a very catchy chorus ensues, featuring a nice melodic hook. Sebastian‘s recognisable cleans take over for the second verse, backed up by a heavier riff which creates a cool juxtaposition. This contrast is further established when Smith re-enters the song with some crushing screams. Generally throughout the track there is a good mix of cleans and some heavier elements, the riffs and drums especially.
Later, Slow Burn delivers a wonderful melodic ballad. This song has a truly beautiful sound; you can tell it’s an emotional one, with lyrics about losing someone close to you and sending out a cry for help, and all the instruments work together so well to create and tell this story. There’s a small guitar solo in the latter half of the track, a surprise at first but it works so well with the infectious nature of the hook. It feels like one of those songs that you’ll catch yourself humming throughout the day.
Another great feature on the album is from Philip Strand of NORMANDIE on A New Empty. Kicking off with a super groovy riff, NORMANDIE fans may already be able to hear Strand‘s influence on this track. Featuring some great sing along backing vocals and a memorable chorus, you can definitely imagine it being played live and the crowd absolutely singing their hearts out. A slightly more rocky riff is introduced halfway through the song, bringing another layer of depth, and this is added to even more when a halftime riff is introduced towards the end.
Overall, Hard Reset is a very cool album, knocking bouncy riffs and punchy vocals along every step of the way. The range of features on the album also add to this experimental feel throughout, but don’t take away from the identity that THE WORD ALIVE has created for themselves. A super enjoyable listen.
Rating: 9/10
Hard Reset is set for release on August 25th via Thriller Records.
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