The Word Alive are turning up the volume for their next single. The "Dark Matter" era was ushered in by the grand "Trapped" back in January. Now the band follows up with a song that's the exact opposite of their lead single. And we're LOVING it. Click this (link) to preorder their album on iTunes.
Adding a little punk, a lot of hardcore, and lyrics that encourage listeners to "answer the call to arms", this song is like The Word Alive's "Kick Me". But superior in every fucking way. The lyrics hit you right out the gate with the powerful line, "Waiting for conviction, waiting for connection. Everybody is searching for someone". Combine the lyrics with the powerful music video, and you get one killer song.
Where "Trapped" showed off the band's melodic sensibilities, and electronic tastes, "Sellout" is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The song is fast, intense, heavy, and everything else you could want from this band. But don't be fooled, this isn't just some other generic metalcore mosh song. The Word Alive clearly take a few pages from letlive, Beartooth, and Stick to Your Guns.
Telle Smith makes good use of his vocal chops, employing a very gritty, and distorted unclean vocal performance. A big switch from his normally deeper, metal oriented vocals. The lyrics are built on fast verses, and refrains. The song is a blistering 3:34 long. And in that time, you aren't given a second to relax. Luke Holland's drumming fuels the pace of this song, while you get some of the band's crunchiest guitar/bass riffs yet.
Summary -
This album really is shaping up to be the band's best yet. Straying from their traditional metalcore, The Word Alive are set to release their version of "Sempiternal" with this album. Pulling from multiple genres, and still keeping it pure TWA gold. Track is recommended for fans of the aforementioned bands, letlive, Beartooth, and STYG, plus older The Color Morale and older Of Mice and Men.
Rating - 8.5 to 9/10