The Word Alive

A driving, melodic metalcore band based out of Phoenix, Arizona, the Word Alive emerged in 2008 with an uncompromising blend of traditional metalcore and EDM influences, later adding elements of hook-laden modern rock and alternative metal to the mix. They made an impression on the Billboard Heatseekers chart with their 2009 EP Empire and cemented their status as genre stalwarts on subsequent full-length efforts like Life Cycles (2012), Dark Matter (2016), and Monomania (2020).
Originally founded by singer Craig Mabbitt and guitarists Zack Hansen and Tony Pizzuti, the band served as a side project for Mabbitt, who joined Escape the Fate around the same time. Filling out their membership with bassist Nick Urlacher, drummer Tony Aguilera, and keyboardist Dusty Riach, the band began to develop a sound, though their progress was stunted by Mabbitt’s rigorous touring schedule; they soon replaced him with vocalist Tyler Smith. With Smith in place, things began to move quickly for the Word Alive, who signed on with Fearless Records, which released their Empire EP in 2009. After hitting the road, the Word Alive released their full-length debut, Deceiver, in 2010, a year that would also see them parting ways with Aguilera and Urlacher, who were replaced by bassist Daniel Shapiro and drummer Justin Salinas (though the latter’s time with the band would be short-lived; drummer Luke Holland stepped in to replace him just two years later when Salinas grew tired of life on the road).
A second album, the darker and heavier Life Cycles, followed in 2012. The Word Alive continued to mature their sound, returning in 2014 with Real, an album that found the band developing a more nuanced and atmospheric take on the genre. 2015 saw the band continuing a grueling tour schedule that included international appearances in Hong Kong, Bangkok, and the Philippines. In November of that year, their dedication to fans was tested when vocalist Smith broke his back and several ribs during a stage-diving incident and still insisted on honoring every remaining date on the tour. Just a few months later, the Word Alive announced the release of their fourth LP, Dark Matter, which arrived in March 2016 and soared to the number 2 slot on the Billboard Indie charts. Later that year, Holland parted ways with the band and was replaced by Matt Horn. Shapiro was the next to go, later replaced by Ryan Daminson. The quintet issued singles “Misery” and “Red Clouds” before the arrival of their fifth set, 2018′s emotionally charged Violent Noise. For their sixth full-length effort, the band recruited producer Erik Ron (Panic! At the Disco, Godsmack, Blessthefall). The resulting Monomania was released in February 2020. ~ Gregory Heaney & James Christopher Monger