The Word Alive

Tyler "Telle" Smith - Vocals
Tony Pizzuti - Guitar / Vocals
Zack Hansen - Guitar / Vocals
Daniel Shaprio - Bass
Luke Holland - Drums

A full-length debut is a pivotal moment for most bands, but for Phoenix, AZ natives the Word Alive, it’s a battle-tested triumph. Considering the countless miles the band has traveled since their 2009 EP release, Empire, and the obstacles the six-piece has had to overcome along the way, every track of Deceiver pulsates with the passion and fury of a conquering army, and is the very definition of “shock and awe.”

After traveling to Ocala, FL to record with up-and-coming producer Andrew Wade (A Day To Remember, VersaEmerge), The Word Alive resurfaced from the studio armed with debut album Deceiver, a challenging, genre-bending opus that fully showcases the considerable abilities of one of heavy music’s true rising talents. Mastered by Alan Douches and featuring guest performances by Dave Stephens from We Came As Romans and Levi Benton of Miss May I, the album offers fans all that they love about The Word Alive and so much more.

The Word Alive truly made their impact in 2009 when they released their debut EP Empire, which sold more than 20,000 copies and spent time on Billboard’s “Heatseekers” chart. Quickly winning over listeners with its scorching musicianship and singer Tyler “Telle” Smith’s hyperkinetic vocals, the EP set the stage for an even deeper, more innovative full-length to follow.

“On Deceiver, we wanted to take everything that we did on the EP and boost it times ten,” says Smith. “We got to do everything that we feel represents us on this album. In some parts it sounds like you could almost be listening to an ambient/indie band because of the electronic influences, in other parts it’s dark and almost creepy. We spent a lot of time before writing the album thinking of how we could sample other instruments to really add depth—either keyboard parts that Dusty [Riach, keyboardist] would do, or cello, violins and different percussion instruments.

“One thing’s for sure,” Smith adds. “On this album, when we’re heavy, we’re way heavier.”

A major difference to note among Deceiver’s blistering instrumentation is the hefty contributions of new drummer Justin Salinas, formerly of My Children My Bride and Scars of Tomorrow. With Salinas now in the fold, TWA is ready to take on the world.

“Deceiver is not a concept album, but it’s got a lot of heavy theme stuff that goes along with the title,” explains Smith. “Over the past year, we’ve gone through some big changes, and we poured those experiences into this album.”

The group kept the road ever-present in mind when writing much of Deceiver, knowing that massive touring would be in the immediate future. Their intense touring schedule in support of the album has included a summer run on Warped Tour 2010, as well as tours with Bleeding Through, A Day To Remember and Underoath. 2011 is poised to be their biggest yet, with U.S. and European tours with We Came As Romans and a full summer on Vans Warped Tour, followed by a slot on Soundwave Revolution in Australia and a U.S. run for the fall.

“We really wanted it to be an experience when you come to our show,” says Smith. “What I think a lot of musicians forget is that people are paying to be entertained. With this album we definitely thought of the live show, and how we could make every fan, or even a person who’s never heard of us, think, ‘Man, it sounded like there were 15 people up there, and it was just awesome.’”

The Word Alive’s debut album Deceiver is available now. The Deceiver: Deluxe Edition featuring two new tracks, remixes and videos is also available now digitally.

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