The Word Alive – Live @ O2 Academy Newcastle
aaamusic | On 06, Nov 2014
Sunday 26th October, Newcastle
The Word Alive are a metalcore band hailing from Phoenix, Arizona. Tonight, they are bringing their noise to Newcastle…
Formed in 2008, they have gone from strength to strength, with two EPs and three studio album under their belt, the latest of which – Real – was released on June 10th.
First up on stage of the night are the only homegrown band on tour and, having recently signed to Fearless Records, the crowd are anticipating one hell of a night. Oceans Ate Alaska do not disappoint, tearing the stage apart. It’s not hard to see why they have been included on this lineup. With some furious riffs and destructive breakdowns that got the crowd moving, including a pit started in the middle of the room, it’s vocalist James Harrison that has made the biggest improvement over the past few years, with both his harsh and clean vocals spot on. This being most prevalent when ‘Clocks’ is played with plenty of crowd participation, especially when James climbs down to the barrier and is surrounded by people mic grabbing and screaming the words back at him.
Next up were Like Moths To Flames and even before they had stepped up to the stage the crowd had surged forward to get as close to the front as possible. As soon as they did come on stage they threw themselves right into the music, whipping the crowd up into a frenzy with songs like ‘You Won’t Be Missed’ and ‘The Worst In Me’. Despite a few poor reviews for their latest album, neither the crowd nor Like Moths To Flames seem to have cared, with everyone doing exactly what vocalist Roetter orders when he screams for everyone to get off their feet and jump; this actually makes the floor move with the amount of people bouncing off it at the same time. Despite an amazing instrumental and vocal performance, the fact that the the only interaction between the crowd and Roetter is when he tells them to jump or to start a pit does get pretty boring.
The Color Morale emerge and as soon as Garret Rapp hits the stage the crowd get started and, with every eye on him, you can see how much his lyrics have touched everyone, in one way or another. Throughout every song Rapp stays close to the crowd, occasionally leaning forward and holding hands with as many of them as possible, all the while having the audience sing every word back at him like their lives depended on it. From the topics that Rapp chooses to write about it’s easy to see why so many people can relate to his words and why these guys are continually growing and becoming better and better.
Having to be last onstage is not always easy, especially when so many crowd-pleasing hits have already been delivered tonight, but The Word Alive surpass the other bands like they were the only band to have ever graced the stage. Promoting there newest album Real, you can see why this band are at the top of their game, with blazing guitars and hooks so sharp they should be banned. With vocalists Telle Smith’s caustic and guttural screams – that go above and beyond any other frontman in the same genre, especially when it cuts to his clean vocals which are diverse and expansive – it’s easy to see why their previous albums were so well received, and, more importantly, why the crowd all have their hands in the air screaming every word.
With performances like this and rave reviews, The Word Alive are a force to be reckoned with in the UK and are definitely a band to look out. Expect them to level any festival they play next year.
