The Word Alive was founded in 2008 by Craig Mabbitt (lead vocals) with Zack Hansen (lead guitar) and Tony Pizzuti (rhythm guitar) who were former members of the bands Calling of Syrens and Clouds Take Shape. As a side-project of Mabbitt during his part in Escape the Fate, the remaining required members he recruited to start The Word Alive were chosen to be Nick Urlacher (bass), Dusty Riach (keyboard) and Tony Aguilera (drums). The group recorded songs with the intention of releasing them as a self-titled EP, despite that it never surfaced. Later on, the band forced Mabbitt to leave due to their dissatisfaction with Escape the Fate's schedules, which required Mabbitt to work as a full-time member.
The day after, Mabbitt posted a blog to his fans via his Myspace account explaining that leaving the band was not his decision and that "[The Word Alive] pretty much replaced me while I was on the road due to the fact that they wanted to tour and couldn't until I was available, I started that band with those guys and I'm very hurt at how they replaced me while I was touring...it's bullshit." On December 3, the band officially announced that Tyler "Telle" Smith, who was formerly one of the vocalists for In Fear and Faith and bassist for Greeley Estates, joined The Word Alive as their new frontman.
Feeling somewhat stagnant in their progression beforehand, the addition of Smith catapulted the band’s ambitions to the forefront. With this initiation, their goals and aspirations were much more a reality, and they set to work on what would become their record label debut, Empire.
During March 2009, the band were taken in with a contract by a new label, later on during the 26th of that month the group officially confirmed that the label they were then signed to was Fearless Records. Smith stated "We hope to just keep touring, touring, touring... we couldn't be happier or more appreciative to be on tour right now, I think despite having some of the worst luck in the early beginnings of being a touring band yet never missing a show, we always have a positive attitude and that will make us a stronger band." The band set out to create an EP to be released through the label wherein it was titled Empire and was recorded with producer Andrew Wade in Ocala, Florida. It was released on July 21, 2009 where it reached #15 on the Billboard Heatseeker chart.
During February the band reached an agreement to leave founding drummer, Tony Aguilera out of the group. Both parties (Aguilera and the rest of the band) shared their concerns and reasoning for the matter publicly. It was overall described that the band wanted to pursue a different percussionist of alternate talent than the founding member. Aguilera was replaced with Justin Salinas, whom previously was a part of the bands Scars of Tomorrow and Catherine as well as serving as a past live drummer for MyChildren MyBride.
In April 2010, The Word Alive entered the studio in Ocala, Florida with Andrew Wade to record their debut full-length album, Deceiver. By June, Deceiver was fully mastered and engineered. On June 23, 2010 the band premiered their first single from the album, “Epiphany” as streaming media online.The following day, Fearless Records released their 2010 Summer Sampler which also featured the track "Epiphany". A week later, the album's album art and track listing was released. Guitarist Zack Hansen explained upon this premiere that "We all felt like that was going to be the best choice considering how comfortable the recording process is with Andrew. The tracking was a lot of fun and everyone had a good time. We got the opportunity to stay in a house while we recorded and surprisingly we didn't party as much as I thought we would haha." Hansen later followed along explaining that his favorite track on the record is “The Hounds of Anubis”, which was written by him and Pizzuti and stated that he "wrote this song with an 'Egyptian feel' to it and I think we got our point across." Smith described that its lyrics describe the times of when The Word Alive overcame their hardships that they face with the help and support from their fans. "The Hounds of Anubis" was released as the album's second single on July 26, 2010. It premiered on the official Revolver website.
By November of 2011, the band made plans to return to the studio on February 7, 2012 with Joey Sturgis to begin recording their next album, with an expected recording session lasting from that time until mid-March. However by February (and before the date of entering the studio), the announcement of two members leaving occurred; keyboardist, Dusty Riach and drummer, Justin Salinas were simultaneously confirmed to no longer be a part of the band. Salinas stated his reason was because he grew tired of touring, although Riach's reason was preferred to be kept silent.
In regards to the band's second studio album, it was reported that 17 songs were recorded in its process. 13 of those will be on the standard edition of the album, while the another three will be included on the deluxe edition. The name of the album will be Life Cycles and both editions will be released the same day.On March 23rd of the year, the group issued a statement that 18-year old Arizona resident Luke Holland has joined as the new drummer, however, Holland was not included for the recording sessions of Life Cycles. The drumming for the record was done by a friend of the band named Matt Horn wherein Holland joined after these sessions were already completed.
On March 18, 2014, the band released a new single entitled "Play the Victim." Along with the song, they also announced their third full-length album Real. would be released on June 10. The album would be the first to feature Luke Holland on drums.
The band released their fourth album, Dark Matter, on March 18, 2016. The band also revealed the tracklist and a headlining North American tour with support from Fit for a King and Out Came the Wolves. The album's lead single, "Trapped", was released January 8.
In November 2016, Luke Holland announced he would be leaving the band at the end of 2016 after finishing their last tour of the year to pursue other musical endeavors. In February 2017, the band announced that Matt Horn would be taking Holland's place as drummer. Shortly after, a new single "Misery" was released.
On August 7, 2017, The Word Alive and Daniel Shapiro mutually announced they were parting ways due to a "new musical adventure" of Shapiro's. The next day, The Word Alive announced that they would be joining I Prevail on their Rage on the Stage Tour along with We Came as Romans & Escape the Fate.
Hard Reset
The Word Alive Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Anything they say it just doesn't make sense (make sense)
I say fuck that, taking my life back
Not about to drown when it's not my mistake
I'm not about to drown
I know you see what lies ahead
Turn back before it's too late
When will we learn? When will we learn?
That we don't deserve to live this way (live this way)
Now it's our turn, now it's our turn
Can we fight before we lose, we lose our way?
(We lose our way)
Trying hard not to let it in
Each day is a detriment
Sinking further, will it end?
My God, what a world we live in
Will I find my place in the stars?
I need to think, did I make it this far?
If I'm not, will you let me down easy?
'Cause the misery feels never ending
Yeah, I sing of hope
Sometimes of letting go
But this time I have to say, I don't know
When will we learn? When will we learn?
That we don't deserve to live this way (live this way)
Now it's our turn, now it's our turn
Can we fight before we lose, we lose our way?
(We lose our way)
I know you see what lies ahead
Turn back before it's too late
When will we learn? When will we learn?
That we don't deserve to live this way (live this way)
Now it's our turn, now it's our turn
Can we fight before we lose, we lose our way?
(I know you see what lies ahead)
Can we fight?
(I know you see what lies ahead)
Can we fight?
The lyrics to The Word Alive's song "Hard Reset" speak to the chaos and confusion that surrounds the singer. They feel like a crash test, as if everything in their life is falling apart. They are frustrated with the things people say because it doesn't make sense to them. The singer decides to take control of their life and not allow themselves to drown in the mistakes of others. They refuse to accept the misery that seems never-ending.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of looking ahead and realizing that a change needs to happen before it's too late. The singer questions when they will learn that they don't deserve to live in such a way, and whether they can fight to prevent themselves from losing their way. There is a sense of desperation and hopelessness, as they struggle not to let the negativity consume them.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything's a big mess, feeling like a crash test
The singer's life is chaotic and unpredictable, causing feelings of being constantly tested and on edge.
Anything they say it just doesn't make sense (make sense)
The singer feels frustrated and confused by the advice or opinions of others, finding it difficult to comprehend or relate to their perspective.
I say fuck that, taking my life back
The singer decides to reject the negativity and take control over their own life, refusing to be held back by external influences.
Not about to drown when it's not my mistake
The artist refuses to let themselves be overwhelmed or consumed by the consequences of someone else's actions or choices.
I'm not about to drown
The artist asserts their determination and resilience to withstand difficult circumstances and not succumb to despair.
I know you see what lies ahead
The singer acknowledges that someone else understands the potential negative outcomes that await them in the future.
Turn back before it's too late
The singer advises the recipient to retreat or change their course of action before it becomes too challenging or irreversible.
When will we learn? When will we learn?
The artist questions when humanity as a whole will gain wisdom and insight, acknowledging a collective failure to recognize important lessons.
That we don't deserve to live this way (live this way)
The artist expresses the belief that humans should not accept or tolerate a life characterized by hardships and suffering.
Now it's our turn, now it's our turn
The artist emphasizes the need for action and responsibility, stating that it is the current moment to take charge and effect change.
Can we fight before we lose, we lose our way? (We lose our way)
The singer questions whether it is possible to resist negative circumstances and maintain a sense of direction and purpose before losing their path entirely.
Trying hard not to let it in
The artist exerts effort to prevent negative influences or emotions from affecting them deeply.
Each day is a detriment
The singer views each day as a harmful or destructive force, implying a struggle to find positivity or progress amidst adversity.
Sinking further, will it end?
The singer experiences a deepening sense of despair or hopelessness, questioning whether their difficulties will ever come to an end.
My God, what a world we live in
The singer expresses astonishment and perhaps disappointment at the state of the world and the challenging circumstances within it.
Will I find my place in the stars?
The artist wonders if they will discover their purpose or find fulfillment in a grander, more meaningful existence.
I need to think, did I make it this far?
The artist reflects on their journey and achievements, questioning if they have made significant progress or if they still have more to accomplish.
If I'm not, will you let me down easy?
The singer seeks reassurance from someone else, asking them to handle disappointments or failures with kindness and consideration.
'Cause the misery feels never ending
The singer expresses the perception that their suffering or unhappiness seems to have no limit or resolution, spanning indefinitely.
Yeah, I sing of hope
The artist acknowledges that they often express optimism or encourage positive perspectives through their music.
Sometimes of letting go
The artist acknowledges that sometimes they also explore the concept of releasing attachments or moving on from difficult situations.
But this time I have to say, I don't know
The artist admits uncertainty and a lack of clarity regarding their current circumstances, suggesting a need for introspection and finding new answers.
(I know you see what lies ahead)
Repeating a previous line, emphasizing that someone else perceives the potential challenges or negative outcomes that await.
Can we fight?
The artist questions whether they and others have the determination and resilience to resist or overcome difficulties.
(I know you see what lies ahead)
Repeating a previous line, reinforcing the idea that someone else possesses foresight regarding the potential future obstacles or hardships.
Can we fight?
Repeating a previous line, once again questioning the capacity to engage in a proactive battle against adversity and uncertainty.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hiram Hernandez, Telle Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Андрей Корщик
Love this song 🔥💣
Taprootube
Телле, почему ты не выпустил этот альбом лет 7 назад ? ты бы спас мою жизнь!!!
Андрей Корщик
7 лет назад они выпустили не менее шикарный альбом Dark Matter ❤ Без Dark Matter не было бы и Hard Reset, это был переломный альбом в их дискографии. Так что всему свое время 😌
Evgen Phc
@Андрей Корщик согласен 👍
ASMR Node
This is SO good
keyseee
Люблю часть 3:16 чем то Tallah напомнило)) интересно было бы больше такого услышать
Carlos Rodriguez
At beginning of the song, it feels like Wage War - Deadweight