BORN OF OSIRIS are mature well beyond their years and this dynamic extreme progressive juggernaut has now perfectly honed all of their collective talents to create what will soon be a pinnacle release for the metal genre. This ground-breaking six-piece group creates an epic mix of intricate and memorable melodies with challenging time signatures that still hold an infectious groove, all while maintaining sheer, tasteful brutality. Their much anticipated third full-length album, set for an early 2011 release, is going to serve the scene the much needed wake-up call it so much needs.

Lee McKinney further states: “As for the new album, I should start by saying it's WAY heavier than anything the band ever released. There is definitely nothing we've done that's anywhere near this heavy. We have moved onto seven strings and it couldn't have complimented our sound any better. We brought back the 'BOO-bounce' on this one. It's definitely a really fun and upbeat album. Also, the addition of our new guitar player Jason Richardson has increased the amount of shred on this album. There are some really incredible guitar solos on this album from the both of us. It takes the band to a whole new level of musicality. This album contains an awesome mix of our most heavy, most technical, most atmospheric and most beautiful melodies ever.

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 now available digitally.

Not to be confused with either the late-'70s disco diva (who sang with Chic in 1977 before going solo and having a hit with 1978's "Saturday") or the country singer (who had some hits in the '60s), this Norma Jean is a Christian alternative metal/metalcore band that used to go by the name Luti-Kriss. At first, Norma Jean went with a rap-metal approach -- in reviews, the former Luti-Kriss was often described as the Christian equivalent of Limp Bizkit, Korn, (hed) p.e., Methods of Mayhem, or Rage Against the Machine. But as the band evolved, Norma Jean got away from rap-metal and became even heavier. The bandmembers heard on 2002's Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child don't believe in subtlety any more than they believe in taking prisoners; they do, however, believe in having a very harsh, punishing sound and beating listeners into obedience (musically, not literally -- they're a Christian band, after all). And while those who don't care for metalcore's harshness are unlikely to become Norma Jean converts, the Southern band has enjoyed a small but enthusiastic cult following in the alterna-metal underground (where they have appealed to both Christian and non-Christian headbangers).

Norma Jean was formed in Douglasville, GA (a suburb of Atlanta) in 1997. In the early '00s, the band recorded two CDs as Luti-Kriss. The first was the EP 5 (which came out on the Pluto label), and that disc was followed by the full-length album Throwing Myself, which came out on the Seattle-based Solid State label (a subsidiary of Tooth and Nail Records) in 2001. After that album, Luti-Kriss changed its name to Norma Jean because some people were confusing the band with the controversial rapper Ludacris -- who, coincidentally, is also from the Atlanta area. Ludacris is one of the top rappers in the Dirty South school of hip-hop, and he is known for his explicit lyrics (which have been lambasted by conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly, host of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor). Released by Solid State in 2002, Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child was the former Luti-Kriss' first album as Norma Jean. It was also the band's heaviest, most brutal effort to date. While Norma Jean's first recordings inspired comparisons to Limp Bizkit, Korn, (hed) p.e., and Methods of Mayhem, Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child was often compared to Hatebreed. Norma Jean's members have included lead singer/guitarist Josh, bassist Doolittle, guitarist Derr, guitarist/singer Scottie, and drummer Daniel Davidson.