Metalcore veterans the Word Alive are set to release their sixth album, Monomania, on February 21st via Fearless Records (stream lead single “Burning Your World Down” below). The album title means an “exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one thing” — an apt description of the band’s 12-year career so far, which has seen them doggedly dedicated to making high-intensity music and playing cathartic live shows. Regarding the latter, we recently talked to drummer Matt Horn to discuss some of the standout concerts he’s ever attended, from his first show to the craziest and beyond.
WHAT’S THE FIRST SHOW YOU EVER ATTENDED?
MATT HORN The first show I ever went to was honestly super solid. I was 13 and my mom was cool enough to take my friend and I to it. She stayed the whole time. It was Pennywise headlining with the Vandals and Slick Shoes as support acts at Mesa Amphitheater in Arizona. This was the first time I had ever heard a kick drum mic’d up and it absolutely blew my mind. Also, it was the first time I ever entered a mosh pit.
HOW ABOUT THE CRAZIEST SHOW?
The craziest show hands-down was the first time I ever saw Every Time I Die. It was at Marquee Theater in Tempe, Arizona, and honestly I had never even heard of ETID before. I was there for Underoath. Must have been right after their album The Big Dirty came out and they were smashing. The show was sold out at about 2,000 people and EVERY SINGLE PERSON during ETID’s set was going absolutely bonkers. I remember being so annoyed with the crowd because it was too intense for me [laughs], and I didn’t like Every Time I Die for a while after that. Although now, I’m a huge fan.
WHAT’S THE SMALLEST SHOW YOU’VE BEEN TO?
The smallest show I’ve been to that comes to mind was probably when I went to see this band called Rose Funeral back in the day at a place called The Sets that unfortunately isn’t around anymore. I may have been 18 or 19. They were like a super-heavy deathcore band, and other than the fact it was small, I don’t remember anything else about it.
AND THE BIGGEST SHOW?
All right, so I’m not going to include festivals in this one because that’s cheating. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to catch Rush on their Snakes and Arrows Tour in 2008 at Ak Chin Pavilion, and there was close to 20,000 people at that one. Rush and Neil Peart were a massive influence on my music career and I owe a lot to them for helping me become a more open and well rounded musician. R.I.P. Neil. Legends never die.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM SHOW TO ATTEND?
This question is always so hard for me to answer because my taste and preference is always changing. I think I’d like to start the show with something heavy and intense, so lets open this motherfucker up with Every Time I Die. Then let’s chill it out ever so slightly, and I mean slightly, with Deftones. Now let’s chill it out even more with Incubus. We’re still rockin’, but nobody’s screaming anymore. Now, lets’ really chill it out. Let’s be real. Your feet and legs are aching and you wanna sit down and relax, so let’s throw mothafuckin’ TYCHO on to close out the show, and we can all vibe out.
