We Came As Romans are one of the most well-known bands in the metalcore genre as their accessibility, musicality and various hooks have garnered a wide fan base.
The band has delved into various musical avenues since their first album, To Plant a Seed, was released in 2009. Their positive lyrics, combined with various textures through keyboard and synthesisers, also give it a unique sound. The group currently consists of Joshua Moore (lead guitar, backing vocals), Dave Stephens (keyboards, synthesisers unclean vocals,) Lou Cotton (rhythm guitar), Andy Glass (bass guitar, backing vocals) Kyle Pavone (clean vocals, keyboards, synthesisers).
Honourable mentions: ‘Fade Away’, ‘Blur’, ‘Broken Statues’, ‘To Move On Is To Grow’, ‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘To Plant a Seed’, ‘Mis//Understanding’.
5. Dreams
This is one of We Came As Romans’ older tracks and a good way to start the countdown to number one. ‘Dreams’ is a song that focuses on the theme of love and the importance of loving one another as brothers. Love will endure if we practise it continuously and live according to His principles is the main idea behind the song: ‘This is my deepest dream. This is how I show you my love (My love, my love) This is Him speaking through me. This is me speaking to you.’
The song has a great intro with drums, synth’ and clean guitar giving the song a relaxed feel before the hard-hitting instruments come in. The pacing between louder and soft sounds also works perfectly in this multi-layered track.
4. Regenerate
The intro and main riff in ‘Regenerate’ make up one of the best parts of this song that has a real speed and punk metal beat. The quick pace in the verses shows some brilliant guitar work by Joshua Moore and Lou Cotton that effortlessly builds the foundation for Stephens’ harsh screams. This number focuses most on living life to the full and the problem of condemnation and hatred between people in society. The absolute highlight is the breakdown that uses muted downstrokes in the guitar mixed with low sounding dissonant notes to create a real stop-start, heavy feel to the song.
3. Tracing Back Roots
This heavy track starts off with a bang as Stephens’ screams hit you hard in your eardrums before a signature guitar riff and drum intro with synth’ add extra depth and gravity to the opening 20 seconds. The track focuses on acknowledging what we become as people through the choices we make and how to chase the dream despite the lows that intertwine with the highs on one’s journey. This is one of my favourite songs mainly because of its universal, but still personal lyrics from a band that has worked hard to realise their dream.
‘Eight years ago I admitted a dream. To chase it I had to give up everything. But the things I’ve learned and the things I’ve found All of them made me who I am now.
2. Ghosts
‘Change the way you act, Change the way you act, not just the way you think. Change the way you live, live the way you claim. Words are just words until they’re put to work. And it will be actions, not words, that change this earth.’
These lyrics are absolutely perfect in my opinion and embody what We Came As Romans are about as a band. Hope, positive mindsets and the ability to still pull on listeners’ heart strings.
The band also goes through dark times and negative thoughts with ghosts of past failures creeping up but shares that there is still something to hold onto in order to change the earth. The clean vocals from Pavone and unclean vocals from Stephens work together in unison, with Moore executing one of the best riffs in We Came As Romans’ catalogue. A real pleasure to listen to this banging song.
1. Hope
This song embodies everything that We Came As Romans are known for and what makes them so good. The positive lyrics, catchy piano leads, vocal interchanges between Pavone and Stephens as well as a memorable sing-a-long chorus. Stephens shines in the second verse with a lyrical gem that he shouts out at full tilt: ‘Stand up, you have a voice to be heard.
‘You’re worth more than words. Don’t let your fire burn out. Your flame won’t be lit again when your candle’s burnt at both ends And there’s nothing left.’
The chorus where Pavone sings ‘we are the one true hope so give me an answer,’ is also one of the best parts and extenuates the sing-a-long qualities of the track.
