As Real as It Gets
Sworn Enemy · 2003
29 min · 10 tracks · metalcore
A raw and aggressive blend of metalcore riffs with visceral lyrics reflecting personal struggles and societal issues.
Top tracks — play these first
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As Real as It Gets — The title track encapsulates the album's themes of authenticity and struggle, driven by powerful guitar riffs and relentless energy that set the tone for the entire record.
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My Misery — This track stands out with its intense breakdowns and raw emotional delivery, vividly portraying feelings of despair and inner turmoil that many listeners can relate to.
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Innocence Lost — With its reflective lyrics about lost youth and disillusionment, this song showcases the band's ability to blend aggression with poignant storytelling, marking a high point on the album.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid metalcore elements with energetic performances but lacks standout compositions to elevate it further.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a fast-paced track that sets a relentless tone, maintaining high energy through the first half before introducing slower, heavier riffs in the latter tracks.
- Vocals alternate between aggressive shouts and melodic lines, creating a dynamic contrast that emphasizes the emotional weight of the lyrics.
- Several tracks feature breakdowns that disrupt the flow, allowing for moments of intensity followed by brief pauses before resuming the aggression.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- short bursts of aggressive energy
- cathartic release of frustration
- intense tracks for quick listens
- raw emotion in every song
Maybe skip if you
- prefer soothing, melodic sounds
- want lengthy, reflective albums
Where this album fits
- Career context
- As Real as It Gets marks Sworn Enemy's second studio album, following their 2002 debut, 'Negative Outlook.' Released during a pivotal time in the early 2000s metalcore scene, this album solidified their position among genre leaders as they navigated growing popularity and evolving sound.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Hatebreed· Shadows Fall· Unearth
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Sworn Enemy 3:36
- 2 One Way Trip 2:10
- 3 As Real as It Gets 3:02
- 4 My Misery 2:11
- 5 Labeled 2:53
- 6 Fallen Grace 2:46
- 7 Time Heals No Wounds 2:23
- 8 Days Past 3:15
- 9 Innocence Lost 2:44
- 10 These Tears 3:59
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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