Understanding What We've Grown to Be
Studio album by
We Came as Romans
ReleasedSeptember 13, 2011
RecordedFebruary 16–March 10, 2011, May 16–June 23, 2011
StudioThe Foundation Recording Studios, Connersville, Indiana
Genre
Length47:43
Label
Producer
We Came as Romans chronology
To Plant a Seed
(2009)		 Understanding What We've Grown to Be
(2011)		 Tracing Back Roots
(2013)
Singles from Understanding What We've Grown to Be
  1. "Mis//Understanding"
    Released: July 5, 2011
  2. "Just Keep Breathing"
    Released: December 16, 2011
  3. "Understanding What We've Grown to Be"
    Released: February 2, 2012
  4. "Let These Words Last Forever"
    Released: December 19, 2012
  5. "The King of Silence"
    Released: January 8, 2013
  6. "Hope"
    Released: January 31, 2013
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AbsolutePunk60%[1]
AllMusic[2]
Alternative Press[3]
Alter the Press![4]
Rockfreaks.net[5]
Under the Gun Review9/10[6]

Understanding What We've Grown to Be is the second studio album by American metalcore band We Came as Romans. It was released on September 13, 2011 through Equal Vision Records. It debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 the following week,[7] as well as peaking at number 5, 7, and 10 on the Hard Rock,[8] Independent,[9] and Rock Album charts.[10]

The album's first single, "Mis//Understanding", was available for streaming prior to the album's release,[11] and was released for digital download on July 5, 2011 along with the title track "Understanding What We've Grown to Be".[11]

On April 10, 2013, the album was reissued in a deluxe physical edition,[12] featuring their three most recent singles "Hope", "The King of Silence", and "Let These Words Last Forever" as well as a DVD of tour footage, interviews and live performance segments.[13]

Background

Understanding What We've Grown to Be was recorded during two sessions, the first being from February 16 through March 10, 2011, and the second being from May 16 through June 23, 2011. On June 22, the first single "Mis//Understanding" surfaced through Equal Vision' official YouTube channel.[14] A day later, the title track was also released for free listening. "Mis//Understanding" was released as an official single on iTunes on July 5, 2011, which included "Understanding What We've Grown To Be" as a bonus track.[15] On July 14, 2011, the album's cover art was released via puzzle on the band's homepage.[16] By August 2011, the record's production was completed and distribution began shortly. On August 22, 2011, the length of each song was announced.

Musical style and lyrics

According to Equal Vision, "musically and lyrically, Understanding What We've Grown to Be holds a much darker tone than their previous release, To Plant a Seed. While still maintaining the band’s overall theme of positivity and brotherhood, the new material takes on a more straightforward approach to life’s struggles and the challenges of growing up."[17]

The lyrics follow a sort of 'dark to light' theme as the album goes on. "We, as a band, discovered a lot of negativity in our lifestyle that we hadn't truly realized or noticed in the past and this CD is a lot about dealing with that and coping when things turn out the opposite of how you'd imagined they would."[18]

Videos

"Mis//Understanding" was officially released, exclusively by ArtistDirect.com as the album's first music video on November 11, 2011.[19] It is the first of a three part series of music videos for songs off of this album. The videos were filmed in Brooklyn, NY in September, with director Travis Kopach.[20] According to guitarist Joshua Moore, "We actually filmed three music videos. The story you see is actually part one of three. As time goes, we'll release another video and then follow it with the final video. You see this guy running through the woods. There are scenes of him covered in mud, dirt, and grime. He's even running from himself. That's all going on in his mind. He's running away from the darkness that he sees. He's trying to break away and break out from that. It goes along with the lyrics of the song—not understanding a lot of the things that happen and the negativity that seems mindless. There's no reason for it. Towards the end of the song, Dave [Stephens] says, 'Don't give up on me. Take comfort in me.' The song is ultimately about figuring out how to fix things within yourself and be happy. That's where it all starts. More or less, the video is the artistic way of expressing that."[21]

Cover

The album's cover painting was done by Paul Romano, who also created the cover of We Came as Romans' debut full-length album, To Plant a Seed and features the same faceless boy from before. Guitarist/lyricist Joshua Moore and bassist Andrew Glass worked together to come up with the visual concept for the cover and then collaborated with Romano to bring the powerful imagery to life. Moore explains that the idea for the piece was developed long before the album was even completed stating, "We knew going into everything what the direction of the CD was going to be, the whole concept behind it and how we wanted to be portrayed as a band."

Track listing

All songs written by Joshua Moore and David Stephens.

No.TitleLength
1."Mis//Understanding"3:57
2."Everything as Planned"3:39
3."What I Wished I Never Had"4:01
4."Cast the First Stone"3:35
5."The Way That We Have Been"3:44
6."A War Inside"5:21
7."Stay Inspired"3:34
8."Just Keep Breathing"4:00
9."Views That Never Cease, to Keep Me from Myself"3:48
10."What My Heart Held"4:06
11."I Can't Make Your Decisions for You"3:43
12."Understanding What We've Grown to Be"4:15
Total length:47:43
European bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Roads That Don't End and Views That Never Cease" (live)3:55
Total length:51:38
Japan bonus track
No.TitleLength
13."Intentions" (live)3:06
Total length:50:49
Deluxe edition
No.TitleLength
1."Hope"4:10
2."The King of Silence"4:36
3."Let These Words Last Forever"3:42
4."Mis//Understanding"3:57
5."Everything as Planned"3:39
6."What I Wished I Never Had"4:01
7."Cast the First Stone"3:35
8."The Way That We Have Been"3:44
9."A War Inside"5:21
10."Stay Inspired"3:34
11."Just Keep Breathing"4:00
12."Views That Never Cease, to Keep Me from Myself"3:48
13."What My Heart Held"4:06
14."I Can't Make Your Decisions for You"3:43
15."Understanding What We've Grown to Be"4:15
Total length:59:46

Personnel

We Came as Romans

  • Dave Stephens – unclean vocals
  • Kyle Pavone – clean vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizer
  • Joshua Moore – lead guitar, backing vocals
  • Lou Cotton – rhythm guitar
  • Andy Glass – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Eric Choi – drums

Additional personnel

Production[22]

  • Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Joey Sturgis
  • Art concept by Joshua Moore and Andrew Glass
  • Artwork and design by Paul Romano
  • John Feldmann – production, mixing (deluxe edition)
  • Machine – production (deluxe edition)
  • Alberto de Icaza – engineering, editing (deluxe edition)
  • Zakk Cervini – additional production, editing (deluxe edition)

Charts

Chart performance for Understanding What We've Grown to Be
Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[7] 10
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[8] 5
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[9] 7
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[10] 10

References

  1. ↑ Gardner, Ryan (November 30, 2011). "AbsolutePunk review". Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ Collar, Matthew. "Allmusic review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ Heisel, Scott (September 5, 2011). "Alternative Press review". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  4. ↑ Issitt, Dan (2011). "Alter the Press! review". Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  5. ↑ Pertola, Aleksi (November 16, 2011). "Rockfreaks.net review". Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  6. ↑ "REVIEW: We Came as Romans: 'Understanding What We've Grown To Be'". Under the Gun Review. September 3, 2011.
  7. 1 2 "We Came as Romans Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  8. 1 2 "We Came as Romans Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "We Came as Romans Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  10. 1 2 "We Came as Romans Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "STREAM: We Came as Romans – Mis//Understanding | Under the Gun Review".
  12. ↑ "Understanding What We've Grown To Be Deluxe Edition". Wecameasromans.com. April 10, 2013. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Hot Topic". Hottopic.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  14. ↑ "In the Studio/Exclusive News: We Came as Romans". Alternative Press. 22 June 2011.
  15. ↑ "Mis/Understanding - Single by We Came as Romans". Apple Music. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  16. ↑ "WeCameAsRomans.com". Wecameasromans.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  17. ↑ "WeCameAsRomans.com". Wecameasromans.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
  18. ↑ Ramirez, Carlos (July 15, 2011). "We Came As Romans Announce Headlining Tour, Reveal Album Cover". Noisecreep. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  19. ↑ "artistdirect.com". artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  20. ↑ "equalvision.com". equalvision.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-18. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  21. ↑ "artistdirect.com". artistdirect.com. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
  22. ↑ "Understanding What We've Grown to be - We Came as Romans | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
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