Slave to the Game

Slave to the Game
Studio album by
Emmure
ReleasedApril 10, 2012
RecordedJanuary–February 2012
StudioThe Foundation Recording Studios, Connersville, Indiana
GenreDeathcore, metalcore[1]
Length31:52
LabelVictory
ProducerJoey Sturgis
Emmure chronology
Speaker of the Dead
(2011) 		Slave to the Game
(2012) 		Eternal Enemies
(2014)
Singles from Slave to the Game
  1. "I Am Onslaught"
    Released: March 13, 2012
  2. "Protoman"
    Released: March 26, 2012
  3. "MDMA"
    Released: July 9, 2012
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic59/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
About.com[1]
Allmusic[3]

Slave to the Game is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Emmure, released on April 10, 2012, through Victory Records.[4] The record was produced by Joey Sturgis, who also did production on the band's previous album Speaker of the Dead.[5] It is the first album to feature drummer Mark Castillo, following the band parting ways with their former drummer Mike Kaabe in October 2011.

Slave to the Game is the band's highest charting album to date, peaking number 58 on the Billboard 200, and number 11 on the Top Independent chart. Despite its success, the album is frontman Frankie Palmeri’s least favorite out of the band’s work. In 2015 interview, Palmeri considered the album to be a “commercial failure” and said “The songs suck. It’s just not good. None of the riffs are good. I just don’t like it. I feel bad ‘cause I let that record happen.”[6] Frankie Palmeri has since changed his opinion as of June 21, 2021, as stated on the official Emmure X account, "I used to really dislike how (Slave To The Game) came out, but now I find that there's some really strong riffs and fun parts on that album. Some lyrics are also way angrier than I remember."[7]

  1. ^ a b Lyons, Todd (April 10, 2012). "Emmure-"Slave to the Game"". About.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  2. ^ Metacritic (April 10, 2012). "Slave to the Game Reviews". CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  3. ^ Cherrie, Chrysta (April 10, 2012). ""Slave to the Game"-Emmure". Allmusic. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  4. ^ VictorVTV (January 20, 2012). "Emmure 'Slave to the Game' in Stores April 10" on YouTube. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  5. ^ Jake Denning (January 20, 2012). "Emmure Is a Slave to the Game". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  6. ^ "Frankie Palmeri Dislikes 30% Of EMMURE's Music, Former Co-Founders Say "Nobody Takes Him Fuckin' Seriously."". 30 January 2017.
  7. ^ "I went ahead and revisited our post grad release..." x.com. June 2021.