Deceiver received generally positive reviews by many. Allmusic explained that the album "covers a lot of familiar territory. Where the album gets interesting is in the guitar acrobatics of Tony Pizzuti and Zack Hansen, who like to keep things lightning fast and intricate" and "for anyone looking for metalcore with a couple of surprises here and there, Deceiver should offer a little something new." Alternative Press stated "the relentless drive of so many of the songs found on Deceiver have an urgency and added aggression to them that would make many of their peers recoil out of fear."

Nathan Lay of SMN News expressed that "this is one of those albums that actually becomes increasingly better as it plays through. It seems that most albums lose steam by the time they’re half way through, but not Deceiver." Lay also garnered a comparison of the album to their Empire EP by stating "Hell, the EP is still a worthy metal contender with today’s releases. So how [does] the full length compare? Well fans can stop holding their breath; Deceiver is beast. It’s heavier, more intricate, more powerful, and even more aggressive (lyrically and musically)." Negative reviews or comments of the album, although rare, mostly were made in disliking to the album's clean (melodic singing) vocals. Lambgoat referred to the singing as "Estrogen

Estrogen

Estrogens , oestrogens , or œstrogens, are a group of compounds named for their importance in the estrous cycle of humans and other animals. They are the primary female sex hormones. Natural estrogens are steroid hormones, while some synthetic ones are non-steroidal...

 enhanced emo

Emo

Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...

 [vocals]" and gave it a negative review, although praised the band's talent and musicianship.

Deceiver reached position 97 on the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

, number 37 on Rock Albums, number 15 on Top Independent Albums, and number 14 on Hard Rock Albums.

Track listing

Musicians

The Word Alive

• Tony Pizzuti - rhythm guitar
• Justin Salinas - drums
• Zack Hansen - lead guitar, backing vocals
• Tyler "Telle" Smith
  Tyler "Telle" Smith
  Tyler Smith, known also by his alias Telle, is an American musician. He is currently the lead vocalist for The Word Alive and has played in several bands, such as Greeley Estates and In Fear and Faith...
  
   - lead vocals
• Nick Urlacher - bass guitar
• Dusty Riach - keyboards, synthesizers

Additional musicians

• David Stephens
  We Came as Romans
  We Came as Romans is an American rock band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band signed to Equal Vision Records in April 2009 and have released two EPs, Demonstrations and Dreams , and two full-length albums, To Plant a Seed and Understanding What We've Grown to Be...
  
   - additional vocals on track 3
• Levi Benton
  Miss May I
  Miss May I is an American metalcore band from Troy, Ohio. On December 6, 2008, Miss May I announced that they had been signed to Rise Records. The band's debut album, Apologies Are for the Weak, reached #29 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers, and #66 on Top Independent Albums. Their song, "Forgive and...
  
   - additional vocals on track 5
• Tom Denney - composer, writer
• Joshua Moore
  We Came as Romans
  We Came as Romans is an American rock band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band signed to Equal Vision Records in April 2009 and have released two EPs, Demonstrations and Dreams , and two full-length albums, To Plant a Seed and Understanding What We've Grown to Be...
  
   - composer, writer

Production

Audio production staff

• Andrew Wade
  Andrew Wade
  Andrew Wade is an American recording engineer and music producer best known for his works with A Day To Remember, VersaEmerge, In Fear And Faith, Eyes Set To Kill, and The Word Alive. Wade currently resides in Ocala Florida....
  
   - production
  Sound recording and reproduction
  Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
  
  , engineering
  Audio engineering
  An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
  
  
• Matt Martone - engineering
• Alan Douches - mastering
  Audio mastering
  Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
  
  

Representational staff

• Kyle Crawford - logo, title design
• Keith Koenig - art direction, layout
• Tim Harmon - photography
• Nate Matzelle - A&R