Welcome Reality

Welcome Reality is the debut album by British dubstep group Nero. A concept album,^[1] it was released first in Ireland on 12 August 2011^[2] and the rest of the world on 15 August 2011 except Australia and New Zealand where it was released on 19 August 2011^[3] on Chase & Status's MTA Records.^[4] The album has sold 120,000 copies in the United States as of July 2015.^[5]

Welcome Reality
Studio album by Nero
Released	12 August 2011 (2011-08-12)
Recorded	6 October 2008 – 1 April 2011
Genre	Dubstep electro house new rave drum and bass
Length	61:10
Label	MTA Mercury
Producer	Nero
Nero chronology
Welcome Reality (2011) Between II Worlds (2015)
Alternative cover
2012 re-issue (Welcome Reality +)
Singles from Welcome Reality
"Innocence" Released: 26 April 2010 "Me and You" Released: 2 January 2011 "Guilt" Released: 24 April 2011 "Promises" Released: 5 August 2011 "Crush on You" Released: 13 October 2011 "Reaching Out" Released: 16 December 2011 "Must Be the Feeling" Released: 5 March 2012 "Won't You (Be There)" Released: 19 October 2012

Critical response

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	68/100[6]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Clash	4/10[7]
The Guardian	[8]
MusicOMH	[9]
PopMatters	7/10[10]
Spin	7/10[11]

Welcome Reality has received generally positive reviews. Spin gave the album a score of 7/10, and wrote, "Alana Watson gives Nero's robotic skronk a rare injection of humanity, and the U.K. producers are smart enough to build most of their debut full-length around her husky voice, skipping the sampled spasticity of Skrillex in favor of Daft Punk's melodic big beat, '80s-inspired electro, and stadium-sized mash-ups of squealing guitar and windy synths."^[11] Jeff Weiss, for the Los Angeles Times, found the album to be "As effective as it is predictable", stating "Welcome Reality will inevitably soundtrack thousands of summer and fall blowouts".^[12] The album was not well received by Clash, who stated that "Welcome Reality is so in your face and predictable it feels like the musical equivalent of a Michael Bay movie: loud, crass, periodically fun, but ultimately forgettable".^[7]

Track listing

Welcome Reality track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"2808"	1:53
2.	"Doomsday"	4:12
3.	"My Eyes"	4:41
4.	"Guilt"	4:43
5.	"Fugue State"	3:35
6.	"Me and You"	4:08
7.	"Innocence"	5:08
8.	"In the Way"	3:57
9.	"Scorpions"	5:56
10.	"Crush on You"	4:10
11.	"Must Be the Feeling"	4:03
12.	"Reaching Out"	4:45
13.	"Promises"	4:17
14.	"Departure"	5:34

iTunes deluxe edition bonus tracks^[13]

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Angst" (inspired by Justice)	4:51
16.	"Welcome Reality VIP"	4:27
17.	"This Way" (album version)	5:49
18.	"New Life"	4:33
19.	"Choices" (album version)	6:14
20.	"Symphony 2808"	17:34
21.	"Symphony 2808" (Video)	18:12

Welcome Reality + bonus tracks^[14]

No.	Title	Length
15.	"Won't You (Be There)"	4:03
16.	"Etude"	4:17
17.	"Promises" (Skrillex and Nero Remix)	4:28

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for Welcome Reality

Chart (2011–2012)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15]	12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16]	29
Irish Albums (IRMA)[17]	52
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[18]	32
Scottish Albums (OCC)[19]	2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[20]	88
UK Albums (OCC)[21]	1
UK Dance Albums (OCC)[22]	1
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[23]	6
US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[24]	178
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[25]	6

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for Welcome Reality

Chart (2011)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)[26]	98
Chart (2012)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)[27]	186
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[28]	16

Certifications

Certifications for Welcome Reality

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29]	Gold	35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[30]	Gold	7,500‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[31]	Gold	100,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.