I credit As I Lay Dying with practically single-handedly pulling me back into metal. After college I went headfirst into my internship 40-50 hours a week and spent the rest of my time trying to make ends meet working morning shifts fulltime at Starbucks. I all but ignored new music in general, instead closing my eyes for my 4-6 free hours a day to sleep. In August of 2001, I had just started my first career job at XM and was very pleased to find that they had a metal channel. When I heard “Forever,” my jaw dropped and I thrust myself whole-heartedly back into the scene and haven’t looked back since.
I also find it fitting that Adam D (who I last saw playing beer pong with a box from a case of beer as a hat) from KSE is heading up the production on this one, as his band also convinced me to rejoin the metal world at that time. Adam has perfected the sonic sheen on metal records – for example check out any of the albums in the last 6 years from All That Remains, Norma Jean, Unearth, Underoath and of course his work on all the Killswitch records solidly identifies the bands to which he puts his touch.
As I Lay Dying may be the only metal band that actually makes me feel like I’m falling in love – the emotions they evoke with their guitar melodies, it’s almost like dark chocolate for the ears. Their fifth full-length record is The Powerless Rise. All in all, I think this one completely annihilates their last record in brutality. “Anodyne Sea” is my favourite on the first couple of listens, and will most certainly become a perfect addition to the already stellar line-up of AILD classics.
“The Plague” has the meat, right out of the gate and I’m back to swooning for the guitars (Nick and Phil, geniuses, both) in “Upside Down Kingdom,” while Josh rounds out the tones. Solid drumming from Jordan on this one (no surprise there) – the drum sounds are big and fat and a little verby…maybe a little too verby, but that’s just me.
I am a huge Tim Lambesis fan, and smile to myself when I hear a little Austrian Death Machine vox sneak in there (bound to remind me, of course) and although my tastes tend to run dark and evil (I’ve been known to shudder when any band breaks into harmonies…) now I find that I don’t mind so much anymore. In “The Blinding Of False Light” Tim melds his monstrous vocals with Josh’s melodic singing flawlessly.
As I Lay Dying has established themselves as amazing musicians, with a solid discography, a Grammy nod and a sound that many try to duplicate and fail miserably. (Unless they get Adam D… then they can get a little closer, at least.) The Powerless Rise drops from Metal Blade Records on May 11th. Can’t wait to see them live again. Oh look, I can on Thursday:
Mon 05/03/10 Des Moines, IA People’s
Tue 05/04/10 Springfield, MO Remmington’s
Wed 05/05/10 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
Thu 05/06/10 Richmond, VA The National
Fri 05/07/10 Allentown, PA Crocodile Rock Cafe
Sat 05/08/10 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small’s Theatre
Sun 05/09/10 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Small’s Theatre
Mon 05/10/10 Nashville, TN Rocketown
Tue 05/11/10 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Wed 05/12/10 Minneapolis, MN The Cabooze
Thu 05/13/10 Kansas City, MO Beaumont Club
Fri 05/14/10 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
Sat 05/15/10 Magna, UT The Great Saltair
Sun 05/16/10 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
Mon 05/17/10 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory Concert House
Tue 05/18/10 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre
Thu 05/20/10 Reno, NV Knitting Factory Concert House
Fri 05/21/10 San Diego, CA SOMA San Diego
Sat 05/22/10 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
Out on tour with not a lot of my favourite bands, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go early. They’re also booked to rock the Download Festival with AC/DC on June 11th in the UK and on the 25th, playing at Gods Of Metal in Italy. Fuckin’ right, guys.