As I Lay Dying drummer Jordan Mancino will not be taking part in the group's upcoming live dates.
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This week’s “Classic Bands and Why We Love Them” contribution is from Chris Davis of Texas In July.
2003, my freshman year of high school, was a pretty awesome year for me as far discovering new bands and music. But one band in particular has stuck with me and made a huge impact on my life every day since. This band is As I Lay Dying.
I had bought the Headbangers Ball compilation CD, which featured many great bands but it was the second-to-last track on this disc that really knocked my socks off and caught my attention. The song was “Forever” by As I Lay Dying, and it was heavy yet melodic and had what I thought that time to be the craziest guitar riffs. I was hooked! I played that song on repeat for a few days, and then bought the album Frail Words Collapse a few day later. My mind was blown, the album was phenomenal front to back. Something fresh that I could connect to and be inspired by. I was hooked on As I Lay Dying.
Fast forward two years to 2005 and AILD released the album Shadows Are Security. This album was not only groundbreaking for the “Metalcore” genre as we know, and established their sound, but completely turned my world upside down. It changed how I thought about music, how I approached writing music and was therapeutic for me in many ways. I also saw them live for the first time, around this time period, and left the show stoked on life! I had never seen a band put on a show with such high energy, and yet play all of their instruments so well and so effortlessly. I knew from that night on, that being in a touring band was what I wanted to do with my life. They gave me the inspiration I needed to fully pursue my dream.
Fast forward once more to today, two albums and a ten year anniversary EP later, AILD released their 5th full length album in September and show no signs of slowing down. AILD has been making and releasing albums for more than twice as long as most bands careers last in this genre it seems. It takes a groundbreaking and inspirational band to have that kind of longevity. Longevity that I think can now classify AILD as a classic band.
TIJ and many of the bands we share the stage with these days owe much thanks to AILD for the music they’ve made, boundaries they’ve broken and inspiration to further expand on the musical styling they helped mold in to what we now know as “Metalcore.” They only continue to inspire me and so many other people around the world with every album they release, and I hope to one day share the stage with them. Thank you Tim, Jordan, Phil, Nick and Josh for the incredible music you have given us over the past 10+ years. You will forever be a classic an legendary band in my heart!
Metal is such a saturated genre lately, with so many subgenres and bands just rising out of the ground to try and claim their fifteen minutes of fame. With so many bands I find myself questioning how some of the older bands that started their careers in the early 90s and 2000s are still doing. My question seemingly has already been answered for me, with As I Lay Dying’s newest album, Awakened. Being an already well known and established band, the question is; how does their new release fare?
The intro track of any album usually does two things. One, it will set up the mood for an album and two, it will set up your expectations of an album, what you should expect out of the rest of it. Cauterize tells me two things about this album. It tells me that this album follows through with aggressive and powerful tones and excellent sounding metal riffs, great vocals, and plenty of solos. Tim Lambesis shines through as usual, delivering powerful heavy hitting vocals, along with Josh Gilbert providing equally powerful clean vocals on every track on the album. Lyrically the content is as powerful as ever, many tracks providing memorable choruses by Josh and verses by Tim, heard in many tracks. Tim deserves accolades for being one of the more ”understandable” vocalists in the metal genres, pronunciating his lyrics clearly.
My favorite tracks of this record are Cauterize, Defender (a powerful track both vocally and lyrically, offering positive inspiration), and Overcome (the intro solo to the song is simply beautiful), but really every track is good on this record. That in itself while initially being a positive aspect, also lends to the fact that there isn’t a huge deviation in sound between tracks. They’ve stayed relatively true to their previous styles and sound, with some songs incorporating heavier metalcore and thrash metal influenced riff work. As stated previously there is a lack of experimentation within their last few albums that they’ve release and that is also true for this one. While it never hurts to stick to your established sound, it also never hurts to stray the path and try something somewhat different.
There’s not much more I could briefly say about this album without going into a detailed track by track review, so please excuse this rather short review.. Awakened is a strong album, well produced, well written and well sounding. Fans of As I Lay Dying will love it, fans of metal and its subgenres will enjoy it, concert goers and moshers will love it played live (there are plenty of moments in this album for moshers to just let loose). This album in my eyes is a true example of Modern American Metal. Pick it up when it drops September 25, 2012.
-Christian
It’s time to be awakened.
The Grammy-nominated rock group AS I LAY DYING will release their sixth album, AWAKENED, September 25 on Metal Blade. Pre-orders are available today, August 20, via: http://www.metalblade.com/asilaydying/. After wrapping a successful run as a main stage act on the Rockstar Mayhem Festival with Slipknot, Slayer and more, the group will headline a special album release show-full details to be announced soon. On October 15, they’ll launch a European tour with Trivium, Caliban and Upon A Burning Body before returning to the U.S. in November for a nationwide tour.
AS I LAY DYING just completed a video for the new single “A Greater Foundation.” The rock group teamed with director Drew Russ (A Day To Remember, Falling In Reverse) and producer Robby Starbuckfor the performance-based clip which was shot on location in Los Angeles. "We were all impressed with Drew’s ability to capture the intensity of live band performances in his videos, and ‘A Greater Foundation’ is no exception, explains bassist JOSH GILBERT. “ Drew’s technique, along with the all-day participation of some of our diehard fans in Los Angeles, definitely accentuated the energy of the song and makes for an exciting and dynamic video. We can’t wait to unveil it!”
For AWAKENED, the San Diego-basedband–NICK HIPA (guitar), TIM LAMBESIS (vocals), JORDAN MANCINO (drums), PHIL SGROSSO (guitar) and JOSH GILBERT (bass)–holed up in the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, CO with renowned rock producer Bill Stevenson (Descendents) and mixer Colin Richardson. AWAKENED marks the follow-up to the Decas EP (2011) which reached # 2 on the iTunes Rock Chart. The group’s last LP, 2010′simmensely successful The Powerless Rise, debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at #10. The Powerless Risealso reached #2 on Billboard’s Independent Albums Chart and #3 on Billboard’s Hard Music Albums Chart.
We just got confirmed to interview Whitechapel, The Devil Wears Prada, and As I Lay Dying at Mayhem Festival! Comment below with your questions for them! (?)
A Decade of Destruction Tour Kicks Off Nov 30th in Long Island, NY and Winds Down With a Hometown San Diego Show Dec 16th
Openers Include Of Mice and Men, The Ghost Inside, iwrestledabearonce and Sylosis
Decas EP Out Now on Metal Blade Records
Grammy®-nominated metal group AS I LAY DYING is premiering a new music video for their take on the Judas Priest classic “Electric Eye” on www.Ulitmate-Guitar.com. The song appears on the recently released EP, Decas, which marks the band’s 10 year anniversary.
The clip was shot with director Paul Brown (My Chemical Romance, Staind, Stone Sour) at El Mirage Lake, a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California.
"After a long day of sunburns and drought out in the desert I’m glad to be done fighting scorpions for the filming of Electric Eye. We came out victorious, but we probably couldn’t have done it without the classic metal inspiration of Halford and Priest’s legendary guitar melodies,” explains front man Tim Lambesis.
View the video HERE.
The Decas EP also features three brand new songs, 3 additional covers that pay homage to just a few of the bands that have influenced AS I LAY DYING, and remixes by INNERPARTYSYSTEM (Katy Perry, Ladyhawke, Thursday, Good Charlotte and many others), Benjamin Weinman (The Dillinger Escape Plan), Kelly “Carnage” Cairns (Austrian Death Machine, War of Ages), and Big Chocolate (Asking Alexandria, iwrestledabearonce, Suicide Silence).
AS I LAY DYING will kick off their headline run on the A Decade of Destruction Tour on November 30th with special guests Of Mice and Men, The Ghost Inside, iwrestledabearonce, and Sylosis (see dates below.)
The band has partnered with Alternative Press on the Drum Tech For A Day contest where one lucky winner a day will get in the show for free to watch AILD’s set from the stage, as well as the following prizes: Zildjian Swag, DW Swag, Arkaik Clothing Swag, A signed PDP Snare Drum, AILD Swag, Sig Series Pro Mark Sticks from drummer Jordan Mancino.
One Grand Prize winner in Southern California will get all the above + Evans Drum Heads, a DW Factory Tour w/ Jordan and 2 Pair of Anarchy Eye wear Sunglasses.
Head over to altpress.com for your chance to win.
Decas EP tracklisting:
1. Paralyzed
2. From Shapeless to Breakable
3. Moving Forward
4. War Ensemble (Slayer cover)
5. Hellion (Judas Priest Cover)
6. Electric Eye (Judas Priest Cover)
7. Coffee Mug (Descendents cover)
8. Beneath the Encasing of Ashes (Re-Recorded Medley)
9. The Blinding of False Light (Innerpartysystem Remix)
10. Wrath Upon Ourselves (Benjamin Weinman Remix)
11. Confined (Kelly “Carnage” Cairns Remix)
12. Elegy (Big Chocolate Remix)
Alternative Press Resents: Decade of Destruction Tour featuring AS I LAY DYING & special guests Of Mice and Men, The Ghost Inside, iwrestledabearonce, and Sylosis
11/30 Huntington, NY The Paramount Theater
12/01 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theatre
12/02 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
12/03 Worcester, MA Palladium
12/04 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
12/05 Nashville, TN Rocketown
12/06 Chicago, IL House of Blues
12/07 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
12/08 Kansas City, MO Beaumont
12/09 Dallas, TX The Door
12/10 San Antonio, TX The White Rabbit
12/11 Lubbock, TX Lonestar Center
12/13 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
12/14 Scottsdale, AZ Venue Of Scottsdale
12/15 San Luis Obispo, CA SLO Brew **
12/16 San Diego, CA SOMA
12/17 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
**Of Mice & Men and Iwrestledabearonce are not on this date
http://www.facebook.com/asilaydying
State your name and what you do in AILD
Jordan Mancino - Drums
What do you feel has contributed to your long career as a band? Bands like Haste The Day have recently broken up, a band that had been at it for awhile.
At the end of the day, the music and the passion behind that music is what keeps bands around and relevant to music fans old and young. However, there are many other factors that keep bands alive such as the creative and business decisions made throughout your career. Timing has a lot to do with it as well. It’s hard to really pin point every little detail that’s attributed to our longevity, but we’ve always tried to stay true to who we are as it relates to our music and the way we do business and I think fans can sense that.
Did you ever think your life would turn out this way? What did your parents say about your first bands?
I definitely didn’t! My parents were always extremely supportive of my music and the bands I was playing in, although I don’t think they totally understood what I was doing until we did tours like Ozzfest. I remember telling my mom and dad that we were going on the road with Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden for the summer , bands that they knew and listened to growing up, and at that point it seem to settle in that I was doing was more than just a hobby.
What’s your favorite song to play live?
That’s a tough one… I would say Condemned off The Powerless Rise. The song is fast but still has groove, which is fun for me as drummer.
Speaking of playing live; you’re set to embark on the Decade of Destruction tour. Will any of the shows be filmed for a DVD or music video similar to This Is Who We Are?
No, nothing as extensive as This Is Who We Are, but we are going to filming footage for online video updates and stuff like that.
In my opinion, “Upside Down Kingdom” and “The Only Constant Is Change” are two of The Powerless Rise’ strongest tracks. Can you give us the background of both of these tracks?
- That’s awesome! Yeah I really like both of those tracks. As far as background goes, both of those songs came about as all of our songs do, that is with a general riff structure and arrangement. UDK was more of a straight forward riff extravaganza and TOCIC was more about layering and atmosphere. We actually did around 5-10 different drum track for TOCIC, which was a lot fun for me being able to experiment with percussion, etc.
Digging a little bit further, what song(s) were particularly hardest for you to write and why?
-Well, the toughest songs to record are the ones that we spend a lot of time changing or writing in the studio. It’s nice when I have the time to practice and work on a song a month or a few weeks prior to jumping in the studio, but there were songs like Paralyzed that I had never gotten a chance to practice or get familiar with before I started to record the drums for it. The funny thing is, it’s actually my favorite song from that particular session, maybe because of the spontaneity that was captured being that I was so unfamiliar with it.
What’s coming up for AILD in the near future?
After the DOD tour, we plan to take some time off the road and being writing for a full length, hopefully released by late in the summer of 2012.
Are you playing the Vans Warped Tour or Mayhem Fest next year? If not, do you have any headlining tours planned for early 2012 and if so, can you tell us who you’re playing with?
Nothing has been confirmed yet, but we plan to be active during the summer.
Speaking of touring: in your opinion, which is the best/worst run venues from a production and band point of view?
Haha, are you trying to get me in trouble?! Actually, my favorite venue is The Grove in Anaheim, CA. Very clean, professional, moderately sized venue. Plus, there’s a Starbucks a stone throw a way, which makes me happy. I’m a coffee junky. The worst venue… I “can’t remember” the name of the venue, but it’s in Oregon. I don’t even think it’s around anymore, but it was just a whole in the wall store front that had bands come play. I just remember the beverages provided for the touring party was a paint bucket full of unsweetened iced tea. NO water or anything like that. Just a bucket of iced tea that could only be retrieved by dunking your hand in with your cup. Haha. There were a l lot of other gross things about the place, but I’ll just leave it as that.
What made you guys decide to go the dubstep remix route and only do 3 new songs for Decas?
Haha, well we the remixes are there to be enjoyed, but that’s not a new direction for the band or anything like that. Decas is a compilation, not an original full length. We put the remixes on there for our fans that requested it.
Last question: what’s one book and one band you’d recommend to anyone that listens to AILD?
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A Kempis is a great book. One of my favorite records and a record I would recommend everyone take a listen to is Testament - The Gathering. Amazing record!