June

As I Lay Dying – The Powerless Rise

Over the past years, As I Lay Dying has grown into one of today’s biggest metalcore-bands. As I Lay Dying left a mark in the landscape with four outstanding studioalbums, but the band has gained a real voice with An Ocean Between Us – a voice regarding authenticity, personality and style. The band divides itself from the rest by mixing brutal guitar riffs with melodic openings, which make the tracks different but also accessible for the bigger audience. The Powerless Rise is the fifth album of the metalband from San Diego, California, and with this album As I Lay Dying sets the bar really high for not only other bands, but also themselves.

We had to wait three years for new material to arrive because of the amusing sideproject of singer Tim Lambesis, Austrian Death Machine. But with this great amusement in the mean time and a great new album, it was worth the waiting. The Powerless Rise is characterized by consistency on a high level because this record only consists of good songs. With this new record As I Lay Dying builds a bridge between true metal and hardcore breakdowns. The band builds up on the sound of An Ocean Between Us, but knows how to refine and nuance the songs with the superb songwriting. The songstructures hit the ceiling because of the refined transitions and variations, but hold on to the melody in order that the end is not lost.

You can clearly hear the individual growth of the bandmembers. The guitarriffs cut through the songs like a knife and Jordan Macino gets to a bpm of 389798 with his double-bass pedal like it’s his daily routine. In tracks such as ‘Condemned’ Lambesis found the ideal intercourse with his voice and knows how to bring diversity in his screams. The band holds on to energy in ‘Beyond Our Suffering’ and ‘The Plague’, but slackens the reigns in songs as ‘Parallels’, which could be a new hit by the way. It shows that holding on and working hard lays the foundation of success. The Powerless Rise shows growth, dedication and motivation.

– written by Caroline Westendorp

Information:
http://www.myspace.com/asilaydying