Music: Thrash/Metalcore
Website: http://www.asilaydying.com
Country: USA
Duration: 44:14 (11 songs)
Cool Songs: “Condemned,” “Parallels,” “The Only Constant Is Change”
It doesnt matter if you hate them, because As I Lay Dying will never change. Always metalcore. Always melodic. Always Christian. To the death. On the bands fifth and latest album The Powerless Rise the smarmy quintet are up to their usual tricks: Buzzsaw riffs, rapidfire tempos, sudden breaks into clean singing, and an infectious taste for hooks all conspire to get your arms flailing once opening salvo Beyond Our Suffering commences. As I Lay Dyings first stab at eating up your spare time is a resounding success and subsequently gets better on the uplifting turns of Anodyne Sea before the no-holds-barred death metal assault Without Conclusion explodes from your speakers.
The albums momentum takes a turn for the catchy at Parallels and once the memorable chorus has quit making you sing along The Plague buzzes for three odd minutes. Its a passable track at best meant to showcase how br00tal the band are despite their obvious talent for saccharine sweet heavy metal for the teenage set. The album eases its pace by Anger And Apathy, a mid tempo affair much slower than its predecessors and ornamented by Tim Lambesis numerous dips into the clean-singing pond. Condemned is its complete opposite, an uncompromising barrage of thrash riffs and hoarse vocals whose sheer intensity burns across a mere two and a half minutes. Its a clear indicator that underneath As I Lay Dyings charm resides a ferocious beast ready to tear you a new one at a moments notice.
Youd think the band are feeling repentant for their aggression, thereby justifying the rather drab Upside Down Kingdom thats followed by the forgettable Vacancy. Believers fear not, because on this last stretch As I Lay Dying pull together and loose an impressive two hit combo before the curtains fall on their latest. On superficial matters like production and musicianship, As I Lay Dying are in fine form, as if the almost three years since their last studio effort never went by. Whether its the Hippa-Sgross guitar tandem gushing out riff after riff or Jordan Mancinos teeth-loosening percussion barrage, its all peaches for these punters. The Powerless Rise might not be a flawless masterpiece, but it certainly kills on many levels.
note: 7/10
Tracklist
1. Beyond Our Suffering
2. Anodyne Sea
3. Without Conclusion
4. Parallels
5. The Plague
6. Anger And Apathy
7. Condemned
8. Upside Down Kingdom
9. Vacancy
10. The Only Constant Is Change
11. The Blinding of False Light
Line-up
Tim Lambesis- Vocals
Phil Sgross- Guitar
Nick Hippa- Guitar
Josh Gilbert- Bass
Jordan Mancino- Drums
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