Sea Of Tranquility



The Web Source for Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal & Jazz-Fusion
  Search   in       
Main Menu




As I Lay Dying: An Ocean Between Us

Sometimes it's hard to fathom just why the San Diego metalcore band As I Lay Dying have achieved the level of success they have to this point. Sales of their Metal Blade CD's have been very strong, they've headlined countless tours and metal festivals, and remain a steady favorite among fans of the subgenre. Upon a quick glance, one might think that their style, which fuses crushing and at times intricate guitar work, screaming vocals, pounding rhythms, and insightful lyrics, differs little from bands like Killswitch Engage, All That Remains, and the like. Dig a little deeper though, and you have a group that knows how to put together a catchy melody, as well as deliver brutal metal thumpers. An Ocean Between Us is their latest release, 43 minutes of music that is exactly what their growing fanbase expects. Tracks like "Nothing Left" and the killer "Within Destruction" reveal a brutal nature that rivals anything you hear from Hatebreed or Lamb of God, while the shimmering title track rocks hard, but contains plenty of catchy hooks and sweeping melodies, sure to be a potential radio hit or video possibility. As you make your way through this CD, it becomes evident just how adept As I Lay Dying are at dropping those gorgeous melodies within a pretty pulverizing framework. "Forsaken" is a great example, a real brutal piece with crushing riffs from Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa, and super aggressive vocals courtesy of lead shouter Tim Lambesis. However, check out the soaring chorus, which sees the singer deliver a clean, emotional, and passionate style, that mixes greatly with the raging brutality and turns the song into one of strongest cuts here. As far as delivering quality extreme metal, these guys can bash with the best of them, case in point the bludgeoning "Comfort Betrays", the raging thrash attack of "Bury Us All", the complex riff-o-rama of "The Sound of Truth", and the boiling inferno that is the album closer, "This is Who We Are".

With an effective mix of brutality, melody, and superb musicianship, An Ocean Between Us is easily one of the must hear metalcore albums of 2007. Check it out and see what all the fuss is about.


Track Listing
1. Separation
2. Nothing Left
3. An Ocean Between Us
4. Within Destruction
5. Forsaken
6. Comfort Betrays
7. I Never Wanted
8. Bury Us All
9. The Sound of Truth
10. Departed
11. Wrath Upon Ourselves
12. This is Who We Are

Added: November 4th 2007
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: As I Lay Dying Website
Hits: 3219
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend Send to a Friend ]

  

[ Back to the Reviews Index | Post Comment ]



© 2004 Sea Of Tranquility
For information regarding where to send CD promos and advertising, please see our FAQ page.
If you have questions or comments, please Contact Us.
Please see our Policies Page for Site Usage, Privacy, and Copyright Policies.

All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. The comments are property of their posters, all other content © Sea of Tranquility

SoT is Hosted by SpeedSoft.com