As I Lay Dying (band)
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As I Lay Dying is an American
metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band from
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, California. Founded in 2000 by vocalist
Tim Lambesis Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also had a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to act ...
, the band's first full lineup (including Lambesis' Point of Recognition bandmate
Jordan Mancino Jordan Mancino (born May 22, 1983) is an American drummer. He has played with several metal acts as the official or as a live member, including As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, and Wovenwar. Mancino, alongside the rest of AILD, have stated th ...
) was completed in 2001. The band has released seven albums, one
split album A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...
, and two compilation albums. As I Lay Dying's fourth studio album ''
An Ocean Between Us ''An Ocean Between Us'' is the fourth album by the American metalcore band As I Lay Dying (band), As I Lay Dying, released on August 21, 2007, by Metal Blade Records. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, with sales close to ...
'' peaked at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and No. 1 on the Top Rock chart. The band has performed at events such as
Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a rock music, rock music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and su ...
,
With Full Force Full Force (previously With Full Force) is a German heavy metal music, heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented music festival held annually since 1994. The 2011 edition took place between 1 and 3 July at Roitzschjora airport in Löbnitz. Lineups ...
, Soundwave Festival,
Warped Tour The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...
,
Bloodstock Open Air Bloodstock Open Air is a British heavy metal music, heavy metal rock festival, festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire, since 2005. Originally held indoors for one day with two stages, the festival started in 2001 ...
and
Taste of Chaos Taste of Chaos (or "TOC") was a live music tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with his friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour catered to fans of ...
. In 2007, As I Lay Dying won the "Ultimate Metal God" award from
MTV2 MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to sh ...
at the first annual "All That Rocks" special; was named "Artist of the Year" at the San Diego Music Awards in 2005, 2007 and 2008; and was nominated for a 2008
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for the song " Nothing Left." Their fifth studio album ''
The Powerless Rise ''The Powerless Rise'' is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album was released on May 7, 2010 in Europe, and on May 11, 2010 in the United States. ''The Powerless Rise'' debuted at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' ...
'' was written over a three-year period, and was released in May 2010 to widespread critical acclaim. Their last studio album before their hiatus, '' Awakened'', was released on September 25, 2012. The band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2014 when Lambesis was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison for soliciting the murder of his estranged wife. The remaining members formed
Wovenwar Wovenwar is an American metal band from Southern California, formed in 2013. They released their self-titled debut album in 2014. The band's musical style on the album has been described as hard rock, alternative metal, melodic metalcore and ...
with vocalist
Shane Blay Shane Blay is an American guitarist and vocalist that performs primarily metalcore. He has performed with bands such as Oh, Sleeper, Between the Buried and Me, and Wovenwar. Background Blay started his musical career in the late 1990s/early 200 ...
. In 2018, Lambesis reunited with Hipa, Sgrosso, Mancino and Gilbert. On June 8, 2018, the band released the song "
My Own Grave "My Own Grave" is a song by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is their first single in six years. It was the first song released following singer Tim Lambesis' incarceration in 2013 and the first to feature Phil Sgrosso playing alongside ...
", their first recording in six years. They released their seventh studio album, ''
Shaped by Fire ''Shaped by Fire'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It was released on September 20, 2019, through Nuclear Blast. The album was produced by the band themselves and is the follow-up to the group's sixth album, ...
'', on September 20, 2019. The band's lineup would crumble in the years following the album's release; Hipa departed the band in 2020, followed by Gilbert and Mancino in 2022, just over a month between each other.


History


Formation and first releases (2000–2004)

After leaving the band
Society's Finest Society's Finest is a metalcore band from Dallas, Texas. Their first full-length album, '' The Journey...So Far'', was released on Solid State Records in May 2000. Due to member changes and personal matters the band took a break from touring a ...
, in which he played guitar, vocalist
Tim Lambesis Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also had a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to act ...
formed As I Lay Dying in 2000. Starting out as a duet with drummer
Jordan Mancino Jordan Mancino (born May 22, 1983) is an American drummer. He has played with several metal acts as the official or as a live member, including As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, and Wovenwar. Mancino, alongside the rest of AILD, have stated th ...
, they first met as a band in February 2001. They both were in the
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
band Point of Recognition. The band's name came from the novel of the same name by
William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most of ...
that was published in 1930; although the band's lyrics and music are not directly inspired by the novel. Shortly after the band's formation,
Pluto Records Pluto Records is a record label started in 1999 by Eric Shirey and Brian Cobbel. Since 2002, it has been owned and operated by Brian Cobbel and based near Dallas, TX. It is primarily known for punk, metal and hardcore releases, although not ...
offered As I Lay Dying a recording contract and, after accepting the offer, the band entered the studio one month later to record their first album ''
Beneath the Encasing of Ashes ''Beneath the Encasing of Ashes'' is the debut studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. Many reviewers and also casual listeners compared the overall sound of this album to Zao. It is widely thought that the band found its own so ...
'', released in June 2001. The band then recorded five songs for a
split album A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...
, again through Pluto Records, with San Diego
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
band American Tragedy. As I Lay Dying realized it needed to expand to a five-piece band to include another guitarist and a bassist. Mancino commented "we started going on tour and we needed obviously more people than that." As Lambesis and Mancino were the only permanent members, the band recruited friends to perform with them and subsequently underwent several lineup changes: bassist Noah Chase departed in 2001, while Brandon Hays, and his subsequent replacement Aaron Kennedy, departed in 2003. During early 2003, when As I Lay Dying's Pluto Records contract expired, the band pursued deals with other record labels. After extensive touring and an increase in popularity, As I Lay Dying was offered a record deal with
Metal Blade Records Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distrib ...
in March 2003. In July 2003, the band's second studio album ''
Frail Words Collapse ''Frail Words Collapse'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album is their first release on the record label Metal Blade Records. Only two of the four current band-members (drummer Jordan Mancino and frontm ...
'' was released. Produced by Lambesis, the album peaked at No. 30 on ''Billboard''s
Independent Albums The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by '' Billboard'' maga ...
chart and No. 41 on the
Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
chart. William York of Allmusic thought the band "doesn't really add anything new to the mix from a musical standpoint" with the release, while also praising it for being "solid enough and well executed" with "adequate" production. Sherwin Frias of Jesus Freak Hideout had similar sentiments and commented "As I Lay Dying didn't exactly break many boundaries in making this record", but praised that each song is "executed so well (and with such precision) that nary a song misses its target." Touring then occurred to promote the album, with support from bands
Himsa Himsa was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1998, their band name is from the Sanskrit word himsa, which means "harm" or "violence". The group released four full-length studio albums, two EPs and one DVD before ...
,
Shadows Fall Shadows Fall is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of Jon Donais (lead guitar, b ...
, The Black Dahlia Murder,
Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
,
In Flames In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990. Alongside At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity, In Flames pioneered the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal. During t ...
,
Sworn Enemy Sworn Enemy is an American crossover thrash band from New York City. Biography The band formed as "Downfall" and later on as "Mindset", a product of the extremely expansive and influential New York hardcore scene. At its original inception th ...
, and
Hatebreed Hatebreed is an American hardcore band from Bridgeport, Connecticut, formed in 1994. The band released its debut album '' Satisfaction is the Death of Desire'' in 1997, which gave the band a cult following. The band signed to Universal Records ...
. Music videos for the songs "94 Hours" and "Forever" received rotation on networks such as
Fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
and
MTV2 MTV2 (formerly M2) is an American pay television Cable television, channel owned by the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. The channel launched initially as an all-music video service, once the original MTV had started to sh ...
's ''
Headbangers Ball ''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more obs ...
''.


Success (2005–2009)

As I Lay Dying entered Big Fish recording studio in
Encinitas, California Encinitas (Spanish language, Spanish for "Small Oaks") is a beach city in the North County (San Diego area), North County area of San Diego County, California. Located within Southern California, it is approximately north of San Diego, between ...
, US in January 2005 to record their third studio album. '' Shadows Are Security'' was released in June of the same year and debuted at No. 1 on the Independent Albums chart. It was also the band's first release to enter the ''Billboard'' 200—at No. 35—and sold about 275,000 copies. Wade Kergan of AllMusic called it "one of the strongest releases of 2005," and commented that new guitarists
Phil Sgrosso Phil Sgrosso (born September 16, 1985) is an American heavy metal musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist of the American metalcore band As I Lay Dying, the former rhythm guitarist of the band Wovenwar and the touring lead guitarist for Sa ...
and
Nick Hipa Samuel Nicholas Hipa (born November 30, 1982) is an American heavy metal guitarist. He has performed with several notable acts. He is the current lead guitarist of Mire, and was the longtime former lead guitarist of As I Lay Dying. Background ...
make the band "stronger." Rod Smith of ''
Decibel Magazine ''Decibel'' is a monthly heavy metal magazine published by the Philadelphia-based Red Flag Media since October 2004. Its sections include Upfront, Features, Reviews, Guest Columns and the Decibel Hall of Fame. The magazine's tag-line is currentl ...
'' commented: "Tim Lambesis's finely honed roar in bittersweet instrumental matrices augmented by occasional clean vocals by bass guitarist Clint Norris. Guitarists Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa whip up a melodic cyclone on 'The Darkest Nights'." By this time, guitarist Evan White had quit the band for personal reasons after his mother died. All the singing was done by Dave Arthur of Kings to You, because it sounded more powerful in the studio in comparison to Clint Norris's singing. As I Lay Dying began touring to promote the new record by making appearances at Hell on Earth, Winter Headline Tour, and
Ozzfest Ozzfest is an annual music festival tour of the United States and sometimes Europe and later Japan, featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Sharon Osbourne and her husband Ozzy Osbourne, both ...
, as well as a tour with Slipknot and
Unearth Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums. History Early career (1998–2002) Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
. The band was on the second stage alongside
Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...
,
Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
,
Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of th ...
,
The Haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...
, and It Dies Today. The band raised its profile in 2006 through its support slot on the
Taste of Chaos Taste of Chaos (or "TOC") was a live music tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with his friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour catered to fans of ...
tour in the US, alongside bands such as
Deftones Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. They were formed by Chino Moreno (vocals, guitar), Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), and Dominic Garcia (bass). During their first five ...
,
Thrice Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and lead guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school. Early in their career, the band was known ...
,
Dredg Dredg (stylized as dredg) is an American rock band formed in 1993 in Los Gatos, California. The band's lineup consists of vocalist Gavin Hayes, guitarist Mark Engles, bassist Drew Roulette and drummer and pianist Dino Campanella. Originally sta ...
,
Funeral for a Friend Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band from Bridgend, formed in 2001 and currently consists of Matthew Davies-Kreye (lead vocals), Kris Coombs-Roberts (guitar, backing vocals), Gavin Burrough (guitar, backing vocals), Darran Smith ...
, and
Story of the Year Story of the Year is an American rock band formed in St. Louis, Missouri, Story of the Year at Allmusic.comAccessed May 17, 2007. in 1995 under the name 67 North. The band eventually changed their name to Big Blue Monkey in 1998, and then subseq ...
. In May 2006, ''Beneath the Encasing of Ashes'' and the songs from the
split album A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...
were re-released through
Metal Blade Records Metal Blade Records is an American independent record label founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The US office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distrib ...
as '' A Long March: The First Recordings''. The album contained the original and re-recorded versions of the songs from the split album—the band preferred to re-release the material, as they didn't want their fans paying large sums of money to listen to early releases. The re-release peaked at No. 3 on the Independent Albums chart and No. 129 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. In mid-2006, As I Lay Dying was the headline act at the Sounds of the Underground Festival. Norris left the band on good terms in November 2006 with a desire to focus on his marriage. The band auditioned ten bassists, but none proved successful. Lambesis received demo tapes from a band called This Endearing, of which bassist Josh Gilbert was a member; however, Lambesis chose to "sit on it" and waited for the band to record more material. This Endearing subsequently disbanded and Gilbert was recruited as As I Lay Dying's new bass guitarist. In 2007 As I Lay Dying started recording a new album titled ''An Ocean Between Us'', which was released on August 21, 2007. Debuting at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and No. 1 on the Top Rock chart, with first-week sales of 39,000 units, the album was the highest charting release for the band. Co-produced by Killswitch Engage guitarist
Adam Dutkiewicz Adam Jonathan Dutkiewicz (born April 4, 1977) is an American musician, recording engineer, songwriter, and music producer, best known as the lead guitarist and backup vocalist from Massachusetts metalcore bands Killswitch Engage, Aftershock, and ...
and As I Lay Dying, and mixed by
Colin Richardson Colin Richardson is a British record producer, mixer and recording engineer. He has worked on over 100 albums and is most frequently associated with heavy metal and its subgenres. Career Some of the bands he has worked for include: * 3 In ...
, the album received generally positive reviews. Christa L. Titus of ''Billboard'' commented: "Whatever the differences between As I Lay Dying's personal desires and what its fans demand, this album surely acts as a bridge," praising the song "Comfort Betrays" for its guitar solo. Scott Alisoglu of ''
Blabbermouth.net Blabbermouth.net is a website dedicated to heavy metal and hard rock news, as well as album and music DVD reviews. Blabbermouth.net was founded and is run by Borivoj Krgin. The first version of the website was launched in March 2001; in Octob ...
'' described the album as "a well-rounded and often thrashy metalcore album, as the band has struck an effective balance between aggression and accessible melodies." Thom Jurek of Allmusic praised the band for expanding its musical range by including melodic singing and choruses, as they had previously done on "Confined" from ''Shadows Are Security''. It was the first time that bass guitarist Gilbert recorded a studio album with the band. To promote the album, As I Lay Dying performed at the
Warped Tour 2007 The Vans Warped Tour The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the l ...
in August, and toured through Europe in September with Darkest Hour,
Himsa Himsa was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 1998, their band name is from the Sanskrit word himsa, which means "harm" or "violence". The group released four full-length studio albums, two EPs and one DVD before ...
, and
Maroon Maroon ( US/ UK , Australia ) is a brownish crimson color that takes its name from the French word ''marron'', or chestnut. "Marron" is also one of the French translations for "brown". According to multiple dictionaries, there are var ...
. The band was awarded the title "Ultimate Metal God" by MTV2's "All That Rocks" special, and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of "
Best Metal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre. The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where ...
" for the song "Nothing Left". The other Grammy Award nominees included winner
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
King Diamond Kim Bendix Petersen (born 14 June 1956), better known by his stage name King Diamond, is a Danish rock musician. As a vocalist, he is known for his powerful and wide-ranging countertenor singing voice, in particular his far-reaching falsetto s ...
,
Machine Head A machine head (also referred to as a tuning machine, tuner, or gear head) is a geared apparatus for tuning stringed musical instruments by adjusting string tension. Machine heads are used on mandolins, guitars, double basses and others, and ar ...
, and
Shadows Fall Shadows Fall is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1996. Although Shadows Fall has experienced several line-up changes, for most of its recording career, Shadows Fall has been composed of Jon Donais (lead guitar, b ...
. The band played a portion of the 2008 Warped Tour, as well as the
Taste of Chaos Taste of Chaos (or "TOC") was a live music tour that was started in the winter of 2005 by Kevin Lyman, the creator of the successful Warped Tour along with his friend and business partner, John Reese. The Taste Of Chaos tour catered to fans of ...
UK 2008 Tour with headliners
Atreyu Atreyu is an American metalcore band from Yorba Linda, California, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of clean vocalist Brandon Saller, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist and unclean vocals, unclean vocalist Marc "Porter ...
. On April 9, 2009, the DVD '' This Is Who We Are'' was released in Europe, and was released in the US on April 14, 2009. The DVD was
certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
Gold in the US almost a month after its release.


''The Powerless Rise'' and ''Decas'' (2010–2011)

After recording through 2009, the band's fifth record ''The Powerless Rise'' was streamed on the ''MySpace Music'' website on May 7, 2010, up until May 10, 2010. The album was officially released on May 11, 2010, and received generally positive critical acclaim, with one critic saying: "Fans of metalcore in general, and As I Lay Dying in particular, will be more than satisfied with ''The Powerless Rise'', as the band's gradual progression and consistency makes this their best album." In 2010 the band toured in support of ''The Powerless Rise'', headlining the majority of their shows. In the first half of the year, the band embarked on a US tour with
Demon Hunter Demon Hunter is an American Christian metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. Although the brothers created the band together, only Ryan remains, since Don left the band to take care of his ...
,
blessthefall Blessthefall (stylized as blessthefall or BLESSTHEFALL prior to 2013) was an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Rise Records. The band was founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist and v ...
, and
War of Ages War of Ages (sometimes abbreviated WoA; formerly known as Point Zero) is an American Christian metal band formed in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 2002. The band's self-titled debut album ''War of Ages'' was released in 2005, and in February 2006, the ...
. This was followed by a mid-2010 headlining tour titled "The Cool Tour" across the US, and a headlining tour across US/Canada that also featured All That Remains,
Unearth Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums. History Early career (1998–2002) Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
, and Carnifex. The band's final headline tour of the year was in Europe, with
Heaven Shall Burn Heaven Shall Burn are a German extreme metal band from Saalfeld, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist Marcus Bischoff, guitarists Maik Weichert and Alexander Dietz, bassist Eric Bischoff and drummer Christian Bass. They are currently si ...
,
Suicide Silence Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released six studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the ''Revolver'' Golden God award for "Best ...
, and
Sylosis Sylosis is a British heavy metal band from Reading, Berkshire, England. Signed to Nuclear Blast Records, the band has released five studio albums, a live album, two EPs and twelve music videos. Their fifth album ''Cycle of Suffering'' was rele ...
. In February 2011, the band headlined a US tour with support from
Winds of Plague Winds of Plague is an American deathcore band from Upland, California. Formed in 2002, the band is known for being one of the few deathcore bands to incorporate symphonic elements into their music. The band's name is derived from a section of ...
and
After the Burial After the Burial is an American progressive metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released five of their six full-length albums through the label. Since their inception in 2004, the band h ...
. The band then toured in late April/early May with
Trivium The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but the ...
, in support of
Disturbed Disturbed may refer to: Books * ''Disturbed'', a 2011 novel by Kevin O'Brien (author) Film and TV * ''Disturbed'' (film), a 1990 film starring Malcolm McDowell * "Disturbed" (''Numb3rs''), a 2009 episode of ''Numb3rs'' * "The Disturbed", a 2 ...
, on the "
Music as a Weapon Music as a Weapon is a series of concert tours created by the American Heavy metal music, metal band Disturbed (band), Disturbed. There have been seven editions of the tour, five in North America and two in Australasia. The name of the tour is fr ...
" tour in Australia and New Zealand. Then at the end of May and beginning of June, the band headlined a few performances with
Heaven Shall Burn Heaven Shall Burn are a German extreme metal band from Saalfeld, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist Marcus Bischoff, guitarists Maik Weichert and Alexander Dietz, bassist Eric Bischoff and drummer Christian Bass. They are currently si ...
. On November 8, 2011, As I Lay Dying released a compilation, ''
Decas ''Decas'' is a compilation album by the American metal band As I Lay Dying. It features three newly recorded songs, four cover songs, four remixes and one re-recording. The album was released through Metal Blade Records on November 4, 2011, in Ge ...
'', in honor of the band's ten-year anniversary. The album featured three new, original songs; four cover versions of songs by bands such as
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...
and
Descendents The Descendents are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in Manhattan Beach, California, by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. In 1979, they enlisted Stevenson's school friend Milo Aukerman as a s ...
; a re-recorded medley that uses parts of several songs taken from ''Beneath the Encasing of Ashes''; and four remixes, consisting of one song from each of their albums since ''Frail Words Collapse''. The album's first track "Paralyzed" was released as a lyric video on September 13, 2011, and as a free download on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
on November 7, the day before the album's release. The band embarked on the "A Decade of Destruction" tour, coinciding with the release of the album, from November to December 2011.


''Awakened'', Tim Lambesis' trial and hiatus (2012–2016)

On January 25, 2012, an announcement revealed that the band would be playing the
Mayhem Festival The Mayhem Festival was a touring Heavy metal music, heavy metal festival that took place during the summer. The inaugural season took place in 2008; the festival later became an annual event across the United States. Most years also included a ...
of 2012 with Slipknot,
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
Motörhead Motörhead () were an English rock band formed in London in 1975 by Lemmy (lead vocals, bass), Larry Wallis (guitar) and Lucas Fox (drums). Lemmy was also the primary songwriter and only constant member. The band are often considered a precu ...
,
Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...
, The Devil Wears Prada,
Asking Alexandria Asking Alexandria are a British rock band from York, North Yorkshire, consisting of guitarists Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell, drummer James Cassells, lead vocalist Danny Worsnop, and bassist Sam Bettley. Initially formed in 2006 by Ben Bruce ...
,
Whitechapel Whitechapel is a district in East London and the future administrative centre of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is a part of the East End of London, east of Charing Cross. Part of the historic county of Middlesex, the area formed ...
,
Upon A Burning Body Upon a Burning Body is an American metalcore band from San Antonio, Texas, formed in 2005. The band currently consists of vocalist Danny Leal, guitarist Ruben Alvarez, drummer Tito Felix and bassist Thomas Alvarez. Their second studio album, ''R ...
,
I, the Breather I, the Breather is an American metalcore band from Baltimore, Maryland. Formed by Shawn Spann, Justin Huffman and Morgan Wright in late 2009, the group was signed to Sumerian Records and had released three albums through the label before announc ...
,
Betraying the Martyrs Betraying the Martyrs are a French metalcore band formed in Paris in 2008. The band currently consists of vocalist Rui Martins, guitarists Steeves Hostin and Baptiste Vigier, bassist Valentin Hauser, drummer Boris le Gal, and keyboardist Victor ...
, and Dirtfedd. The band announced in April 2012 that Bill Stevenson, who had previously worked with
NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...
and
Rise Against Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcor ...
, would be the producer for their sixth album. On June 22, 2012, the band announced that their sixth album would be titled ''Awakened'' and the first single "Cauterize" was released on June 25, 2012. On September 12, 2012, As I Lay Dying released their second single "A Greater Foundation" with a corresponding music video. The album was released on September 25, 2012, and "Cauterize" was available on the band's website as a free download for a 24-hour period. As I Lay Dying won the "Metal Band of the Year" award from Loudwire in 2012, beating other well-known bands, including
Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...
and
Lamb of God Lamb of God ( el, Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, Amnòs toû Theoû; la, Agnus Dei, ) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, "Behold the Lamb of God wh ...
. Subsequently, prior to his criminal charges, Lambesis started a new band entitled Pyrithion with guitarist Ryan Glisan, formerly of
Allegaeon Allegaeon is an American extreme metal band from Fort Collins, Colorado, formed in 2008. They have released one EP and six studio albums. History Allegaeon was formed in 2007. They initially played small shows, at bars and houses in and arou ...
. They released one EP as a band. On May 7, 2013, Lambesis was arrested in Oceanside, California, US after hiring an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife. The report was made by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, leaving the future of the band uncertain. On the following day, the band released a statement in which they said: "The legal process is taking its course and we have no more information than you do. There are many unanswered questions, and the situation will become clearer in the coming days and weeks. We'll keep you informed as best we can." They also stated that their thoughts were "with Tim, his family, and with everyone else affected by this terrible situation." Eight days later, the band cancelled their mid-2013 tour with
Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
, stating that "we feel that it is best for the band to be off the road while the current situation gets sorted". During the month of his initial arrest, Lambesis pleaded "not guilty" and his lawyer stated: "His thought processes were devastatingly affected by his steroid use." On February 25, 2014, Lambesis changed his plea from "not guilty" to "guilty" and consequently faced a potential sentence of nine years in prison. Rather than continue on without Lambesis, Mancino, along with former members Phil Sgrosso, Nick Hipa, and Josh Gilbert, decided to focus on a different style of music under a different band name,
Wovenwar Wovenwar is an American metal band from Southern California, formed in 2013. They released their self-titled debut album in 2014. The band's musical style on the album has been described as hard rock, alternative metal, melodic metalcore and ...
, with
Shane Blay Shane Blay is an American guitarist and vocalist that performs primarily metalcore. He has performed with bands such as Oh, Sleeper, Between the Buried and Me, and Wovenwar. Background Blay started his musical career in the late 1990s/early 200 ...
as the vocalist, This project took shape long before Lambesis' plea. although Mancino still remained a member of As I Lay Dying. During this period of time, Lambesis was also working on music and found time to release the third Austrian Death Machine album, titled ''Triple Brutal''. On May 16, 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in prison, with 48 days credit for time served.


Lambesis' release, reunion and new music (2016–2018)

Lambesis was released from prison on probation in December 2016. After his release he began reaching out to the other members of the band looking to apologize in person starting with Mancino and Gilbert. After months of silence Gilbert and Mancino eventually met with Lambesis and began speaking with him regularly after noting positive changes in his character. Lambesis attempted to reconnect with Sgrosso and Hipa following his meetings with Gilbert and Mancino—who as a result of Lambesis' actions and the strain it put on their relationships—had stopped speaking to each other following the recording of the second Wovenwar album. Sgrosso explained in a reunion-related discussion video posted by the band on June 16, 2018, that he initially replied to all of Lambesis' emails with explicit expressions of having no desire to speak with him. Sgrosso explained that his disdain with Lambesis started well before his arrest and took relief in not having to be in a band with him anymore upon Lambesis' arrest. His relationship with Hipa deteriorated due to what both described as not being able to deal with the weight of the aftermath properly. Hipa explained that while he initially felt empathy towards Lambesis after his tearful courtroom apology—it was short lived following Lambesis' interview with ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...
'' which Hipa claimed read like "one long excuse". After Lambesis made his public apology, Sgrosso finally agreed to meet with Lambesis and claimed Lambesis evolved into a different person than he was for the years leading up to his arrest which inspired him to reach out to Hipa to rekindle their friendship. Hipa was the last to speak with Lambesis due to what Hipa described as not being able to escape the shadow of Lambesis' arrest and the mental and physical effects it took on him. After reconnecting with Sgrosso and reading Lambesis' apology—he agreed to meet with Lambesis as a means to "let go of his hatred" and claimed that Lambesis owned up and took responsibility for every one of his actions he was called on. Over the course of the tail end of Lambesis' incarceration and release, the band's public opinion towards Lambesis softened. Mancino did an interview primarily discussing Wovenwar, but also spoke about As I Lay Dying on
MetalSucks MetalSucks is a heavy metal music-themed news website. The site features reviews, interviews, information on latest metal releases and blog-like posts from the writers, most notably Vince Neilstein and Axl Rosenberg. History The site was foun ...
' podcast. He stated that, contrary to popular beliefs, that Hipa, Sgrosso and Gilbert are still technically a part of As I Lay Dying due to their record contract and in another interview stated that he has "no ill will" towards Lambesis and wished him well. Hipa, when on an episode of
Jamey Jasta James Shanahan (born August 7, 1977), known professionally as Jamey Jasta, is an American vocalist, best known as the lead singer of metalcore band Hatebreed and sludge metal band Kingdom of Sorrow. Jasta also fronts metalcore band Icepick. P ...
's podcast when asked about a reunion commented "what it comes down to is what makes sense with what we have going on in our lives. And we've got a lot of important things going on that don't relate to that and we've made commitments to, and that's what we are honoring at this moment. Honestly it's just not something we try and consume our thoughts with. Because it's like we have families, businesses, professions, and a band—and all these things we're super invested into. It's like all of our attention is there with that at the moment." On September 2, 2017, Metal Injection reported that Lambesis was working on new music and planned to release it under the As I Lay Dying name and that none of the pre-hiatus lineup aside from Lambesis would be returning. This would later be proven false, as on June 8, 2018, the band released the music video for "
My Own Grave "My Own Grave" is a song by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It is their first single in six years. It was the first song released following singer Tim Lambesis' incarceration in 2013 and the first to feature Phil Sgrosso playing alongside ...
", confirming through the video that the lineup of Lambesis, Hipa, Sgrosso, Gilbert and Mancino had reunited. They performed their first show—which sold out in four minutes—in five years at the SOMA Sidestage in their hometown of
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
. The band has stated the single was their first and only song written since their formal reunion in February 2018 and had no concrete plans past releasing the single and playing the SOMA show. The news of their reunion drew particularly divisive reactions from fans and media outlets. While fan and critical reception of the band's reunion and comeback single were met largely with praise, others were openly skeptical on supporting Tim Lambesis following his prison sentence. Most notably was
MetalSucks MetalSucks is a heavy metal music-themed news website. The site features reviews, interviews, information on latest metal releases and blog-like posts from the writers, most notably Vince Neilstein and Axl Rosenberg. History The site was foun ...
, who published an editorial that they will no longer be writing about the band with multiple outlets voicing their support for MetalSucks' decision. On June 16, 2018—the date of their comeback show at the SOMA—the band published a video on their official YouTube account addressing the questions and criticisms fans and critics of the band had and explaining the terms in detail of the reunion. In July 2018, the band announced their first European headlining tour for December 2018. A day later, they announced their North American tour for November 2018. A vast majority of the shows sold out immediately. While tickets sold out quickly, some venues and festivals received a public backlash for booking the band because of Lambesis' crimes and decided to cancel the band's performances. Spain's
Resurrection Fest Resurrection Fest is a rock music festival that takes place in Viveiro, region of Lugo, Spain. This festival has been held annually since 2006 during July or early August and features mainly heavy metal, hardcore punk and punk rock bands. Si ...
announced it would be dropping As I Lay Dying from its bill in October 2018, and months later in January 2019, the Memphis, Tennessee venue Growlers cancelled their previously scheduled show in April 2019. Growlers released a statement that acknowledged Lambesis' public message from 2018, but stated: "After hearing the combined voice of disheartened friends, local bands, and patrons, locally owned concert venue and bar, Growlers, has cancelled their scheduled show with As I Lay Dying, previously set for April 5th, and will replace it with a local show to benefit victims of domestic violence ..Not everyone was ready to give Lambesis a second chance, and Growlers has created controversy in Memphis for booking his band."


Touring, ''Shaped by Fire'', and lineup changes (2019–present)

They embarked on a tour in March 2019 with Phinehas, Currents and Frost Koffin as support. On April 12, 2019, the band released a music video for "Redefined", including a guest appearance by
August Burns Red August Burns Red is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer Matt Greiner, lead vocalist Ja ...
frontman
Jake Luhrs William Jacob "Jake" Luhrs is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of American metalcore band August Burns Red. Background Luhrs first entered the music scene in Columbia, South Carolina where he was the frontman for a band kn ...
. On April 14, the band announced the "Shaped by Fire" tour of Europe with support from
Chelsea Grin Chelsea Grin is an American deathcore band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Formed in 2007, the group have released two EPs and five full-length albums. Since 2018, no original members remain in the band. Chelsea Grin was originally founded under ...
,
Unearth Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums. History Early career (1998–2002) Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
and
Fit for a King ''Fit for a King'' is a 1937 American film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick. Plot summary Newspaper reporter " Scoops" (Brown) is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Archduke Julio ( ...
running from September 2019 and concluding in October. On July 15, the band announced the North American dates of the "Shaped by Fire" Tour with direct support from
After the Burial After the Burial is an American progressive metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released five of their six full-length albums through the label. Since their inception in 2004, the band h ...
and
Emmure Emmure () is an American metalcore band formed in 2003. Originally based in New Fairfield, Connecticut, before moving to Queens, New York, the group has released eight albums, with their first public release being a 2006 EP entitled ''The Compl ...
to begin on November 15 at the
House of Blues House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers''. The first location opened at ...
in Las Vegas and conclude on December 14 with a hometown show at the
Soma San Diego SOMA is a concert venue in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego, California, adjacent to the San Diego Sports Arena. It has been described as San Diego's "leading all-ages venue for punk and alternative-rock concerts." It is located at 3350 Sport ...
. Details of their forthcoming album, ''
Shaped by Fire ''Shaped by Fire'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It was released on September 20, 2019, through Nuclear Blast. The album was produced by the band themselves and is the follow-up to the group's sixth album, ...
'', were leaked through Nuclear Blast's European website with a projected release date of September 20, 2019. On August 9, the band officially announced their first album in seven years, ''Shaped by Fire'', would be released through
Nuclear Blast Records Nuclear Blast is a record label and mail order record distributor with subsidiaries in Germany, the United States and Brazil. The label was founded in 1987 by Markus Staiger in Germany. Originally releasing hardcore punk records, the label mov ...
, along with releasing the album's title track. On September 13, the band released "Blinded" as the album's fourth single along with an accompanying music video. In March 2020, as a way of supporting their crew during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, they released an additional song, "Destruction or Strength", a B-side from ''Shaped by Fire'' album sessions. In May 2020, another music video for the song "Torn Between" was released. On August 15, it was reported that Nick Hipa might have left the band, as he no longer performed with them and disassociated his personal social media accounts with the band. Hipa officially confirmed his departure one year later on August 31, 2021, noting that behaviors resulting from being in the band led to his decision to leave it: "There is tremendous good that can be accomplished through singular focus on the power of music. However to my memory and recent experience, it comes at the cost of tolerating behavior which at times mistreats, disrespects, and hurts other people." He further elaborated that the power and reasoning behind As I Lay Dying's reunion had faded in favor of superficial pursuits, which he did not wish to be a part of. On September 24, 2021, the band unveiled a new single, "Roots Below". On May 16, 2022, it was announced that bassist and clean vocalist Josh Gilbert left the band after 15 years. The band announced Ryan Neff from
Miss May I Miss May I is an American metalcore band from Troy, Ohio. Formed in 2007, they signed to Rise Records in 2008 and released their debut album, ''Apologies Are for the Weak'' through the label while the members were still attending high school. T ...
would play bass on their upcoming tour. Around the same time, it was announced
Unearth Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums. History Early career (1998–2002) Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
guitarist Ken Susi would play guitar on the band's upcoming tour as a replacement for Hipa. On June 9, drummer Jordan Mancino announced he will be sitting out of the band's upcoming tour dates due to "a number of ongoing internal issues that have not yet been resolved". Former
Unearth Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums. History Early career (1998–2002) Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, a ...
drummer Nick Pierce was announced as the band's live drummer for their upcoming tour. A week later, the band claimed Mancino "ex-communicated himself from the band" and that moving forward without him "was the only option", implying he was no longer in the band. After finishing their European tour in summer 2022, Tim Lambesis announced the band had plans to release an album in 2023.


Musical style and influences

file:As I Lay Dying - Wacken Open Air 2011 (2).jpg, upright=1.1, The band performing at
Wacken Open Air Wacken Open Air (, abbreviated as W:O:A) is a rock music, rock music festival, held annually since 1990 on the first weekend of August in the village of Wacken, Schleswig-Holstein, Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Almost all styles and su ...
2011 As I Lay Dying is considered a prominent
metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band. The band also has been referred to as
Christian metal Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by ...
,
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
, and
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
. As I Lay Dying's music uses lots of elements of
melodic death metal Melodic death metal (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal that employs highly melodic guitar riffs, often borrowing from traditional heavy metal (including New Wave of British Heavy Metal). The genre features the heavines ...
. In a review of ''Beneath the Encasing of Ashes'', Bradley Torreano of AllMusic described the band's sound as a blend of heavy metal,
hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...
, and
grindcore Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. G ...
. Heavy metal writer Garry Sharpe-Young described the band as a "
Christian Hardcore Christian hardcore or Christcore is a subcategory of hardcore punk bands which promote Christian belief. The method and extent of doing so varies between bands. Christian hardcore bands have often openly stated their beliefs and employ Christia ...
act employing the Grind edged vocals of singer Tim Lambesis and a distinct hint of Scandinavian guitar chug." As I Lay Dying's influences include
In Flames In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990. Alongside At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity, In Flames pioneered the genres known as Swedish death metal and melodic death metal. During t ...
,
Living Sacrifice Living Sacrifice is an American Christian metal band formed in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1989. The band has released eight studio albums, out of which the first three were recorded under R.E.X. Records with their original vocalist Darren Johnso ...
,
Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...
,
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style ...
,
At the Gates At the Gates is a Swedish death metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1990. The band was a major progenitor of Gothenburg-style melodic death metal alongside In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. Prior to their first disbandment in 1996, At the Ga ...
,
Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-kn ...
,
Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
,
Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. ...
,
Cannibal Corpse Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band formed in Buffalo, New York in 1988, now based out of Tampa, Florida. The band has released fifteen studio albums, two box sets, four video albums, and two live albums. The band has had little radi ...
,
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or some ...
,
Shai Hulud Shai Hulud is an American metalcore band formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1995, and later based in Poughkeepsie, New York. The band is named after the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert's novel ''Dune''. The two mainstay members of Shai Hul ...
,
Dark Tranquillity Dark Tranquillity is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Gothenburg. They are considered one of the pioneering acts of the Gothenburg metal scene, which also includes bands such as In Flames and At the Gates. Dark Tranquillity is regarded a ...
,
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
,
Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...
, and
Earth Crisis Earth Crisis is an American hardcore punk band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Since 1993 the band's longest serving members are vocalist Karl Buechner, lead guitarist Scott Crouse, bassist Ian Edwards ...
.


Christianity

Although As I Lay Dying has stated on numerous occasions that all of the members of the group are practicing
Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, the band is usually described by media as being in the
metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
genre, not
Christian metal Christian metal, also known as white metal, Jesus metal or heavenly metal, is heavy metal music distinguished by its Christian themed song lyrics and the dedication of the band members to Christianity. Christian metal is typically performed by ...
. The band's lyrics do not focus on Christian themes the way many
praise music Contemporary worship music (CWM), also known as praise and worship music, is a defined genre of Christian music used in contemporary worship. It has developed over the past 60 years and is stylistically similar to pop music. The songs are fr ...
bands do, nor do they treat their music as a direct extension of their private
Christian worship In Christianity, worship is the act of attributing reverent honour and homage to God. In the New Testament, various words are used to refer to the term worship. One is ("to worship") which means to bow down to God or kings. Throughout most ...
or
proselytizing Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...
efforts. For example, not once do the names God or Jesus appear in any As I Lay Dying song, nor do any of their songs explicitly invoke Christian doctrine or quote the Bible. Most songs tend to address broader spiritual concepts like
existential angst Existentialism ( ) is a form of philosophical inquiry that explores the problem of human existence and centers on human thinking, feeling, and acting. Existentialist thinkers frequently explore issues related to the meaning, purpose, and valu ...
or the struggle between
reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, ...
and
spirituality The meaning of ''spirituality'' has developed and expanded over time, and various meanings can be found alongside each other. Traditionally, spirituality referred to a religious process of re-formation which "aims to recover the original shape o ...
. Lyricist and lead singer Tim Lambesis has given mixed commentary on the subject: asked in 2008 if the members were "a Christian band" or "Christians ''in'' a band", Lambesis stated on the band's FAQ, "I'm not sure what the difference is between five Christians playing in a band and a Christian band, if you truly believe something, then it should affect every area of your life. All five of us are Christians. I believe that change should start with me first, and as a result, our lyrics do not come across very 'preachy.' Many of our songs are about life, struggles, mistakes, relationships and other issues that don't fit entirely in the spiritual category. However, all of these topics are written about through my perspective as a Christian." Furthermore, during an August 2010 radio interview on the Christian metal radio show The Full Armor of God Broadcast, Lambesis stated "I can only really write about what I'm passionate about in life, so naturally my faith, my belief in the teachings of Jesus and His resurrection come across in our lyrics." However, in later years, Lambesis showed an increasing
philosophical skepticism Philosophical skepticism ( UK spelling: scepticism; from Greek σκέψις ''skepsis'', "inquiry") is a family of philosophical views that question the possibility of knowledge. It differs from other forms of skepticism in that it even reject ...
towards Christianity and religion in general. Court documents stated Lambesis emailed his wife Meggan in August 2012, while on tour with As I Lay Dying, asking for a divorce and stating he "no longer believed in God". In explaining some of the lyrics from ''Awakened'', Lambesis stated on his personal
Tumblr Tumblr (stylized as tumblr; pronounced "tumbler") is an American microblogging and social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and currently owned by Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content to a sho ...
account that his studies of
theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
had led him to the conclusion that "tradition and truth are often at odds with each other", and while he "didn't hate all religious belief", he was finding it "very difficult for imto outline exactly who it is that's worth siding with." He also quoted the book ''Pagan Christianity'' by
George Barna George Barna (born 1954) is the founder of The Barna Group, a market research firm specializing in studying the religious beliefs and behavior of Americans, and the intersection of faith and culture. From 2013 - 2018 he served as the executive ...
and
Frank Viola Frank John Viola Jr. (born April 19, 1960) is an American former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins (1982–1989), New York Mets (1989–1991), Boston Red Sox (1992–1994), Cincinnati Reds (1995), and ...
, claiming that both "
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
and
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
denominations have poisonous roots". While on house arrest in July 2013, after being charged with soliciting his wife's murder, Lambesis published a blog post in which he obliquely confirmed his previous loss of faith in Christianity. In 2014, Lambesis said that although they were marketed as a Christian band, the members privately considered themselves atheists. Following this statement, guitarist Nick Hipa responded by calling these claims slanderous and defamatory. However, since his arrest it has been reported that Lambesis, in an April 2014 statement by the band, " ..has spent much of the last year reevaluating what originally convinced him to abandon belief in God. After much brokenness and repentance he sees things differently, considers himself a follower of Jesus, someone submitted to the will of God, or whatever you want to call it. That's for him to talk about when he's comfortable and only time will tell if he is sincere."


Members

Current *
Tim Lambesis Timothy Peter Lambesis (born November 21, 1980) is an American musician and producer, best known as the founding member and lead vocalist of American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. He also had a solo/side thrash metal project in tribute to act ...
– lead vocals (2000–2014, 2017–present) *
Phil Sgrosso Phil Sgrosso (born September 16, 1985) is an American heavy metal musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist of the American metalcore band As I Lay Dying, the former rhythm guitarist of the band Wovenwar and the touring lead guitarist for Sa ...
– lead guitar, backing vocals (2003–2014, 2018–present) * Ken Susi – lead guitar (2022–present) * Ryan Neff – bass guitar, vocals (2022–present) * Nick Pierce – drums (2022–present) Former *
Jordan Mancino Jordan Mancino (born May 22, 1983) is an American drummer. He has played with several metal acts as the official or as a live member, including As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, and Wovenwar. Mancino, alongside the rest of AILD, have stated th ...
– drums (2000–2014, 2018–2022) * Evan White – guitars (2001–2003), bass (2002–2003) * Jeremy Rojas – guitars (2001) * Noah Chase – bass (2001, 2002, 2003) * Tommy Garcia – guitars, bass, backing vocals (2002–2003; session member 2003–2010) * Brandon Hays – bass, guitars (2002–2003) * Jason Krebs – guitars (2002–2003) * Aaron Kennedy – bass (2003) *
Nick Hipa Samuel Nicholas Hipa (born November 30, 1982) is an American heavy metal guitarist. He has performed with several notable acts. He is the current lead guitarist of Mire, and was the longtime former lead guitarist of As I Lay Dying. Background ...
– guitars, backing vocals (2003–2014, 2018–2020) * Clint Norris – bass, clean vocals (2003–2006) * Josh Gilbert – bass, clean vocals (2006–2014, 2018–2022) Touring musicians *
Chad Ackerman Chad Daniel Ackerman (born November 30, 1983) is a rock singer, songwriter, musician, writer, director, actor, and producer. Ackerman's debut as a singer/songwriter was on November 30, 2012 under the name "A Veil" with an album entitled ''The ...
– guitar (2001–2002), backing vocals (session, 2007) * Chris Lindstrom – guitar (2001, 2003) * Ruben Gutierrez – guitar (2001) * Caylen Denuccio – bass (2002–2003) * Mark Macdonald – guitar (2003–2004) * David Arthur – clean vocals (2005) * Duane Reed – backing vocals (2007) *
Justin Foley Justin Foley is an American musician, best known as the drummer of the metalcore band, Killswitch Engage. He is also a former member of the band Blood Has Been Shed along with Killswitch Engage's former lead singer, Howard Jones. Biography E ...
– drums (2009) * Joey Bradford – backing vocals (2012) * Brandon Morales – guitar, backing vocals (2022) * Alex Lopez – drums (2022)


Timeline


Discography

* ''
Beneath the Encasing of Ashes ''Beneath the Encasing of Ashes'' is the debut studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. Many reviewers and also casual listeners compared the overall sound of this album to Zao. It is widely thought that the band found its own so ...
'' (2001) * ''
Frail Words Collapse ''Frail Words Collapse'' is the second studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album is their first release on the record label Metal Blade Records. Only two of the four current band-members (drummer Jordan Mancino and frontm ...
'' (2003) * '' Shadows Are Security'' (2005) * ''
An Ocean Between Us ''An Ocean Between Us'' is the fourth album by the American metalcore band As I Lay Dying (band), As I Lay Dying, released on August 21, 2007, by Metal Blade Records. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200, with sales close to ...
'' (2007) * ''
The Powerless Rise ''The Powerless Rise'' is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. The album was released on May 7, 2010 in Europe, and on May 11, 2010 in the United States. ''The Powerless Rise'' debuted at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' ...
'' (2010) * '' Awakened'' (2012) * ''
Shaped by Fire ''Shaped by Fire'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band As I Lay Dying. It was released on September 20, 2019, through Nuclear Blast. The album was produced by the band themselves and is the follow-up to the group's sixth album, ...
'' (2019)


Awards and nominations

* San Diego Music Awards ** Artist of the Year (2005) ** Artist of the Year (2007) ** Artist of the Year (2008) ** Best Hard Rock (2011) * Grammy Awards ** Nominated for 2008 Best Metal Performance for the song "Nothing Left" *MTV2 Music Awards ** Ultimate Metal God (2007) * Hollywood Film Fest awards ** Best Music Video for "The Sound of Truth" music video * Loudwire Music Awards ** Metal Band of the Year (2012)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:As I Lay Dying 2000 establishments in California Metalcore musical groups from California Articles which contain graphical timelines Heavy metal musical groups from California Musical groups established in 2000 Musical groups disestablished in 2014 Musical groups from San Diego Musical groups reestablished in 2017 Musical quintets Nuclear Blast artists