As I Lay Dying

It takes guts to attempt a metal concept album. It takes skill to pull it off successfully. This summer As I Lay Dying fans will determine if the hard rock veterans are brilliant, or if they’ve been sniffing too much guitar wax.

  The California band made a name for itself with 2003’s Frail Words Collapse and has become one of a shrinking number of metal bands able to make a living from road and record sales. Lead singer and songwriter Tim Lambesis said it’s tougher to “make it” in metal, and touring is more necessary than in other genres because there isn’t much radio support. Plus, this type of music is meant to be played live.

  “That’s where the energy is, and plus you can never truly capture the passion and energy behind a song on a CD,” he said.

  His band certainly gave it a good effort with Frail Words Collapse. The disc has sold over 100,000 copies plus the video for “94 Hours” is a mainstay on MTV2’s Headbangers Ball. For their next release – titled Shadows are Security – the band abandoned the formula that was so successful the first time, and instead came up with a dozen or so songs that follow a story of one man’s quest for the true meaning of love. It sounds a little bit sissy, but before passing judgment it’s necessary to better understand As I Lay Dying.

  This isn’t a stereotypical metal band; they don’t come from a long line of rock musicians, or have tales of child abuse, an alcoholic dad, or rising from the ghetto with only an electric guitar to rely on. Lambesis said one attribute he learned from his family that has helped his music career is their accounting skills. He credited money management as one reason he’s been able to dedicate himself to the band without needing a side job.

  He is also married, and told Recoil he might have a glass of green beer later that night (he called on St. Patrick’s Day) but wasn’t much of a partier. None of this has mattered much to fans, because on stage the band is electric. He said the music is his release, and hopes fans understand that.

  “I would assume that most people that come to a metal show don’t act like they do at a metal show seven days a week,” he said describing how he can switch from real life to stage life so quickly.

  During his downtime, one’s more likely to find Lambesis pondering the meaning of life than indulging in the more scandalous thrill often associated with hard rock music. This is where the lyrics on Shadows are Security come from. The 12 songs detail how he personally sought after truth and love the last couple of years, and the conclusions he came to.

  “Realizing that so many things we’ve been taught growing up in our life [are wrong] and so many people have different agendas than what they teach us growing up,” he said. “The whole Hollywood perception of love and all these things that are put around us are truthfully very empty.”

  In this case, love isn’t just man/woman love although that is the crux of what Lambesis is feeling as he screams the songs every night. He hopes that fans can attach the lyrics to their lives and relationships with a significant other, parent or God.

  “I think that some people never get past infatuation or never realize that love requires sacrifice.”

  The album ends with the conclusions Lambesis has come to about these things. It’s probably good to remind the reader that this is still a very heavy album and Lambesis’ lyrics are only weaved into Nick Hipa and Phillip Sgrosso’s guitars lines, bassist Clint Noris’s licks, and the very talented thumpings of drummer Jordan Mancino.

  The tour that comes to the Intersection in Grand Rapids on April 25 is called “The Minions of Mosh Tour.” The band had a competition for fans online to find a name, and settled on “Minions of Mosh” after reading 400 or so suggestions. Lambesis said life on the road hasn’t changed much for the band since the senseless shooting of Dimebag Darrell, but the news hit him hard after it sunk in.

  “I’m definitely one of those guys that doesn’t let things hit home for a few days,” he said. “It always comes as a shock at first, and I almost carry on as if nothing happened for a couple of days.”

  He added that his band has never felt a need to increase security, but he definitely has noticed other bands doing so. Shortly after the shooting, As I Lay Dying toured Europe with Danzig.

  “There was so much security, and it wasn’t just the family atmosphere anymore,” he said. “They were worried about someone sneaking back there.”

  “You never know,” he added. “Dimebag, everyone said, was the nicest guy in the world. His whole goal in life was to put a smile on your face and it’s hard to believe that anyone would have such animosity towards him.”

April 2005