As I Lay Dying
Frail Words Collapse

THE REVIEW

Hello to all the users, I'm a new member, and I'll start right away by reviewing a somewhat old album (2003) that has established this group as pioneers of the evolution of that genre everyone talks about, and many don't know a damn thing about, as I can read in too many, too many reviews... Nu-Metal... which these Californians have taken, modified, selected the best parts... mixed with death guitar riffs, often tuned in drop-C.

I'm talking about Metalcore... and they are "As I Lay Dying"... coming from San Diego in California... they have produced an impressive second album, entirely produced by Tim Lambesis, singer and founder of the group, also a great character with great stage charisma that few people in 2007 still have, but let's get into the specifics of this "Frail Words Collapse."

The album opens with the first single and video released... "94hours"... a piece of unusual aggression, and you immediately notice the C tuning of the guitarists and the modern and angry atmosphere... which follows on to rhythmic sections of bass drum that seem pasted on with a metronome, without a single mistake and without time to catch a breath... which the more fragile ears might want to find.. but once it's over, we come to "Falling Upon Deaf Ears"... and here the mood becomes even heavier.. Blast beat parts on the drums and especially the use of the cadenced parts "now called internationally "MOSH"... make this track one of those songs where one wants to smash their face into the wall from all the urge to headbang... but let's move on to track 3, the leading single of the album... "Forever" which seems to resurrect the melodies of Sum 41 (still waiting... the riff is similar... so also similar to that of Nek... -.-')... piece I think among the most popular with fans, but for me a bit annoying to put it bluntly.. because it seems made just to say "damn we need to do some calmer stuff otherwise people will kill themselves and not make it to the end of the album"... which then doesn't have a damn thing calm in it, but anyway, personally this is the opinion.. let's move on to "Collision".. this too opens with a nice guitar riff and a bone-breaking mosh right when Tim starts singing.... here we are at the 5th song "Distance is Darkness"... which is a bit of a gem of the album... semi-lethal rhythmic parts with odd times and syncopation, with many guitar harmonizations... to understand a bit like Dillinger Escape Plan... half crazy, manic... but with the only melodic vocal at the end of the track that you will find in this concrete block these AILD throw in your face... the tracks follow a bit in the style of the first described ones, maintaining that explosive charge that distinguishes them... and it ends with "Elegy" personally one of the most beautiful tracks of the album and especially... with the angriest MOSH part.

Speaking of sounds objectively... the bass drum may not be to everyone's liking.. evident triggers were used not only for it, but also for the snare and toms.. so the sounds you'll find are not very warm and quite fake... (although they make up for it with the next album which I'll review shortly... ;) ..but for a genre with so many frequencies, if the drums don't have dry sounds, it's useless to do it because you wouldn't understand a damn thing in a few words.. The guitars are like tractors and take good care of the rhythmic parts of both sections.. the bass.... well... in this album I don't know if you'll hear it... TIM said they didn't even record the bass.. even if in the post-album release videos there is a bassist.. so if he says so, let's listen to him and take his word.... the voice of Tim indeed.. hehe.. it looks like they shot some relatives because it has a charge that is something unusual for these bands...

In conclusion, a beautiful Album released on a Major... namely Metalblade, well-structured in every part, well-thought-out and even better played.. I'm giving it a solid 4.. until next time,

-Hate-