It’s time to talk about one of our favorite bands at The Rock Review, As I Lay Dying, the Americans hailing from San Diego who, from our perspective, managed to reflect and modernize their clear influences from Heavy Metal and Thrash Metal, bringing them into Metalcore, one of the most “refreshing” subgenres in the 2000s. A band that started out as Christian and later changed their ideals, surrounded by a series of extra-musical issues that would ultimately lead to the separation of their most successful lineup.
Today, we’ll be discussing “An Ocean Between Us,” the first of four albums and an EP under the lineup led by Tim Lambesis on vocals, Phil Sgrosso on rhythm guitar, Nick Hippa on lead guitar, Josh Gilbert on bass and clean vocals, and Jordan Mancino on drums, five individuals that collectively achieved a signature sound, very different from the rest of the bands of the time.
What can we listen to?
A proposal that combines the heaviness and speed of Thrash Metal, as heard in “Within Destruction,” with the modernity of Josh Gilbert’s clean melodic vocals in the titular song “An Ocean Between Us” or “Forsaken,” all seasoned with machine-gun-like breakdowns that feel like an electric shock in the midst of a break, a rhythmic style likely borrowed from great bands like Fear Factory or even Meshuggah, who had done something similar years before.
What sets this album apart, and what has always characterized As I Lay Dying, is the great technique of both rhythm and lead guitars, especially Nick Hippa’s solos, a modern guitarist whose technique pays homage to great musicians like Alex Van Halen of Van Halen or Marty Friedman during his years with Megadeth; truly a delight to hear his passages as if he were effortlessly doing it.
Of course, Tim Lambesis’ voice is iconic both in the band and on the album, with growls more akin to Death Metal; in “An Ocean Between Us,” we hear him with a more mature voice, one that still resembles his current timbre.
The versatility of An Ocean Between Us
We hear a balanced album with extremely heavy tracks like “Comfort Betrays,” where we even hear blast beats on Jordan Mancino’s drums, with excellent work on his instrument and a production that showcased his kit naturally, without excessive use of triggers. On the other hand, there are tracks like “The Sound Of Truth,” where Josh’s clean vocals provide a pleasant contrast to Tim’s growls. Even in this song, we can appreciate a Power Metal influence in the constant double bass drumming and guitar harmonies, something characteristic of bands like Helloween.
Despite being released in a year when technology existed to achieve a very digital sound, “An Ocean Between Us” sounds natural. We appreciate a prominent tone in Josh Gilbert’s bass that sounds “like new strings” without overusing effects, something the band maintained throughout their career.
It’s evident that the band enjoys the classic, the “Old School,” even using intros for songs like the glorious “Separation,” one of the most epic intros we’ve heard, which for some reason reminds us of Judas Priest’s “The Hellion” intro from the great album “Screaming For Vengeance” (1982), or the intro “Departed,” which later gives way to “Wrath Upon Ourselves,” a song with a well-stylized Hardcore touch and a clean vocal melody in the chorus.
An Ocean Between Us, one of As I Lay Dying's gems
Absolutely the entire discography of As I Lay Dying is worthy of careful listening; however, “An Ocean Between Us” remains in history as an excellent album of Melodic Metalcore, which can be both raw and sweet, but always maintaining a characteristic sound that no one has been able to replicate, despite the genre lending itself to very similar arrangements. This album is a closed statement by a song that reaffirms it, yes, we’re talking about “This Is Who We Are”.
“An Ocean Between Us” is a highly recommended album for those who enjoy 80’s Metal but are looking for a contemporary sound that reflects both musical and technological advances of the 00’s.
Undoubtedly one of our favorite albums! What do you think? Leave us your comments!
