Artist:  As I Lay Dying
Album:  The Powerless Rise
Genre:  Metalcore
Label:  Metal Blade

In the midst of the over saturated and crowed genre of metalcore, As I Lay Dying have consistently offered a glimmer of hope amongst their contemporaries. Following their inception in 2000, they struggled to grasp the spotlight from legendary acts but upon the release ofFrail Words Collapse and Shadows Are Security, they garnered the attention that was rightfully theirs. These two releases stapled their newly found identity by further increasing their melodic tendencies and heightening their integrated musical template. While a number of fans were reluctant to the vast evolution, it was truly Shadows Are Security that pushed the band towards the forefront of the genre. Their fusion of pummeling hardcore rage with melodic catchiness created a prototype that a slew of bands have since attempted to mimic. There was an overall trepidation whether they would be able to top their groundbreaking release but As I Lay Dying crushed any apprehensions with An Ocean Between Us. This album continued to display incremental steps forward by heightening their precision and overall outlook and complex direction. Three years in the making, As I Lay Dying return exploring a darker territory on their highly anticipated, fifth studio album, The Powerless Rise, on Metal Blade.

The San Diego based quintet display an increased maturity and further transcends their metalcore roots by grazing towards melodic death metal postures and thrash elements. The Powerless Rise is essentially an amalgam of the fundamental features that built the structure ofAn Ocean Between Us, but this time around it’s evident that each member relatively plays to their full potential. The opening moments of lead track “Beyond Our Suffering,” are evidence that As I Lay Dying are not only following in a similar path of their earlier work but also taking small strides forward. Vocalist Tim Lambesis extends his standard throaty growls by including an overall deeper guttural template with the inclusion of higher registered screams. Josh Gilbert provides clean singing and a welcome break the otherwise raspy tone of the lead vocals. His delivery is used sparingly, but when used they contribute to the soaring choruses and melodic to aggressive interplay. Gilbert especially shines on one of the highlight tracks, “Anodyne Sea,” which is easily the most melodically infectious tune. “Without Conclusion,” follows on a heavier side of the musical spectrum. The blazing and technical riffs show hints towards a thrash approach. Drummer, Jordan Mancino continues to be the backbone to the intensity but shows major progression with his ferocious double bass work. “The Plague,” flows in a similar vein with beefy riffs and percussive onslaught. The interweaving of melodic strides with a heavy dose of brutality serve as the ridged formula the album follows relentlessly. Each track are structured with numerous builds up and breakdowns that are nothing short of compelling.

As I Lay Dying are one of a few metalcore bands that have been able to establish themselves as more than a carbon copy. They have evidently honed their craft over their three year hiatus and it pays off. The band’s balanced meld of metalcore characteristic with melodic bridges and passionate harmonies enabled them to jump to the forefront of an already crowded scene. The Powerless Rise, employs the prowess of its predecessor but still throws in a few surprises to keep from sounding redundant. Still, while their latest work is impressively on par, it doesn’t push many boundaries and is unable to redefine the genre completely.  However, The Powerless Rise, is metalcore at its finest and signifies As I Lay Dying’s continued importance as reining kings to the genre.

Score: 9/10
Review written by: Nerissa Judd

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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