Frail Words Collapse

Frail Words Collapse is what started the band's trend and beyond, with their moniker skull logo and more thrash metal influence within their already-established metalcore sound; departing from their raw and depressing music from Beneath the Encasing of Ashes. The Christian themes are still relevant within the lyrics but not as much, as the band later focused on the overused "inner struggles" themes - not that I'm in any position to judge. That being said, the band re-recorded three tracks from their split album with American Tragedy, as well as re-recording their supposedly best song from their debut album which is the last track, Behind Me Lies Another Fallen Soldier.

The opening track, 94 Hours showcases the very essence modern metalcore, in terms of production and song structure, as well as the prominent palm-muted riffs and simple melodies, the drums work and the very heavy use of the double bass, which was executed well. Pretty decent opening track. Falling Upon Deaf Ears respectively has some great drumming, perhaps the best on the album. Although the music may sound generic, it wasn't that bad. Collision comes off very predictable, yet the music didn't disappoint. The riffs overall are great, so is the double bass. Distance Is Darkness UNPREDICTABLY produced a more chaotic approach to the music. It brings in the raw power from their debut album which is an automatic win - when you thought this album might be entirely different. As for the vocals, not only you have short death growls but also Chino Moreno-like clean vocals (and the ending riff sounds exactly like White Pony; speaking of Deftones). The longest and final track on the album: Elegy's length shows more depth in the music and writing than the rest of the album's offering. The outro melodies are great, despite their simplicity.

As for the four re-recorded songs: Forever sounds as good as the original version, but obviously sounds better because of the production; though the clean vocals don't aren't as good like the original. Behind Me Lies Another Fallen Soldier clearly sounds more mature and belongs to this album, whereas the original version from the debut sounded quite undeveloped. The Beginning comes off as the most catchy song on the album, and annoyingly so. And when the re-record version didn't manage to be good either, this song is simply not good. Much like Forever, The Pain of Separation doesn't sound any different and as good as the original version and only sounds better because of the production.

Ultimately, a song like Undefined is the most metalcore you could squeeze out of this record, but it didn't manage to deliver. Same can be said for the shortest track on the album, A Thousand Steps. The length isn't even an issue, as the band managed to write songs below two minutes that were explosive that was heard in the band's debut. The amount of simplicity is what made these songs bad. Song 10 starts with what almost looked like an instrumental track until the vocals entered (excluding the whispering one) more than two minutes after. The music was also generic at best.

Frail Words Collapse is another example for an album that starts off great in its first half, while it progresses into its other half it becomes bad (excluding the last two tracks for some redemption). Despite how the music came off as a bit generic in some of the songs in the first half, it's still a slightly better album than the debut, yet more mature. My favorite part is how Tim returned the death growls to some of the songs, learning that the band hasn't entirely revamped their sound from the debut album. The best songs are Distance Is Darkness and the two re-recorded tracks, Behind Me Lies Another Fallen Soldier and The Pain of Separation.

Ostensibly speaking, As I Lay Dying holds the unique distinction of being one of the few Christian-themed metalcore bands to receive something close to acceptance in metal culture. This can mainly be attributed to the consistency and quality of their second large-scale release, Shadows are Security. Frail Words Collapse, however, bridges the gap between anonymity and fame with decidedly mixed results.

At first blush, even amateur ears will notice that this album suffers from poor production. The final product boasts a remarkably thin and bass-deprived core, with the drum kit's cymbals and offensively tinny bass drum triggers taking center stage. The leads are audible, but the rhythm section gets drowned out in what can only be called a mess of a mixing job. Tim Lambesis' vocals have always been one dimensioned, following the same tired rhythm with his screams and offering little to accent certain parts of songs. His presence throughout the album never wavers, except when cleans are introduced. Sadly this doesn't come often enough to make much of an impact.

The early line-up of the band featured guitarist Evan White, who was a main cog in the band's early work. His guitar leads helped form the signature sound the band used for many years to come. Songs such as 94 Hours and Falling Upon Deaf Ears are real highlights. Most songs, however, fall short; often opening with strong, catchy lead sections but reverting back to Lambesis' wailing as the songs lose steam and simply sputter out of existence. Forever is perhaps the album's best track, as it breaks the mold and evolves into an emotive mini-ballad that sticks with you unlike the other songs on display here.

Jordan Mancino is an affable drummer, and despite the production shortcomings displays impressive speed and dexterity. This, however, isn't enough to save Frail Words Collapse from mediocrity when viewing it in a larger scope. Still, as a representative of their sub-genre in the early 2000s, you can't get much better than As I Lay Dying.

As I Lay Dying is your typical metalcore band with poor song structure, bad lyrical themes and lyrics, and poor playing ability. Sometimes people put up amazing bands like Opeth, or Novembers Doom. Other times they put up bands that are more hardcore than metal which is what As I Lay Dying is. Why they are on this website is really a smack in the face to all true fucking metal fans. Here are some of the many reasons why this band blows more ass than the guy on YouTube who has the song titled as "What what in the butt".

Bad song structure is always a way to get a good rating on this site . . . NOT! This band literally starts off with some random static or some cheesy simple rift that a monkey could play. Then after that they literally try and play other bands rifts so I’ve heard. They don’t even play the rifts to the best of their ability. They sound like every typical metalcore band out there. Nothing is unique comes out of this band. Every song of theirs sounds EXACTLY the same; it’s like a fucking headache.

Secondly their lyrical themes and lyrics altogether is just agonizing. I mean really I could write better lyrics than these fucking idiots and I' am a drummer. Not to mention they are Christian and metal and religion just doesn’t work in my book. I' am agnostic if you didn’t know and this band in my opinion DESTROYS Christians all over the world it puts shame to Christians everywhere. Sorry for being so harsh but I don’t think metal and religion should be put together.

Lastly they play very poorly. They play like they are a brand new band just coming out from under a rock. But honestly I would rather get killed by a rock than listen to their shit. My friend who hates this band more than I do says this. “The screamer sounds like he is choking on something, and quite frankly I wish he would just choke and die.” I would have to agree with this quote a billion times over.

All in all this band sucks at lyrics, have the worst song structure I have heard in awhile no wait Hawthorne Heights is worse at that, and are poor with playing ANYTHING! So next time when you listen to a band like this instead of trying to like it just break your CD; Trust me it’s for the better. In the future I hope every band that sounds remotely like these guys just gives up and find new hobbies.

As I lay Dying's second full length album "Frail Words Collapse" is a well written and performed attempt by the band. The songs come together and convey the big message of depression, but longing to hold on to whatever is left in hopes that it will become better one day. There's a lot of questioning in their short but complex lyrical themes; they lead to the strong undertones of Christianity, and the strong message that suicide is not the answer, and that depression is a common emotion that everyone goes through.

The vocals are mainly screamed by the vocalist Tim Lambesis. There is a sense of sorrow in his voice, and it fits almost perfectly with the catchy guitar lines, and the heavy drumming and bass. His vocals go along well with the music, and though he mainly screams, there are a couple of lines in the song "Forever" which he showcases his singing.

In the song, "Behind me Lies Another Fallen Soldier" the mellow guitar riffs, the screaming vocals, and the occaisonal spoken words come together and are a perfect example of As I Lay Dying's musicianship as a band, and their song writing skills.

The songs are all under five minutes long, but still impact the listener with their heavyness, emotion, and their musicianship as a band. As I Lay Dying's Frail words collapse is an exceptional release, and it is a good example of Christian heavy metal music. The cd is a great example of today's metal bands, and shows that they aren't just another metalcore act that no one will remember in a couple of years.

There used to be a time when you could spot a Metal Blade band a mile off. There were bands that just exuded all of the traditional ‘metal’ qualities necessary for a contract with the much-loved label. They still have those bands – Amon Amarth and Chinchilla come to mind. However, in a continually fluid heavy music scene, Metal Blade have seen it necessary to sign acts that would represent their ‘slice’ of the market. Furthermore they have also signed up some more impressive newer/younger acts that actually strays from the labels more ‘traditional/well established’ philosophy. Detroit’s ‘The Black Daliah Murder’ is one such act. ‘As I Lay Dying’ is another.

As far as progressiveness on the Metal Blade roster, I reckon ‘As I Lay Dying’ represent the labels most forthright statement (nah, The Heavils don’t count). You see, ‘AILD’ are not a traditional metal act, they don’t play nu-metal, nor do they play Melodic death metal. And that’s where the rub lays punters. AILD are a ‘new sound’ for the Metal Blade label and one that should do well for them.

‘AILD’ were formed in Feb 2001, and released their debut disc ‘Beneath the Encasing of Ashes’ on Pluto records in that year. Signing with MB after a split release with American Tragedy, the band recorded ‘Frail Words Collapse’, their second disc, at Big Fish studios with Steve Russell (POD and Blindside).

What do they sound like? Well, theirs is actually a bit of a conglomeration really and while that sounds messy, it’s quite the contrary and it also works. For description purposes, AILD could be termed as emotional death-core. And what the fuck is that you ask? In an attempt to remove any ambiguity, try this – AILD’s music is based on the screamy ‘Hardcore’ blueprint – the real hard edge material. Add a small accessible death metal element (blast beats especially) and a well-entrenched emotive, harmonic component (both vocally and musically) Hopefully, you just might get the idea.

Initially, I was a little skeptical as to where this band was going with it’s ideas and while there are other doing similar things, As I Lay Dying have written some interesting and certainly less than typical music. It must be stated again, that ‘AILD’ are a very abrasive act – their riffs are a combination of choppy, stop start effects and sharper, melodic and more angular lead riffs, which are well layered over the top of the main rhythm. It gives rise to an often-complex sound that threatens to derail at times, however, with some smart song writing, AILD have been able to keep their progressiveness in control.

There are some who have lumped AILD’s sound in with a host of ‘metalcore’ acts like ‘Hatebreed’ and ‘Congress’. I’m not quite convinced that this is the case and certainly you will find that pace wise ‘AILD’ are a little more varied, they don’t employ massive breakdowns and the more ‘emotive’ quality captured in the vocals are major differences between them and the aforementioned MC groups.

Vocally, Tim Lambesis works on about an 80% harsh v 20% clean vocal approach. His aggressive rasp is most impressive – not as thick as it can be, but nonetheless he carries through well. His clean vocal is probably the most distinctive part of this band – and although it is used sparingly, it is well placed. I like the way he uses it as an expressive tool to create power and emotion (‘Forever’ and ‘Distance is Darkness’) rather than being a typical clean chorus break just for the sake of it. I’m also impressed with the way Lambesis employs this style in conjunction with the harmony laden guitar lines that crop up throughout this 12-track disc.

My one main gripe is with the drum production. In particular, the double bass mix. It has one of those real clicky sounds that is quite overbearing at times, especially when drummer Jordan Mancino throws in his double kicks. It is perhaps one of the first things you notice about the production of this disc – for me, its been overdone and placed way to high in the mix. Sure to be rectified next time.

Overall, I have found ‘Frail Words Collapse’ to be a most interesting album. It is a particularly well constructed album – well paced and varied enough to distinguish between songs. AILD have been able to put together dynamic combination of styles – harsh and confronting, yet melodic and emotive when required. There is much more to come from this band in the future.

As I Lay Dying's most recent effort, "Frail Words Collapse," is an excellent mix of hardcore and metalcore. There is one slight problem with the album, though....

The band doesn't waste any time with melodic or artsy introductions on this album, instead opting to have about 5 seconds of static and then diving head-first into it. Personally, this track seems to be more hardcore than metalcore, but I'm one of those weirdos that loves punk, metal, and everything in between, so to me this track is absolutely fantistic. Stay away if you don't like hardcore, but then again if you don't like hardcore it's unlikely that you'd buy a metalcore album anyway. The track has some pretty nifty double-bass interludes, and incorporates some nice clean vocals in spots as well. All in all, an excellent track.

But that's it. Out of 12 tracks, there is not a single unique song on the entire album. You can practically listen to the first song and put the album away. Every song is extremely good, don't get me wrong, but it's all the same. I find it far too easy to get lost in the album, forgetting if I've listened to a song or not, because they sound so much alike. If you like hardcore, buy this album, because it is good. But don't listen to it all at once, because if you do, you will soon realize that you've heard pretty much the same thing over and over again for 12 consecutive tracks.

First time I read that these boys signed to Metal Blade, I wondered, this "Christian" band on the same label with god-hating bands?

But in the end this doesn't really matter at all and for As I Lay Dying it was the best move they could make because "Frail Words Collapse" is the best they've ever done. I really liked the American Tragedy/As I Lay Dying Split last year and compared to it, As I Lay Dying really improved their style.

The mosh parts are more devastating, the melodies even sweeter and the metal riffs are faster. The opener "94 Hours" is a straight ahead and fast smasher with one guitar playing a cool melody guitar and the other plays moshy riffs! The fast passages are just the best melodic death metal, and even hardcore-fans will love their brutallity.

I guess that's one reason for their success, As I Lay Dying's music contains lot of metal but they always throw in typical mid-tempo passages that shouldn't be missed! "Forever" is one of their best songs, a hard-hitting mid-tempo metalcore track with very special vocals because they range between hopeless screaming/shouting and awesome harmonic singing.

They also did a ballad called "Behind Me Lies Another Fallen Soldier" that starts with calm guitars and spoken words and continues with screamed vocals and slow rhythms. The ingredients to their music are simple but As I Lay Dying will also make your ass move because they developed this mixture of melodic metal and heavy hardcore to perfection. What should I write more? This is just heavy shit...go and get it! See them in show, be converted!