AS I LAY DYING will drop a new studio LP later this year says vocalist Tim Lambesis
During a recent interview with Today’s Boondoggle podcast, Tim Lambesis, the founding vocalist of AS I LAY DYING, revealed that the band’s upcoming studio album is slated for release later this year. This LP will signify AS I LAY DYING‘s inaugural venture with its revamped lineup, comprising Lambesis and seasoned guitarist Phil Sgrosso, as well as drummer Nick Pierce (formerly of UNEARTH), bassist/vocalist Ryan Neff (known for his work with MISS MAY I), and guitarist Ken Susi (also of UNEARTH).
Discussing the new AS I LAY DYING material, Tim said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “No disrespect to some of these other bands, but some bands, when they get to as far along in their careers as we are, they start lightening up or putting out records that are, I think, less exciting than their previous material.
“And I think for us, it’s really cool. I feel like a second with AS I LAY DYING to where it’s, like, this record has a lot of really cool intense parts, a lot of really great intricate melodies and cool guitar work and stuff. And so just showing people that we’re just as passionate and energetic about where we’re at as we’ve ever been, that, to me, is what’s important.”
Tim previously told Graspop Metal Meeting about AS I LAY DYING‘s upcoming album, saying: “We partly self-produced [it], and then we also worked with another producer. So we spent about a year working on the album by ourselves before we gave it to the producer, who’s mixing the album now.”
Touching on the addition of new members Pierce, Neff and Susi, Tim said: “Well, [Nick, Ryan and Ken] are new for us, but, obviously, the guys have been around playing music for 20 years themselves. We’re familiar, just having spent so much time with UNEARTH, and then MISS MAY I having a pretty similar sound.
“The songwriting within AS I LAY DYING has historically been mostly Phil and I,” he continued. “Josh [Gilbert], our previous bass player, helped. But the core of the songwriting is the same. So this additional layer that we get from these new guys is almost like breathing fresh new air… a breath of fresh air.
AS I LAY DYING‘s forthcoming album serves as the successor to “Shaped By Fire,” which debuted in September 2019 via Nuclear Blast.
In June 2022, long-standing drummer Jordan Mancino announced his absence from the band’s tour due to unresolved internal issues. This declaration followed closely after bassist/vocalist Josh Gilbert‘s departure, who opted to pursue other musical endeavors, leaving AS I LAY DYING to continue as a quartet.
Josh‘s exit marked the second departure from the band within a year, following guitarist Nick Hipa‘s departure in August 2021. Hipa cited philosophical differences and a dissonance with the band’s narrative as reasons for his departure.
The band’s tumultuous history also includes the infamous legal case involving founding vocalist Tim Lambesis. In 2014, Lambesis was convicted for his involvement in a murder-for-hire plot against his estranged wife, resulting in a six-year jail sentence. Following his release in December 2016, Lambesis addressed his crimes and issued a public apology upon AS I LAY DYING‘s reformation in June 2018.
However, Lambesis‘s return sparked controversy, especially considering guitarist Nick Hipa‘s prior condemnation of him as a “sociopathic narcissist in definite need of rehabilitation” in a 2014 social media post.
Despite these challenges, AS I LAY DYING continued to move forward creatively, releasing a new song titled “Roots Below” in September 2021, originally a B-side from the “Shaped By Fire” sessions. With a new album on the horizon, the band navigates through its tumultuous past, striving to carve out a new chapter in its musical journey.
