Personnel: Clint Norris (vocals, bass instrument); Tim Lambesis (vocals); Phil Sgrosso, Nick Hipa (guitar); Jordan Mancino (drums).
Audio Mixer: Andy Sneap.
Recording information: Big Fish, Encinitas, CA (01/2005).
Editor: Danny De La Isla.
Photographer: Kevin Estrada.
Formed in Southern California and forged on the road, As I Lay Dying appeared as prominent players in a new wave of American metal. Not content to draw upon a single influence, the band pulls from early thrash, the Gothenburg (Sweden) style of death metal, and hardcore. What sets them apart from other bands of the metalcore genre is their dynamic song structure. Where they could get away with simple verse/chorus/verse templates, SHADOWS ARE SECURITY constantly shakes things up with new sounds and textures. Dual guitars carry the melody while Tim Lambesis' screaming vocals provide guttural aggression. "Empty Hearts" has Jordan Mancino's very musical drums doubling the guitar parts and propelling the song at breakneck speed. "Repeating Yesterday" is a brief respite from the chaos with a mid-tempo pulse and piano-accented ending. After a minute-and-a-half of tension-building static and feedback the final track "Illusions" explodes to life; using a more dissonant tone and treated vocal, it's the most hardcore moment on the album. The guitar fades out with a Doppler effect giving the impression that As I Lay Dying are pulling away from the pack and leaving everyone else in their wake.
Professional Reviews
Kerrang (Magazine) (p.48) - "[T]he band manage the rare feat of being relentlessly crushing and effortlessly catchy..."
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