As I Lay Dying pour l'album "Shadows Are Security"

First, could you please introduce your band to our readers, your main influences and the style which could best define your music ?

We’ve been a band since 2001. As I Lay Dying is a band influenced by melodic guitar riffs, brutal drum driven rhythms, and aggressive vocals. The music is generally metal music but is as memorable as it is heavy. Our influences range anywhere from Iron Maiden to punk rock. There is more of a rhythmic focus in our music than either of these influences though.

What your fans can expect from "Shadows Are Security" compared to "Frail Words Collapse"?

The guitar work on "Shadows are Security" is more melodic and technical. The overall sound is a little more focused and the production is more natural and much better. We are a young band that has progressed over the past two years. The new CD is more melodic as a whole but I think that future material will go back and have even more diversity than "Frail Words Collapse.”

Why did your previous guitarist Evan White leave the band?

We tour about nine months a year or more. It was too difficult for him to be away from people he loved back home. Overall, it was the best thing for both him and the band. We wouldn’t want anyone to play in this band that wasn’t pursuing what he loved.

How does the writing process go for the new album?

In the past I wrote most of the music but now Phil, our new guitar player, and I write it together at my house. We bounce different ideas off of each other and get rid of our mediocre ideas so we have songs that we are both confident in. Phil’s half of the songwriting process is almost always melodic and that is why the new album is more melodic as a whole.

What does the new guitarist offer to the new As I Lay Dying?

He is a better overall player. He is more technical and he also adds to the songwriting process. The new CD is full of great riffs. Our lead guitar is also much better now although we don’t really write solo driven music. I think it loses the average listened and focus’ more on showing off than it does on good songwriting.

The clean singing of Clint Norris is very surprising and becomes another force for the band but didn't you be afraid about the reaction of your fans and about the performance in concerts?

We had singing on our last CD too so I wasn’t really worried. The new CD has 9 songs without clean singing so it is fair to say that we haven’t changed much as far as that goes.

We often label you to "Christian metal/hardcore" but in your lyrics it is more about relationships and inner struggles and not about religion in the literal sense. What does god bring you in your music and what do you think about this label?

I don’t mind that label but I know that there are a lot of stereotypes that go along with being Christian. Because I am a Christian and that is a very important part of my life it affects everything that I do. My lyrics are about a lot of different issues but I deal with them all through a Christian perspective.

What do you do for a living apart from the band?

This is my job. I’m on tour too much to have another job.

What is the best (and the worst) memory you have from your musician’s life?

The worst memory is the time our entire drum set got knocked over in the middle of a song. It was really awkward for me as front man because I didn’t know what to do. There is no way you can prepare for that. The best memory I have is the day I realized I was making a living playing music.

Metalcore is the fashion wave of the moment, don't you think the style become saturated?
What will the band do when the movement will fall?

Metalcore is the fashion. I hear our riffs played in many others band’s songs because everyone is playing what is popular. When this movement falls we will keep writing good music. Good music never stops working. Our music fits in the category of metal and will not just be remembered as metalcore.

Have you planned to do a concert in France?

We are trying to plan a concert but the right opportunity is yet to come along.

If you could organize your own metal festival, whose bands would be invited?

We’ve played with pretty much everyone we’ve ever wanted to play with that is still around. To really make the festival exciting for me I would have to get some bands to play a reunion show. At The Gates & Carcass. After that, I would love to play with Metallica and all of ours friend’s bands. Himsa, Every Time I Die, Sworn Enemy, Unearth, Zao, Haste the Day, Killswitch Engage, Evergreen Terrace and so many more.

What are you listening to these days? Any good metal / non-metal albums to recommend?

The new Himsa CD coming out February 7 is amazing. I have heard it already. For non-metal records I have always been a fan of Dido.

If you could change something in this fucked up world, really anything you want, what would you choose?

Although politics are really messed up, the world is mainly messed up because of the consumerist mentality of the rich nations. There is no need to live in excess. There is also a great need to adopt children that are in need. Overall there is enough money and food to take care of everyone but many of the rich cultures are believe they’ve worked so hard for what they have. I also work hard for what I have but that doesn’t make me immune to giving money and resources away to those in need.