Seems like As I Lay Dying‘s signature metalcore sound was newborn, like, yesterday, but it turns out it’s been an entire decade for the shred-and-chug giants. Now the San Diego group is commemorating its anniversary with Decas, a 10-song offering that melds new, old and re-imagined tunes with a few killer covers (Slayer!!).
Here, grab a limited-time download of Innerpartysystem’s crushing remix of “The Blinding of False Light” and read their Purevolume [PV] Q & A, in which vocalist Tim Lambesis talks about what went into Decas, what the lovefest between metal and dubstep is all about, and how As I Lay Dying are celebrating their big milestone.
PureVolume: More than a decade, guys. Wow. Congratulations. What’s the most striking thing about it?
Tim Lambesis, vocals: I still can’t believe that I’ve had the chance to make a living doing what I love. Things can get tough being on the road so often, but overall the sacrifices are worth it compared to what I see happening with many of my friends who hate their job. The feeling of living a life of purpose is priceless.
PV: If fans haven’t heard Decas yet, what can they expect? It seems to go beyond a standard greatest hits package.
TL: We felt like our fans were smart enough to make their own greatest hits playlists given the way that so many people listen to music in 2011. Instead, we wanted to put together as much unique material as possible even though we didn’t have time to record an entirely new full length. There is a retro-ish feel on the melodies in the remixes since they include songs spanning back as far as 2001, but the overall sound is certainly not retro since the majority of the remixes are very electronic.
PV: This innerpartysystem remix of “The Blinding of False Light” we’re running — how did that come about? What’s your take on remixes in the rock end of music? Do you have favorite remixes other metal acts have done?
TL: The innerpartysystem guys actually did their remix first out of the five redone tracks on Decas. That remix set the standard, I think, for anything else that was submitted to us by other artist. Of course, the remix medley that I did with our drummer is a rock/metal remix through and through and I think it provides good contrast what innerpartysystem did. My favorite remixes by other artists are diverse. I don’t want to listen to batch of remixes that all sound like dance music if the material being remixed comes from a band with depth and complex layering. On the other hand, it’s hardly a remix unless things are changed up and a little more groove is put into things.
PV: What’s the commonality between dubstep and metal, anyway? It’s huge lately.
TL: Metal takes rock music to a more extreme level, and dubstep does the same for the electronic genre. There are actually heavy parts in dubstep depending on how you look at it. It can be really dirty is a cool way that brings in purposefully abrasive sounds at times.
PureVolume: What’s next for As I Lay Dying, once the 10-year celebration runs its course?
TL: We only get the chance to celebrate our 10-year anniversary once so we’re putting our energy into our upcoming tour as the end of an album cycle in a way. After the year ends we’ll start writing new music in 2012. After all, it would be kind of strange for us to keep promoting our 10th anniversary in 2012 [laughs].
As I Lay Dying will be heading out on A Decade of Destruction Tour November 30th-December 16th with guests Of Mice & Men, The Ghost Inside, IWrestledaBearOnce, and Sylosis. Dates are below.
[click image to enlarge]
Decas tracklisting:
1. Paralyzed
2. From Shapeless to Breakable
3. Moving Forward
4. War Ensemble (Slayer cover)
5. Hellion (Judas Priest Cover)
6. Electric Eye (Judas Priest Cover)
7. Coffee Mug (Descendents cover)
8. Beneath the Encasing of Ashes (Re-Recorded Medley)
9. The Blinding of False Light (Innerpartysystem Remix)
10. Wrath Upon Ourselves (Benjamin Weinman Remix)
11. Confined (Kelly “Carnage” Cairns Remix)
12. Elegy (Big Chocolate Remix)
Amon Amarth + As I Lay Dying + Sceptic Flesh
23/11/11 – AT – Linz – Posthof
24/11/11 – AT – Wien – Gasometer
25/11/11 – PL – Cracow – Studio
26/11/11 – CZ – Prague – Masters Of Rock
* shows without As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying will be heading out on A Decade of Destruction Tour November 30th-December 16th with guests Of Mice & Men, The Ghost Inside, IWrestledaBearOnce, and Sylosis. Dates are below.
A Decade of Destruction Tour Dates:
11/30 Long Island, NY The Paramount
12/01 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theatre
12/02 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
12/03 Worcester, MA Palladium
12/04 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
12/05 Nashville, TN Rocketown
12/06 Chicago, IL House of Blues
12/07 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
12/08 Kansas City, MO Beaumont
12/09 Dallas, TX The Door
12/10 San Antonio, TX Backstage Live
12/11 Lubbock, TX Lonestar Center
12/13 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
12/14 Scottsdale, AZ Venue Of Scottsdale
12/16 San Diego, CA SOMA
12/17 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues
*Tickets on sale now
Related articles:
As I Lay Dying – The Powerless Rise [album review]
New video interview with ‘Nick Hipa’ (As I Lay Dying) [Aug. 2011]
New Audio Interview With ‘Jordan Mancino’ [As I Lay Dying] [Nov. 2011]
‘As I Lay Dying’ ‘Decas’ First-Week Sales Revealed [Nov. 2011]
‘Tim Lambesis’ Answers Questions Regarding ‘Decas’ [Nov. 2011]