An Ocean Between Us - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
It didn't take long for the once exciting sounds of metalcore to devolve into metalsnore but, thankfully, a few bands have lead the charge toward keeping the (sub)genre's lifeblood flowing with enthusiasm and even ingenuity. Among them? As I Lay Dying. The San Diego-based outfit returns with the kind of killer guitar hooks (courtesy of Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa), dynamic vocals, and a drum and bass attack that creates an aftershock bound to be felt for the remainder of the decade and long into the next. The radio-friendly title cut stands as an exemplar of the unit's true strengths, while "Comfort Betrays" and "Within Destruction" are pure metal mayhem that will inspire the listener to wield a healthy sense of righteous indignation. Among the other fascinating cuts are "Forsaken," "I Never Wanted," and the soaring "The Sound of Truth." The band may try a little too hard during moments of "Wrath Upon Ourselves" and "This is Who We Are," but on the whole, An Ocean Between Us proves that As I Lay Dying is an unstoppable force worthy of sustained attention and capable of transforming and transcending the musical parameters in which it was born. --Jedd Beaudoin

Album Description
Building upon the foundation that AILD has laid over the past several years, growing from a small San Diego outfit slowly and deliberately into a priority national act, the band has become Metal Blade Records' biggest sellers with an extremely devoted following. AS I LAY DYING has the goods to take it all the way and stake their claim as the metal band you need to know about in 2007 and beyond.

Customer Reviews: Read 38 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Why? What did I do? August 21, 2007
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

All I did was unwrap the new As I Lay Dying cd and next thing I know, Tim Lambesis and co. came out of nowhere and kicked my a$$! Seriously, this new disc is up there with the new releases from Darkest Hour, Throwdown, and Pig Destroyer to make a bevy absolute must own discs from this year.

The new album features the syncopated rythyms we all expect from AILD, the breakdowns are aplenty, the vocals have moved (gracefully) into a more hardcore-laced metal growl which works well. Some new things, more cleanly sung melodic vocals. These do not sound out of place at all nor are they forced. The album is full of heart-felt melody over metal chaos and I say it is about time. We also have a full-on AILD power ballad in the track I Never Wanted. To all, I say pick this up. It is heavy. It is emotional. It is As I Lay Dying's finest hour. (thus far) Bravo.

5 out of 5 stars

best of the best August 22, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

i got into this band back in 2004 and was obviously blown away. eagerly awaiting for "shadows are security" when i caught word that they were writing material for the next album and again i was in awe. everything about this band is top notch. inciteful lyrics, stellar musicianship, high energy rythyms and heart felt melodicsm.. as i lay dying in a nutshell. now you have to give credit where it's due, i hate it when i hear some reviewer saying nothing but terrible things about this band because they're all christians. that's just being narrow minded and ignorant.
now with that being said "an ocean between us" raises the bar again. they've obviously changed their sound but kept their signature elements. the vocals are more discernable and there are more sung vocals too with out sounding like your generic "metalcore" wannabe band currently out there ripping off every good riff from as i lay dying. this time around there's even a ballad type song on this disc and it just proves that whatever this band wants to do it can and make it sound so incredibly good.
if you're into extreeeeeeeme music this is a must have.

5 out of 5 stars

Still Discovering September 1, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

I have no qualifications for reviewing this album as a musical expert or critic. I can, however, tell you what I think as a long-time lover of metal and rock. I first came across AILD through their video "The Darkest Nights," went out and bought "Shadows Are Security"--and was blown away! Not only do these guys bring high energy to their hard-edged sound, they add melodic vocals and chord changes.

"An Ocean Between Us" is just as good as the previous album. It doesn't have the rawness that pervaded "Frail Words Collapse," yet the relentless onslaught remains. The lyrics, as always, are thought-provoking, full of symbolism, and the music has some new things while not deviating too far from their established sound. I still haven't decided if this is better than SAS, but it hasn't worn out yet. I'm still listening, still discovering new things, still loving AILD.

If you're a fan, this is some good stuff. If you're just getting introduced, AOBU is a great place to begin.

5 out of 5 stars

Best Metal Album of 2007 December 11, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

After 30 reviews and an average rating of 4 1/2 stars, that alone should tell you this album is worth checking out. I consider myself a lifelong metal connoisseur dating back the the early 80's so I think I'm as qualified as anyone to speak about quality metal albums. I don't claim to be THE authority on metal by any means, but I've been around long enough to have a historical perspective on what good metal and bad metal is. Younger generations, through no fault of their own simply do not have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to rating new material. They often don't know a recycled or ripped off product when they hear it because they aren't old enough. It doesn't make their opinion less valid mind you, just less informed.

That said, there are a lot of metal bands out there to sift through from all sorts of sub-genres and styles. So many sound the same and so much of the music is utterly forgettable. Rare is a band that stands out so clearly that it warrants across the board recommendation regardless of your specific tastes in metal. As I Lay Dying is that band and An Ocean Between Us is that album.

Incredible musicianship, incredible vocal work, pensive lyrics, gargantuan riffs, memorable solos, melodic sensibility (yes, actual melody has been heard in a metal album again!) and impeccable song structure make this album stand at the top of the list of metal releases in 2007. AOBU grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go until the final track ends. Expect to hear much more from As I Lay Dying. I suspect the best of this bunch is yet to come.

5 out of 5 stars

Unrelenting at the very least. August 21, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I hear traces of all the possible influences that contribute to this albums homogeneity. Don't get me wrong, the sound they produce in "An Ocean Between Us" is definitely unique. So well done is this album, that it lends to a very impressive forceful dynamic listen. I only hope they can continue this trend they've set and improve to this degree in their future albums, while remaining innovative and discerning at the same time. I heavily recommend this purchase to any die hard whom can appreciate the grassroots/progressive mixture of hardcore metal and hardcore punk genres.

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