FRAIL WORDS COLLAPSE
Whenever an underground band makes the move up to a large label – in this case the classic Metal Blade – the results can go either way. Luckily, As I Lay Dying has apparently exploited the typical transformations of this process. Nailing a solid recording and expanding musically, Frail Words Collapse sees the boys trying some new things and actually making it work. They still have the brutal, extremely thick “moshcore” riffage, yet are able to surpass being overly stale by incorporating new, more melodic elements. All the usual comparisons to Converge and the like still hold true, but now The Deftones can be added to the list as well. Few bands bringing the nu-hardcore sound into their music have done it this well. As I Lay Dying have delivered when it mattered most. [METAL BLADE / SEAN RHORER]
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Mangina?
Posted by:
JINXXX on August 29, 2003 08:57 PM
i had previously considered bless the martyr, kiss the child the best metal album that wasnt a zao album; but (this is a bold statement) i truly believe frail words collapse has tied it or even surpassed it in some regards. sure some of it sounds inventive just for invention's sake, but what as i lay dying has done with a genre that was quickly becoming stale is remarkable.
Posted by:
pierce on August 30, 2003 11:49 PM
Word.
Definitely a masterpiece, I'm glad to see christian music get on bigger labels and not horribly suck while at it.
Posted by:
Eric D. on August 31, 2003 12:51 AM
i think this cd is a work of art but nothing can surpass norma jean. and does any one know if the drums are played on a drum machine? i saw as i lay dying a few weeks ago and the drummer didnt play half of what he played on the cd. it was sortof dissappointing to me because i am a drummer myself.
Posted by:
nick n on September 4, 2003 06:49 AM
No, but he does use a double-bass drum pedal. Maybe the venue they played at didn't have a double-bass?
Posted by:
amoy on September 8, 2003 04:56 PM
...or maybe the use of triggers on this album made us believe he was any good. i still think the aild debut album is a made up of leftover zao songs, maybe dan, scott, russ and jesse left the band before frail words collapse:)
oh, and the "usual comparisons" to converge? you want to add sigur ros to that list too?
Posted by:
vegard on September 8, 2003 07:44 PM
Erm, AILD sounds nothing like Converge, Zao or Sigur Ros. All of these bands are amazing in their own entity, yet by saying that AILD can compare to any of these is a travesty. AILD are brutal and individual of their own accord, and don;t need to be associated with any of the aforementioned bands to make claim to any kind of 'greatness'. Music is individual, adn AILD support this theory, not suppress it. Get a clue, and lvoe the msuic for what it actually is, not what you think it 'can' be.
Thank You.
Norma Jean are great, but overrated.
Posted by:
DecapitatedSchtan on September 9, 2003 09:25 AM
This is a great album and I think it is better than Bless the Martyr Kiss the Child, but not by a lot. I don't know what you guys are talking about with the drummer. When I saw them at Cornerstone he played all that double bass stuff and it sounded awesome. I love this album and would put it in a close second to Killswitch Engage's Alive or Just Breathing in my list of favorite albums.
Posted by:
Life to Lifeless on September 15, 2003 10:39 AM
i have the AILD cd and its amazing, its so good and its one of the best cds i bought at c'stone this last summer. the norma jean cd is ok, i mean i think there trying to maintain an image but they are good an di do enjoy the cd. but when they played at c'stone they kept the lights off and played some slides on a projector, i was disapointed because i really wanted to see them, but at the same time mosh during them. the show was good but turning the lights off i didnt like becasue i couldent see anybody in there and i didnt want to hurt anyone.(see im about 300 lbs. and i try to be careful everytime i go in the pit) but they played amazing and c'stone was worth driving from fla to ill. G-bless and then some.
Posted by:
the bear on September 17, 2003 09:16 AM
yes i believe that frail words collapse is definately the greatest, or really close to it, metal album ever. AILD really went above and beyond with this one. btw, yes bless the martyr, kiss the child is up there too. Norma Jean definately kicks in concert and i am really lookin forward to seeing AILD in concert at the end of october.
Posted by:
kevin on September 24, 2003 11:59 AM
As i lay dying is by far the best hardcore band out there today. They have this awesome sound that will blow you away.
Posted by:
jordan on September 25, 2003 08:58 PM
yeah AILD is freakin awesome. maybe the drummer didnt play the stinking fast stuff that one day because he hurt his left leg or something...im sure he wouldnt loop the crap out of the cd if he couldnt play it live...hopefully ill see them play in amonth with The Last Starfighter (which if you havent heard of you havent lived)...theyre from houston.
Posted by:
aaron on September 28, 2003 08:56 PM
Oh my gosh. I love Doug Van Pelt...
Posted by:
isaac:. on October 1, 2003 01:03 PM
The first thought I had when I heard AILD was Zao. That was after hearing some of 'Beneath the Encasing of Ashes.' Sounds like these guys like 'Skin Like Winter.' Still good tho. Got my head a-bobbin. Side note about the double-bass thing: the venue is not responsible for providing it. The drummer is. Anyhoo, whoever said that Norma Jean's album was the greatest non-Zao metal album has no idea what real metal is. I suggest getting yourself some Tourniquet, Extol, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Meshuggah, Metallica, Blind Guardian, or Samael. But yeah, looking forward to hearing more of AILD.
Posted by:
some guy on October 1, 2003 04:29 PM
Alright people, i am very close friends with the aild boys and they are truely amasing. I can garantee you that jordan (drummer) is one of the best metal drummers out there and he can back everything up live. As far as Norma Jean being metal they are far from it. They are chaotic hardcore at its finest...not metal.
Posted by:
dave on October 1, 2003 10:30 PM
I was extremely impressed with what I heard on the AILD debut c.d. Few bands can compare to Norma Jean and they're definantely up there. However, I would never compare two bands of their entity together because they're both different and amazing. I love them both and hope they keep it up
Posted by:
Ruth on October 9, 2003 12:20 PM
AILD just kills it, live and on the CD. They're good friends of mine, and was in the studio when Jordan Mancino tracked Distance is Darkness and Elegy in one take!! Truly an amazing feat! Yes, the bass drum does sound a little "clicky", but it was just the sound that they were going for, very mechanical and clear. anyways, just wanted to back up my bro! aight late!
Posted by:
jason on October 21, 2003 07:12 PM
Yeah, about the drummer... Some friends of mine were over and we were listening to the section of 94 Hours that has the sick double bass drums going... about a minute and twenty seconds into the song. We were arguing whether it was really him or a machine. Yeah, they have their drumming stand out a lot, and sometimes it sounds like a drum machine just because of how crazy fast and perfect Jordan can play. He's definitely one of the most talented drummers around, in my opinion.
Posted by:
CLiFF on October 21, 2003 09:17 PM
This album has the one thing a lot of recent metal/hardcore albums are being to lack and that's distinction. However, Frail Words Collapes has a definate distinction. Song 10 would have to be a personal favorite of mine, it's beautifully choatic.
Posted by:
shannon on October 24, 2003 12:31 PM
AILD is awsome, I like really brutal death and thrash metal, but the "evil, dark, & blasphemous" song themes get old. AILD has great songs, with fantastic lyrics, I'm just grateful they leave the "praise god" stuff out. 'Cause thats too lame for me.
Posted by:
jerry on October 26, 2003 04:31 PM
Oh god, christ this is a god damn religous site isn't it? Ugghhh... face the facts people, look at it logically there is no god, and if there is, well he's an asshole.
Posted by:
jerry on October 26, 2003 04:39 PM
that is rather sad. definitely need to pray for him, reminds me that unfortunately not everybody has seen the light, guess we just got to remember that 'one day every knee will bow' whether they like it or not. but on a good note aild stinkin rocks
Posted by:
hxc on October 29, 2003 10:57 PM
this album is soo good. and i know the guys from aild and jordon does play all the stuff live. no drum machine was on there either. just a great produced album
Posted by:
rob shameless on November 3, 2003 02:17 PM
m
Posted by:
free ringtones on November 28, 2003 08:49 AM
I'm going to see these lads tomorrow night, I am very excited. Have any of you heard of the Vancouver, WA band Brutal Fight? Amazing stuff, solid music and solid Christians as well. Their music is quality, although the only two songs they put on the internet are poorly recorded.
xarms around mex
Posted by:
arms around me on December 9, 2003 07:25 PM
I think that this album is one of the best christian metalcore album's out rite now, next to Nodes Of Ranvier and Sinai Beach. These guys really set themselves apart though musically. They tend to gear towards more melodic metal than the otha bands do. Seen them 2 or 3 times and everytime was amazing. Them live just gets u really pumped. One of my favorite bands to mosh to.
Posted by:
Fritz on December 29, 2003 03:28 AM
AILD is awesome but, there is just one thing; are they a Christian band? They are on Metal Blade records and they host a number of dark bands. I guess you don't have to be non-Christian band to be on a non-Christian label. I play drums and Jordan is amazing. My favorite song is Forever on Frail Words Collapse.
Posted by:
Phinney on January 7, 2004 07:57 AM
For the most part I am all about the hardcore, but this band has definitely reminded me of the metal bands that mattered. Brutal riffs, chaotic tempo changes, this is what metal (or metal-core for all of you who think it necessary to participate in the popular and trendy classification of musical stylings) is supposed to sound like. For metal that doesn't suck, also check out The Agony Scene.-peace
Posted by:
Noah Millheim on January 9, 2004 11:40 PM
i think norma jean is okay, but agony scene blows get into the classics of hardcore and go for ringworm and (bleep) good old clean hardcore like integrity and then get into some metalcore along the way. and AILD isn't as good as all of you people perceive it, there nice guys. but you people hype (bleep) up to much.
Posted by:
xorchidx on January 10, 2004 01:02 PM
hey xorchidx watch your language, dude chill ... hard core, streight edge and emo all suck ....check out extol, thy pain, immortal souls, the black dahlia murders , arch enemy, death , iron maiden, motorhead and carcass
Posted by:
bonegrinder on January 17, 2004 07:55 AM
hard core, streight edge and emo all suck,,, how come the party beer drink'n metal dudes don't get any love? what happend to lets piss our parents off,, and not go to church,,,and get fucked up on the weekends!!! dam kids will never learn... Stop with the drama act and losen up those pants,,fuck fashion,,,fuck trend.. i just want some metal and stop coming up with silly names for music... Oh yah dont hate on the (drummer) cuzz i can play all that shit he dones and i know tons of other drummers who can also, its not fake. HA they EQed that bass drum like a mofo. "Rember kids mic's are for singing and guitars are for playen, learn how to play before you swing them." AILD good sound wrong scene.
Posted by:
Paul on January 21, 2004 04:18 PM
Calm down, Paul. Everything will be OK.
Posted by:
xPHILx on January 27, 2004 02:57 PM
HAHA i love as i lay dying and the best thing is that they are christian that just makes everything better. Im seeing them in two days and i cant wait as i lay dying is freaking MAD CADI!!!!
Posted by:
Screamo G on February 2, 2004 01:21 PM
This cd is fuckin awesome the drummers a fuckin god.this is my favorite band of and the best cd u can buy.just saw them about 2 weeks ago cant wait until they come back
Posted by:
Rodney on February 3, 2004 10:39 AM
dude to that nick guy their drummer is awesome so go screw yourself
Posted by:
joel on February 3, 2004 02:41 PM
Bless the Martyr Kiss The Child by Norma Jean is a better album I think, but it is comparing hardcore to metal, so everyone is going to have a different opinion depending on which scence they pledge allegiance to.
Posted by:
Noah Millheim on February 6, 2004 01:37 AM
shit, the hardest cd ever has to as i lay dying, i got norma jean's BTMKTC, and its hard, but still, AILD kicks fucking ass
Posted by:
ME on February 15, 2004 04:09 PM
I saw AILD last night, and believe they are UNBELIEVABLE, and they are christians, and whatsmore he mentions that on stage, awesome live show, jordan is one of the best drummers around, i got a chance to talk with them after the show, and they are awesome, HXC
Posted by:
number79 on February 17, 2004 12:54 AM
at first i wasnt sure if they were a christian band, but ive looked at a few interviews and i found out they definitely are christian, and that rocks! i think that the christian hardcore scene is becoming something that soon everyone will have respect for. and asi lay dying plays a big part in that role.
Posted by:
xsolidstatex on February 25, 2004 03:32 PM
As I Lay Dying was one of the first bands i got turned on to from my firend when i got into the hardcore scene. The funny thing is now he plays for them. I have been to so many of thier shows and i never get tired of seeing them again. Everytime i see them they get better and better. I have the norma jean cd and i think AILD has a harder cd filled with nothing but sick breakdown, melodic melodies, and insane double bass from jordan. By the way the people who are hating on jordan for being so amazing are probably just jealous they are not that good. I saw norma jean and AILD on back to back nights and i would have to say that the crowd for AILD went crazier, but that might just be because the show was in san diego were AILD is from. It is amazing to see how christian music is reaching the main stream and everyone is jumping on the AILD ban wagon.
Posted by:
dick johnson on February 25, 2004 09:43 PM
On this outing AILD are definitely Swedish influenced. They went for a Gothenburg sound on many of the tracks, like Elegy with the dueling guitars. Reminded me of In Flames mixed with Killswitch Engage. Dont know why people compare them to Coverge, they sound nothing alike.
And no, Norma Jean definitely is not metal. For real metal try some Dark Tranquillity, Lamb of God, God Forbid, and old Soilwork.
Posted by:
Sinthetikdevil on February 26, 2004 02:48 PM
Anyone remember embodyment's first cd before they went emo? Embrace The Eternal..... better than anything i've seen mentioned in this posting list
Posted by:
mike on February 26, 2004 04:10 PM
awesome lyrics
Posted by:
mike on February 27, 2004 06:21 PM
I've only heard one song and i'm hooked. These guys are gonna be fucking huge. Watch, in a few weeks everyone will be like "THESE GUYS ARE THE SHIT!"
Posted by:
Ten on February 29, 2004 07:29 PM
