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BIO | INTERVIEW 1 | INTERVIEW 2
2007 - Tim Lambesis about ‘An Ocean Between Us’
Hey Tim, how’s it going? Your schedule over the last few months must have been very full! Endless touring in the US – tours in Europe, festival gigs – single shows etc etc. between all that you also had to write and record the new album! Right now you are on tour again – how do you manage all of this? Don’t you ever take breath?
When we're on tour for longer than a few weeks I start to wish I was home, but whenever we've been home for a few weeks, then I start to wish I was back out on tour. I really love touring but I can't focus enough to write new music when we're traveling. If you add up the time we had between tours, we had about two months of rehearsal time to write for the new record. That was even enough time for me to work out a bunch of ideas for a side project as well. Overall I'm feeling recharged and I'm having a great time on the Warped Tour.
Finally the new album is ready to be unleashed! What do you want to tell the people about it?
It was impossible for us to put one song online that represented the sound of the new album because it is much more diverse than our last CD. “Shadows Are Security” was a concept album, so everything had a very similar feel. This CD has some darker thrashier songs to help make the melodic metal songs really stand out in contrast.
No doubt the new album is way thrashier than everything you’ve done so far but still combines all AS I LAY DYING trademarks…
Jordan's drumming style includes a lot more mechanical double bass than older thrash bands and my vocals sound much different as well, so even when we're playing a thrash like song it has a signature woven into it. Plus, for every thrashier song, there is a melodic riff or singalong chorus that it completely a different style.
You also got your new bass player Josh Gilbert with you on the album – how was it, welcoming him to the band, working with him for the first time etc.?
Josh did an amazing job recording the CD. Adam, our producer, kept telling us how easy it was for him to record the bass and singing. Josh wasn't able to start working with us until after we finished writing the album, so he is not credited as an official member of the band yet. But, I don't see any reason why he won't officially be joining the band soon.
After finishing the VANS Warped Tour 07 you’ll be back to Europe once again to destroy the stages with DARKEST HOUR, HIMSA and MAROON – what are your feelings about this?
I'm really looking forward to playing some new songs live. Since we'll be headlining, we'll have plenty of time to play a good mix of old songs as well. It's also a great tour package so I'm hoping to have some fun backstage as well.
Once again you worked with CONVERGE singer Jacob Bannon for doing the artwork of the new album – when we talked last year about the release of “A Long March: The First Recordings” you said this was the ultimate AILD cover so far – what do you think about the new one and is there any connection to the album title?
Jake didn't want to start working on the artwork until he had the album title because it affects his choice of colors and the over mood that he chose. We've always had a similar theme and used the same skull, which is actually a real human skull that Jake owns. The skull can only be viewed in full when you open the fold out. It then becomes the focal point and everything else washes out in the background with ocean-like water color.
You often wear those shirts with this huge anchor on them – is there any meaning behind it?
To be totally honest, I really just liked the way it looked and a friend of ours owns the clothing company. Coincidentally, it fits in well with the theme of the record. Anchors remind me of people who are steadfast regardless of what the rest of the world chooses. I can't say that's always me, but that is who I want to be.
Well – this was just it! Thx for your time! The last words are yours…
Thanks to all of our old fans! Hopefully you enjoy the diversity of the new record.
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