From the ashes of As I Lay Dying rises WOVENWAR. When I first heard WOVENWAR’s new single, “All Rise” on SiriusXM’s Octane, I was instantly hooked by the thunderous drums, driving rhythm, crunching guitars and the incredibly melodic vocals. It was a bit surprising to find out that WOVENWAR is actually As I Lay Dying with Shane Blay (Oh, Sleeper) replacing Tim Lambesis as the lead vocalist.
With a new sound, it is understandable why the band chose to move forward with a new name, but it would stand to reason that this change also had something to do with the circumstances surrounding the lineup change. Unlike the falling out that has become all too familiar between singers and their bands in hard rock and metal nowadays, the departure of Lambesis from As I Lay Dying came under bizarre circumstances that are usually reserved for works of fiction.
In May of 2013, Lambesis was arrested after attempting to hire an undercover police officer to murder his wife. After initially pleading “not guilty,” Lambesis plead guilty on February 25th of this year. He faces the possibility of nine years in prison when he is sentenced on May 2, 2014. Suffice it to say that the metal community is shocked and saddened by Lambesis’ downfall.
WOVENWAR’s heavy sound should appeal to As I Lay Dying fans, and the more melodic, mainstream vocals of Blay will likely expand the band’s audience to include hard rock music fans. Their debut album will be released this summer. If “All Rise” is any indication of what’s to come, WOVENWAR is going to be a force to be reckoned with, and will likely become a mainstay on SiriusXm’s Octane channel.
[…] – WOVENWAR – “All Rise” – Every once in a while, when a band changes singers, they “rise” to an entirely new level. […]