AS I LAY DYING Guitarist: 'My Beliefs Don't Have Anything To Do With How I Play Guitar' - onlymusicblog

Emma Changose of Northern Arizona News recently conducted an interview with guitarist Nick Hipa of San Diego, California metallers AS I LAY DYING. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Northern Arizona News: So, this month is actually the band's 10-year anniversary, correct?

Nick: Yeah, well like, this whole year is like a 10-year anniversary of the band. Maybe it is this month in particular that is more of a specific date.

Northern Arizona News: How have you celebrated?

Nick: Well, we haven't really made any official announcements yet or anything, but we did record a couple songs in the beginning of January with the intent of them being on some sort of EP that commemorates the longevity of the band up until this point. So, I don't know if that means we are going to put out a ten-year EP sometime soon, but it makes the most sense for us to do it for that. But that's just all in the works for right now; nothing for sure yet.

Northern Arizona News: How does your religion influence your music?

Nick: It has nothing to do with my playing or music, at least for me. I'm just a guitar player like any other dude who is in a pop-rock band or a black metal band. I play guitar because I love it and I love music. My beliefs don't have anything to do with how I play guitar.

Northern Arizona News: Do you guys ever get criticized by your fans for being Christians, but using symbols such as skulls and death in many of your logos and merchandise?

Nick: Um, no, not really. I think sometimes the media wants to focus more on the Christian aspect of the band, when we concentrate more on just the fact that we are a normal band who plays shows just like everyone else. I feel like for most fans of heavy metal music, it just fits. I don't want to say that we are just doing what we are supposed to be doing, but I think the imagery is a pretty accurate visual description of the band. It just fits.

Northern Arizona News: AS I LAY DYING has accomplished a lot - Grammy nominations, playing in huge tours like Ozzfest, and touring internationally - is there anything you haven't done yet that you would really like to do?

Nick: You know, I think I would just like to go to even more countries than we've already been to. We've been so lucky and fortunate to travel to parts of the world that I thought I would never get to see, and if we can just keep on doing that and expanding on that, I would be stoked. Or even going back to some of those places [that we've been to before]. Like, we've never done China or Africa yet. Just being able to go to some of those places would be exciting for me. And then, aside from that, a METALLICA tour. They're one of the only bands that we haven't toured with yet. Maybe we can put that on the list of things that would be awesome for us to do.

Read the entire interview from Northern Arizona News.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/

The Powerless Rise New Album from As I Lay Dying 2010

As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying is a California metal-hardcore crossover band from San Diego, CA. The group formed as a trio in 2001 with vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, and guitarist Evan White, and shortly thereafter released Beneath the Encasing of Ashes. A split CD with the American Tragedy followed the next year. In 2003 the band signed with Metal Blade and released Frail Words Collapse. After the album's release, White left the band and the remaining core of the group, Lambesis and Mancino, drafted two guitarist to replace him, Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa, and also landed a bass player in Clint Norris. The new lineup recorded Shadows Are Security, released in 2005. As I Lay Dying next issued A Long March: The First Recordings in May 2006, which included their 2001 out of print debut, along with two versions of their songs from the 2002 American Tragedy split. The band then spent that summer on the Sounds of the Underground metal-hardcore tour alongside acts like In Flames, GWAR,... Read More

As I Lay Dying is a California metal-hardcore crossover band from San Diego, CA. The group formed as a trio in 2001 with vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, and guitarist Evan White, and shortly thereafter released Beneath the Encasing of Ashes. A split CD with the American Tragedy followed the next year. In 2003 the band signed with Metal Blade and released Frail Words Collapse. After the album's release, White left the band and the remaining core of the group, Lambesis and Mancino, drafted two guitarist to replace him, Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa, and also landed a bass player in Clint Norris. The new lineup recorded Shadows Are Security, released in 2005. As I Lay Dying next issued A Long March: The First Recordings in May 2006, which included their 2001 out of print debut, along with two versions of their songs from the 2002 American Tragedy split. The band then spent that summer on the Sounds of the Underground metal-hardcore tour alongside acts like In Flames, GWAR, Trivium, and Cannibal Corpse. Soon after, Clint Norris left to pursue life as a family man and Josh Gilbert replaced him on bass. With the addition of Gilbert's vocal harmonies, the band's sound became more melodic, and in August 2007, the group released their fourth album, An Ocean Between Us. ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide

The Powerless Rise from As I Lay Dying has done what had previously seemed impossible; that is that this CD defines the band once again. With each studio album As I Lay Dying proves themselves to be more than a flash in the pan metal/hardcore crossover but a bonafide metal act bent on making a permanent mark on the scene. Like on the last studio effort, the vocals continue to mature and evolve. The drumming has always been insane. The production value is top notch. With Adam D and Colin Richardson working with you it is hard to not sound amazing. Where I find the most inspiration on this release is in the guitar work. The twin-guitar lineup finally makes use of the abilities of both guitarists. There are leads and solos all over this thing and they sound great. As I Lay Dying has made a statement again, and they continue their march towards the top of the American metal food chain. Forget whatever you may have against this band and give the CD a spin. If that doesn't show you why their shows are so insane and their fans so dedicated, then you don't know what good metal is made of. Five stars and solid contender for metal album of the year. Haters, let me have it.