AS I LAY DYING - "DECAS" (10th Anniversay Album by the Metalcore Heroes, released on CD via "METAL BLADE RECORDS" in 2011)

AS I LAY DYING - "DECAS"
("Metal Blade Records"; CD):

No, not the new AS I LAY DYING album that for all what I think to know was released pretty recently some time ago this month, no, this new album by this Metalcore heroes I currently don't call my own yet, a fact that I think I will probably change in the hopefully more sooner than later future. So, this is not their new album, instead of this it's their 10th anniversary jubilee album released last year to celebrate, da da da, you got it, their 10th year of existence as the band known as AS I LAY DYING. I bought it some months ago this very year for a somewhat pretty low price around 5,00 Euro bucks or something so like this. And after I really like this band quite a bit, to say it precise, very much and truly a lot, and so it was damn clear that I would need to have this one. And when I listened to it the first times I was like: "Damn it, why didn't I know this album already last year or latest before I finished my 2011 retrospection and the album top ten of 2011 up here? Fuck, this one would have been pretty sure up there as well, and for sure pretty high." I came to this conclusion after listening to the really shining three especially for this album recorded songs "PARALYZED", "FROM SHAPELESS TO BREAKABLE" and "MOVING FORWARD", three totally brilliant first class tracks, and also to their great covertunes of SLAYER's "WAR ENSEMBLE", JUDAS PRIEST's "HELLION"/"ELECTRIC EYE" and the DESCENDENTS classic "COFFEE MUG". But, okay, beside this one we get a newly recorded old medley styled song titled "BENEATH THE ENCASING", nice shot anyhow, hm, and then comes what really sucks heavily about this album... four terrible and horrible dull dumb bullshit remixes of their four classic tracks "THE BLINDING OF FALSE LIGHT", "WRATH UPON OURSELVES", "CONFINED" (the only remix that at least stands somewhat like its ground) and "ELEGY". So, okay, let's get it straight, the remix stuff is incredible utter garbage that truly takes this album down quite a bit. Okay, however, still the three new songs or back then for this album new songs were and still are phenomenal tracks full of all the trademarks you want to have from AS I LAY DYING and even more and this all of so damn high quality, it is surely damn fucking breath-taking. Melodic and symphonic as well as amazing atmospheric, yet heavy and brutal as well as pretty aggressive modern Metal or if you like so then (modern, of course) Metalcore musick that also offers plenty amounts of catchy potentials and hymnal arrangements and is truly amazing grapping and interesting and builds tension as well as atmosphere non stop, very, very skilled and in some cases you might could also say gifted without a doubt. Awesome changes of pace, rhythms, structures and riffs, all thrills, no fills, almighty guitar playing, a damn massive rhythm section at work and outshining charismatic aggressive and brutal, yet pretty anthemic and melodic as well as somehow ''clear'' shouted and grunted lead vocals, yes, great shit. But I think you pretty good know about the deal in the case of AS I LAY DYING. Also, the cover tunes are just outstanding stuff that truly pay tribute and give honour to the influential originals. Really a great album, if it wouldn't be for the terrible cheap and uninspired electronical music remixes that really drag this album down. Still for sure a good album, but it could have been truly so much more. I still have to mention how great the artwork is, styled as a book, beautifully designed and including all the lyrics, linernotes, thanklists and a lot more, as well as it is just damn shining beautifully done. The bombing production sound also really sticks out. So, all in all, still a good album, as if a mighty band like AS I LAY DYING could ever possibly do a bad album, come on, but, like I've already said, it could have been so much more... Anyway, because of the three for and at this one new songs and the massive cover versions this album is still recommended for sure and calmly, hm, and the remix bullshit you just can easily skip, yehp, so more or less all is still and again good and fine at the end of the day. test it or get it directly. (8 of 10 points)

(http://www.asilaydying.com/)