As I Lay Dying Begins Recording New Album With Fresh Lineup

The wheels are turning again for As I Lay Dying, and Tim Lambesis, the band’s infamous frontman, has confirmed their new album is officially in progress. Speaking with Heavy New York, Lambesis revealed that the group’s latest lineup is pulling its weight in the studio. The roster now includes drummer Nick Pierce (formerly of Unearth), bassist/vocalist Ryan Neff (Miss May I), and guitarist Ken Susi (Unearth) joining Lambesis and long-standing guitarist Phil Sgrosso.

Let’s not pretend this is business as usual. This will be the first record with the revamped crew, and Lambesis assured fans (as transcribed by Blabbermouth.net) that contributions are being made across the board: “Nick Pierce just finished tracking drums… Ken Susi is working on solos, and Ryan Neff is in the mix too. To those wondering if they’re involved: yes, they are. But don’t hold your breath for a quick release.” Classic modern-day band problems, right? All those moving parts, yet somehow it takes ages for the music to reach us.

The revolving door of band members is hardly a new phenomenon for As I Lay Dying. Last year, Lambesis explained to Metalshop TV that these changes didn’t happen overnight. Apparently, Ken Susi was invited to play guitar two years ago—a timeline conveniently interrupted by the pandemic. Nick Pierce joined after Unearth didn’t work out for him, coinciding with the band’s previous drummer deciding to ghost them. No fights, no drama, just… silence. “He chose a different life path,” Lambesis remarked. Sounds peaceful, if a little eerie.

The last addition was Ryan Neff, who replaced longtime bassist Josh Gilbert. Gilbert left to join Spiritbox, a move that seemed amicable on the surface. Neff didn’t exactly have time to ease into his role. Lambesis recounted how Neff agreed to join on three days’ notice between tours. “He pulled it off,” Lambesis admitted, acknowledging Neff’s commitment. Whether that kind of hustle translates to magic on the record remains to be seen.

Behind the scenes, songwriting continues as Lambesis and Phil Sgrosso refine their process of swapping demos. They’ve been at this for two decades, so the formula is dialed in: write, exchange ideas, and tear them apart before finalizing anything. Lyrics, according to Lambesis, come last. “We’re aiming to finish recording by the end of the year,” he said. Let’s hope that means we’re looking at a release sometime before the next pandemic.

Longtime fans, of course, remember the drama that’s been haunting the band like a bad riff. Drummer Jordan Mancino and bassist Josh Gilbert both exited within months of each other, and guitarist Nick Hipa called it quits in 2021, describing the reunion as a “superficial pursuit.” Hardly glowing endorsements, are they?

And let’s not forget the elephant in the room: Lambesis’s legal troubles. Convicted in 2014 for trying to hire a hitman to kill his estranged wife, Lambesis served two and a half years of a six-year sentence. After his release, he issued a lengthy apology and dove back into music with As I Lay Dying. While some fans embraced the comeback, others (like Hipa) were less forgiving, labeling Lambesis as a “sociopathic narcissist.”

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The band’s most recent release was “Roots Below”, a leftover track from 2019’s “Shaped By Fire” sessions. Whether the new lineup brings the fire or just more drama remains to be heard. Until then, fans can only speculate—and wait. Probably for a while.

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