We all know that an album is ready long before it hits the shelves of the (digital and traditional) record stores. So, the title of the American band’s eighth full-length can only be described as prophetic since a month before its release and within two weeks four of the five members and the tour manager left the band, which resulted in the cancellation of the European tour for its promotion.
First bassist Ryan Neff, six days later guitarist Ken Susi and drummer Nick Pierce and finally guitarist Phil Sgrosso, the only one left from the classic line-up. All of them mentioned in general terms situations that had a huge impact on their mental health, without naming anyone but essentially blaming Tim Lambesis who is now left alone to try and make sense of the whole mess that has been created.
In terms of music though, “Through Storms Ahead” is not much different from what we who listen to As I Lay Dying expected. Their metalcore hasn’t undergone any radical changes. Heavy riffs, pounding breakdowns, death growls from Lambesis and clean vocals from Neff (mostly in the refrains). There are of course parts with more melody compared to the past, like in “Strength To Survive” and “The Cave We Fear To Enter” or surprises like some power metal riffs in “A Broken Reflection”.
We are definitely talking about a very good album that is superior to the vast majority of metalcore releases out there, but I wouldn’t say that it can match their last four releases that established their classic line-up and raised their momentum on the international scene by far. As for the future of the band, it seems rather uncertain since I don’t know if it will be easy for Lambesis to find new musicians with the bad reputation he has gained by being the captain of a sinking ship.
