They’re the most aggressive-sounding band in the genre, in my humble opinion. Their front man is a lumberjack-sized fellow with a booming, guttural growl that can shake the walls. But here’s the thing: They do it in the name of Jesus Christ.
I’m talking about the Christian metalcore band As I Lay Dying, one of the most popular and influential bands on the scene. My wife Rachel and I took in their show in Denver and what’s more, we got an opportunity to chat with founder/vocalist Tim Lambesis. Our full talk can be read here, but for this blog, I thought I’d give you a little first-person look into my concert experience.
SOLD OUT was plastered all over the small ticket booth. The line to get into the venue wrapped around the block a few times. (Or, at least it seemed that way.) The dreary gray sky and constant drizzle did not deter anyone, though. Almost all the fans were dressed in black, and they proudly displayed their favorite group on their shirts. Passersby stared at us all from their car windows, and I couldn’t help but notice that the look on some of their faces was one of, “Wow, that’s a rather rough-looking bunch.”
The doors opened and we all started to flood in, a sea of black. The younger set headed straight for the stage. The floor level quickly fills with hundreds of eager young mosh pit kids. Meanwhile, Rachel and I took our favorite spot—close to the balcony right behind the super-sized mixing board and light control panel.
The first of the four Christian bands took the stage and off we went. The throttle was nailed to the floor and the heavy sound blasted us like a 100-foot wall of solid metal. Fists went into the air and mouths gaped wide. Of course, you couldn’t hear the fans’ howls of approval. Instead, pounding drums and crunching guitars, coupled with low growls from the man with the microphone, are all that’s heard.
In the midst of all of the excitement and sound I found myself quite literally praying a small, quick request to the Heavenly Father: May these that know You here give You praise. May those that don’t, come to You now. Do they know You? I pray they do. Have you ever found yourself in a setting other than your place of worship that made you want to ask God to fill the place you were in?
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