One of few metal-core acts to establish itself as more than just a carbon copy of a reproduction, San Diego hardcore-influenced metal brigade As I Lay Dying (AILD) made massive waves with its fourth full-length, 2007's An Ocean Between Us. Uniting infectiously passionate harmonies and melodies with a keen understanding of how to maximize the most clinical of Gothenburg death metal beats, and guitar distortion, the band immediately jumped to the forefront of an already crowded scene. With such a monumental effort, however, one would assume that its followup could only deliver diminishing returns. Surprisingly, The Powerless Rise manages to continue on the same path, with all the prowess and power of its predecessor. Brash and aggressive without losing the band's inherent sense of dynamics, the album is melodically vicious, rhythmically meticulous and beastly — all at the same time. Still, while The Powerless Rise is impressively on par, it's far from redefining the genre yet again; it never truly emerges from the large shadow cast by An Ocean Between Us.
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