As I Lay Dying, fresh off touring with Slipknot, is on its first headlining tour in support of its latest release: Shadows are Security.

“I think this tour better represents the band than any tour before it,” vocalist Tim Lambesis said.

This is the first time that the band, which performed on the second stage at Ozzfest 2005, is able to make the decisions and run things the way it wants to, Lambesis said.

The band members have put a lot of time into planning the current tour, and it’s a big deal to the members that people come out to see it, he said.

The band’s live show is energetic, and it tries to convey the impression of the music to the audience, he said.

He compares his live stage presence to a giraffe because he is tall, clumsy and runs around a lot.

Aside from performing, touring involves a lot of traveling, long drives overnight, and being away from loved ones at home, he said.

“It’s a lot like you would imagine,” Lambesis said.

Killswitch Engage is his favorite band to tour with.

The members of As I Lay Dying usually make a strong connection with at least one other band on a tour, Lambesis said.

There is one band As I Lay Dying would like to connect with on tour.

“I would like to get a chance to play with Metallica,” Lambesis said.

Each member of the band has his individual influences. Lambesis said he is most influenced by punk and hardcore – fast punk-rock music.

The band’s sound is reminiscent of Killswitch Engage, Shadow’s Fall, Lamb of God and Hatebreed.

As I Lay Dying was formed in San Diego in 2001 by Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino and former guitarist Evan White. After only a month together, the band recorded its first album, Beneath the Encasing of Ashes, which was released by Pluto Records that year.

In 2002 the band released a split CD with the band American Tragedy. While touring, As I Lay Dying was signed by Metal Blade Records in 2003. The band’s third release, Frail Words Collapse, was also released that year.

In 2005 the band, now a quintet, recorded and released Shadows Are Security.

When writing songs, Lambesis comes up with the basic song structure and takes it to the rest of the band, where it is refined and added to by the group as a whole.

His lyrics are about learning from the things he has gone through, Lambesis said.

“I try to focus on a need to change,” he said.

Making albums and playing live are both equally important, he said. If one was missing, then the other would be incomplete.

“Making a living doing what I love is the biggest perk to me,” Lambesis said.

Contact ALL correspondent Gabe Gott at [email protected].