It didn't take long for the once exciting sounds of metalcore to devolve into metalsnore but, thankfully, a few bands have lead the charge toward keeping the (sub)genre's lifeblood flowing with enthusiasm and even ingenuity. Among them? As I Lay Dying. The San Diego-based outfit returns with the kind of killer guitar hooks (courtesy of Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa), dynamic vocals, and a drum and bass attack that creates an aftershock bound to be felt for the remainder of the decade and long into the next. The radio-friendly title cut stands as an exemplar of the unit's true strengths, while "Comfort Betrays" and "Within Destruction" are pure metal mayhem that will inspire the listener to wield a healthy sense of righteous indignation. Among the other fascinating cuts are "Forsaken," "I Never Wanted," and the soaring "The Sound of Truth." The band may try a little too hard during moments of "Wrath Upon Ourselves" and "This is Who We Are," but on the whole, An Ocean Between Us proves that As I Lay Dying is an unstoppable force worthy of sustained attention and capable of transforming and transcending the musical parameters in which it was born. --Jedd Beaudoin