AS I LAY DYING And SHADOWS FALL Are OZZFEST's 'Next Generation'

AS I LAY DYING vocalist Tim Lambesis and SHADOWS FALL frontman Brian Fair recently spoke to the Indianapolis Star about their participation in this year's Ozzfest tour alongside such classic heavy metal acts as BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN.

At 24, Lambesis is 32 years younger than Ozzy Osbourne.

But generation gaps aside, Lambesis sees similarities between Osbourne's BLACK SABBATH of 1970 and AS I LAY DYING in 2005.

"Ozzy was doing something a little too extreme for his time, as far as sound goes," Lambesis says. "That's pretty much where we're at right now. We're having a hard time getting some of the regular rock radio shows to play our stuff. That was something he dealt with (35) years ago."

Lambesis says it's an honor for the band to debut at Ozzfest as ambassadors of a different approach.

"What makes a new sound so exciting is that the bands are playing it essentially for themselves," Lambesis says. "I'm sure when Ozzy first started, he wasn't writing hits for mainstream radio. He was just putting together what he thought was great music to play."

Following second-stage duty in 2003, SHADOWS FALL has returned to Ozzfest as part of the main-stage program.

"It's funny to be called the new wave of anything when you've been a band for 10 years," says 30-year-old Fair. "At the same time, we are getting in front of a lot of people for the first time."

On current album "The War Within", SHADOWS FALL acknowledges various generations of metal influences.

"We don't ever want to sound retro, but we definitely have our roots in classic metal," Fair says. "We don't want to go backward or repeat anything. And we never write with any conscious agenda as it is. The riffs just come out."

SHADOWS FALL is signed to Century Media Records, and AS I LAY DYING is signed to Metal Blade. Because neither label is part of a major corporation, the bands rely on nonstop touring to promote themselves.

"We love what we're doing," Lambesis says. "There's uncomfortable travel experiences, but I have no complaints about the idea of playing a show every night."

Fair says the underground is an honest route to the top.

"We know it wasn't $1 million of promotion and one song that got us where we are," Fair says. "All the bands we've always looked up to — IRON MAIDEN and things like that — have had a solid career by touring relentlessly and putting out high-quality music."

SHADOWS FALL's "The War Within" has sold 220,000 copies since its September release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. AS I LAY DYING's new album, "Shadows Are Security", has sold 82,000 copies after arriving in stores on June 14.

Fair and Lambesis know commercial radio isn't tailored to their styles, but the vocalists maintain hope for a mainstream breakthrough.

"This music is at its best, without a doubt, in a live setting," Fair says. "I'd love to hear stuff like this all the time on the radio, but it doesn't translate as well to some of the audiences. It's rather extreme music and challenging to a listener. But some of these songs are sneaking in — mostly because of demand more than anyone wanting to take a chance on them."

"It does matter because a lot of fans really only find out about music through mass media like radio or MTV," Lambesis says. "Those people will never hear about our band unless we shoot for radio opportunities."

Read more at IndyStar.com.