Also the name of a heavy metal band from California. As I Lay Dying have a brand of music which is fairly difficult to define, being a kind of blur between hardcore and death metal that most music geeks label "metalcore."
Despite having a typically fierce and growling sound, and being signed to Metal Blade Records - a label which is also host to acts such as Cannibal Corpse and Black Dahlia Murder - As I Lay Dying also happen to be unashamedly Christian, a fact which they often reflect in the lyrics of their songs. This doesn't appear to have hurt them too much, however, as they have a fairly strong fanbase in the Secular metal scene as well as the Christian one. Fans from the latter camp often compare them to Zao, another spirit-filled metalcore act, but I personally don't see it. AILD seem much closer to the aggressive death metal side of things, and their music is more akin to the likes of Killswitch Engage. They have had two major album releases, Beneath the Encasing of Ashes (2001) and Frail Words Collapse (2003). Their current line-up is as follows:
Tim Lambesis - Vocals
Jordan Mancino - Drums
Clint Norris - Bass
Phil Sgrosso - Guitar
Nick Hipa - Guitar
Website: http://www.asilaydying.com/