10 Things You Didn’t Know about Nick Hipa
Nick Hipa is a guitarist. Currently, he is the lead guitarist of Wovenwar. However, there are a lot of people out there who will know him because of his status as a long-time member of As I Lay Dying. Indeed, interested individuals might have seen Hipa’s name come up in recent news because of his statement on his departure from his metalcore band.
1. Started Playing the Guitar At the Age of 12
Hipa started playing the guitar when he was at the age of 12. Not coincidentally, this was around the same time that he developed an interest in metal. In particular, Hipa mentioned Ozzy Osbourne’s live album Tribute, which featured said artist’s work with the guitarist Randy Rhoads.
2. Raised with Christian Values
Speaking of which, Hipa was raised with Christian values. Later on, he became more skeptical, though never to the point of rejecting the religion as a whole. Regardless, Hipa is seen as someone who is associated with Christian metal, which is a kind of metal that can be distinguished by the Christian themes of its lyrics.
3. Started Out in Evelynn
Moving on, while Hipa tends to be known for being in As I Lay Dying and Wovenwar, he started out in a different band called Evelynn. Nowadays, it isn’t what anyone would consider to be well-known. However, Evelynn had some success on its independent record label, which is connected to how Hipa went on to become a member of As I Lay Dying.
4. Befriended As I Lay Dying Members on Tour
Evelynn and As I Lay Dying were signed to the same independent record label. Furthermore, the two were the most popular bands signed to said record label, with the result that they winded up going on tour together. During that time, Hipa befriended the As I Lay Dying members. As such, when his first band broke up at the same time that his second band was looking for a new guitarist, the result was a very natural transition from one to the other.
5. One of Two New Guitarists
It is worth mentioning that Hipa was one of the two new guitarists who joined As I Lay Dying in 2003. The other was Phil Sgrosso, who was still at the age of 17 at the time. Said individual tends to be known because of a number of things. For example, he is still the rhythm guitarist of As I Lay Dying. Similarly, he was the rhythm guitarist of Wovenwar. On top of this, Sgrosso is the touring lead guitarist for a couple of other bands called Saosin and Nails.
6. His Time with As I Lay Dying Was Interrupted in 2014
Interested individuals might have noticed that Hipa’s time with As I Lay Dying went from 2003 to 2014 and then from 2018 to 2020. There is no mystery to this. After all, the band’s vocalist Tim Lambesis was arrested in May of 2013 because he had hired an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife. As a result, As I Lay Dying suspended their activities. In May of 2014, Lambesis was sentenced to six years in prison, which was possible because he had decided to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty.”
7. Was Accused of Being an Atheist By Lambesis
After he was arrested, Lambesis gave an interview in which he made quite a few complaints about his band-mates. For example, he accused them of being atheists who pretended to be Christians so that they could continue selling albums. Similarly, he said that they didn’t speak up while his life was entering into a downward spiral before cutting off contact after his arrest, which made it clear that that they were just business partners rather than friends. Hipa responded by stating that Lambesis was a “sociopathic narcissist” who was playing the penitent without meaning it. Furthermore, he made it clear that he was giving his full support to the estranged wife and her children, who he considered to be similar to family members.
8. Formed Wovenwar in the Aftermath
Hipa and the other remaining members of As I Lay Dying went on to form Wovenwar in the aftermath. For their vocalist, they picked Shane Blay. It is interesting to note that Hipa and Blay were quite familiar with one another. After all, both of them had been in Evelynn. Furthermore, the two had known each other since Hipa was still 15, meaning that they were acquainted even before performing in said band.
9. Last of the As I Lay Dying Members to Reconcile with Lambesis
In December of 2016, Lambesis was released from prison on probation. After which, he started seeking to reconcile with the former members of As I Lay Dying. Apparently, Hipa was the last of the members to reconcile with Lambesis, having had a rough time because of his inability to escape the shadow of what Lambesis had done. Eventually, he was convinced to speak with the vocalist as a chance to “let go of his hatred” after reading the vocalist’s apology as well as reconnecting with Sgrosso. Supposedly, the meeting saw Lambesis owning up to every single one of the things that he was called out for.
10. Has Now Left As I Lay Dying
When As I Lay Dying reunited, the band released a video that essentially explained why they were willing to work with someone who tried to kill a person. Hipa’s recent statement suggests that he no longer believes the narrative that was laid out then, which in turn, means that he is no longer willing to continue playing in As I Lay Dying. He has mentioned that he has chosen to focus on a motion graphics career as well as important concerns such as his family and his health.