August Burns Red is an American
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band from
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...
, formed in 2003. The band's current lineup consists of lead guitarist John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker, rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler, drummer
Matt Greiner
Matt Greiner, born Matthew Wilson Greiner, is an American metalcore drummer. He's most well known as a founding member for the band August Burns Red. Greiner was homeschooled as a child. Greiner cofounded the drum company ''Greiner&Kilmer'' wit ...
, lead vocalist
Jake Luhrs
William Jacob "Jake" Luhrs is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of American metalcore band August Burns Red.
Background
Luhrs first entered the music scene in Columbia, South Carolina where he was the frontman for a band kn ...
and bassist Dustin Davidson. The band was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
in 2016 for
Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance is an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works (songs or albums) containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre. The Grammy Awards is an annual ceremony, where ...
for the song "
Identity
Identity may refer to:
* Identity document
* Identity (philosophy)
* Identity (social science)
* Identity (mathematics)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film
* ''Identity'' (2003 film), ...
" from its 2015 release ''
Found in Far Away Places
''Found in Far Away Places'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on June 29, 2015, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is their first release on t ...
'', and again in 2018 for "Invisible Enemy" from ''
Phantom Anthem
''Phantom Anthem'' is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on October 6, 2017, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. The album peaked at No. 19 on the ''Bi ...
'' (2017). The band has released nine studio albums to date; their latest, ''
Guardians
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
'', was released on April 3, 2020.
History
Formation and ''Thrill Seeker'' (2003–2006)
August Burns Red was founded in March 2003 when all the members were attending high school.
The original practice sessions of the band began in drummer,
Matt Greiner
Matt Greiner, born Matthew Wilson Greiner, is an American metalcore drummer. He's most well known as a founding member for the band August Burns Red. Greiner was homeschooled as a child. Greiner cofounded the drum company ''Greiner&Kilmer'' wit ...
's old egg house and basement on the Greiner family's farmland. After playing many local shows within Lancaster, they recorded their first
EP, titled ''Looks Fragile After All'' with label
CI Records
CI Records is an independent record label in Lancaster, Pennsylvania owned by Jeremy Weiss. Originally created to distribute the releases of his band, Stand Up, an early 1990s melodic hardcore band, CI expanded to include releases from bands s ...
in 2004.
Vocalist Jon Hershey eventually quit the band during the same year, which led to Josh McManness taking on the position as lead singer.
After several months of playing with McManness, August Burns Red signed to
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, ...
in 2005. Hershey would later go on to form
post-rock
Post-rock is a form of experimental rock characterized by a focus on exploring textures and timbre over traditional rock song structures, chords, or riffs. Post-rock artists are often instrumental, typically combining rock instrumentation with ...
band Bells. August Burns Red released ''
Thrill Seeker
''Thrill Seeker'' is the debut studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on November 8, 2005, through Solid State Records and was produced by Adam Dutkiewicz. A music video was released for the opening track "Yo ...
'', their first full-length album, on November 8, 2005. In 2006, drummer Matt Greiner was endorsed by Truth Custom Drums following the release of the album.
''Messengers'' (2006–2009)
![August Burns Red - Jake Luhrs – Elbriot 2014 05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/August_Burns_Red_-_Jake_Luhrs_%E2%80%93_Elbriot_2014_05.jpg)
McManness departed from the band in 2006, after only one tour. He was replaced by
Jake Luhrs
William Jacob "Jake" Luhrs is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of American metalcore band August Burns Red.
Background
Luhrs first entered the music scene in Columbia, South Carolina where he was the frontman for a band kn ...
, then a resident of
Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. As ...
. Bassist Jordan Tuscan also left the band in 2006 for similar reasons as McManness. He was replaced by bassist Dustin Davidson, a friend of the band. The band's second album, ''
Messengers'', was released on June 19, 2007. Marking the debut for Luhrs fronting the group, it became the band's breakthrough album, reaching number 81 on the
''Billboard'' 200.
Throughout 2008, August Burns Red toured with several acts across North America and Europe to promote ''Messengers''. From April to May they toured with
As I Lay Dying
''As I Lay Dying'' is a 1930 Southern Gothic novel by American author William Faulkner. Faulkner's fifth novel, it is consistently ranked among the best novels of 20th-century literature.The New Lifetime Reading Plan: The Classical Guide to Wor ...
and
Misery Signals
Misery Signals is an American-Canadian metalcore band formed in Wisconsin in 2002.
History Formation (2002–2003)
Misery Signals was formed after the disbanding of several bands, including 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Hamartia, and Compromise. Having p ...
across the United States and Canada. In September and October of that same year, they headlined a tour with
A Skylit Drive,
Sky Eats Airplane
Sky Eats Airplane was an American post-hardcore band from Fort worth, Texas, Fort Worth, Texas. The band was signed to indie label Equal Vision Records and most recently released their self-titled full-length album through the label in July 2008 ...
,
Greeley Estates
Greeley Estates was an American metalcore band from Maricopa County, Arizona. Formed in 2002, the band released five full-length studio albums and four EPs. The group initially had an emo-influenced post-hardcore sound, but later shifted to the ...
, and
This or the Apocalypse
HAWK (formerly This or The Apocalypse) is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania that formed in 2005.
History ''Monuments'' (2005–2009)
In 2008 the band signed to European metal label Lifeforce Records, and released the ...
in the United States. The band also visited Europe for a month-long headlining tour in November, playing in Germany, Finland, Norway, Sweden, The United Kingdom, Republic Of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and France.
After this series of tours, the band recorded two covers of popular songs. They recorded an instrumental version of the classic song, "
Carol of the Bells
"Carol of the Bells" is a popular Christmas carol, with music by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914 and lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky. The song is based on the Ukrainian folk chant " Shchedryk". The music is in the public domain; Wil ...
" for the ''
X Christmas
The X series is a collection of compilation albums and DVDs released by BEC Recordings promoting Christian rock music from bands signed to Capitol Christian Music Group, specifically Tooth & Nail Records, Solid State Records, Gotee Records, For ...
'' compilation album, which was featured in trailers for the film, ''
The Spirit
The Spirit is a fictional masked crimefighter created by cartoonist Will Eisner. He first appeared June 2, 1940, as the main feature of a 16-page, tabloid-sized, newsprint comic book insert distributed in the Sunday edition of Register and Trib ...
'', released
Christmas Day
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
2008. They also recorded a cover of "
...Baby One More Time" by pop singer
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
for the ''
Punk Goes Pop 2
''Punk Goes Pop Volume Two'' is the eighth compilation album in the '' Punk Goes...'' series created by Fearless Records and the second installment in the ''Punk Goes Pop'' franchise to feature bands covering mainstream pop songs. It was release ...
'' compilation album, released in March 2009.
On February 24, 2009, the band released an EP, entitled ''
Lost Messengers: The Outtakes''. It contains material that is related or was decided not to be included in the final, mastered version of ''Messengers''. August Burns Reds' first trip to the Middle East took place on March 6, 2009, with the band playing at the
Dubai Desert Rock Festival
The Dubai Desert Rock Festival was an event celebrating various styles of rock and metal music on one stage in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Originally a one-day festival, it was expanded to two days in 2007 and 2008, before its eventual cancellat ...
. The band's last tour before their next album release took place in the United States, where they toured with metalcore band
All That Remains throughout April and May.
''Constellations'' (2009–2011)
To promote their upcoming album, August Burns Red released several new tracks and a music video during June 2009. The tracks ''Thirty and Seven'', ''Existence'', and ''Ocean of Apathy'' were all released on the 15th,
21st, and 29th, respectively. A music video for the song ''Meddler'' was also released during this month.
On July 7, a week before the album's release, August Burns Red began streaming the full album on their Myspace profile for a limited time.
August Burns Red released their third full-length album, ''
Constellations
A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object.
The origins of the earliest constellation ...
'', on July 14, 2009. During the week of August 1, 2009, the album charted at spot 24 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Another United States tour was organized with August Burns Red headlining and support from
Blessthefall
Blessthefall (stylized as blessthefall or BLESSTHEFALL prior to 2013) was an American metalcore band from Phoenix, Arizona, signed to Rise Records. The band was founded in 2004 by guitarist Mike Frisby, drummer Matt Traynor, and bassist and ...
,
Enter Shikari
Enter Shikari (stylised as enter: shikari and occasionally as ΣΠΤΣ℞ SΗΦΚ∆℞Φ) are a British rock band formed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England in 1999 by bassist Chris Batten, lead vocalist and keyboardist Rou Reynolds, and drum ...
,
All Shall Perish
All Shall Perish was an American deathcore band from Oakland, California, formed in 2002. The band was signed to Nuclear Blast and have released four full-length albums through the label. Their final album, '' This Is Where It Ends,'' was releas ...
, and
Iwrestledabearonce
Iwrestledabearonce (often stylized in all lowercase; abbreviated as IWABO) was an American metalcore band formed in 2007 in Shreveport, Louisiana. In their nine years together, they released one EP, four full-length albums, and two remixed rele ...
. After this tour, the band joined a short tour in Australia with
Architects
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
in support of Australian band
Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive is an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, New South Wales, formed in 2003. As of 2018, Parkway Drive have released six studio albums, one EP, two DVDs, a split album and one book, titled ''Ten Years of Parkway Drive''. The ...
. August Burns Red toured alongside
Underoath
Underoath (stylized as Underøath or UnderOath) is an American rock band from Tampa, Florida. It was founded by lead vocalist Dallas Taylor and guitarist Luke Morton on November 30, 1997, in Ocala, Florida; subsequently, its additional memb ...
and
Emery in November and December 2009 as well.
The band released their first live CD/DVD, ''
Home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
'', on September 28, 2010. The group co-headlined an ''
Alternative Press
Alternative press may refer to:
Individual publications
* ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine
Alternative journalism
* Alternative media
** Alternative media (U.S. political left)
** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...
'' tour throughout November. On February 23, 2010, ''Constellations'' was nominated for the
Dove Award
A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
for "Best Rock Album".
August Burns Red toured Australia and New Zealand in December 2010 on the
No Sleep Til Festival
The No Sleep Til Festival was a music festival that was held across Australia and New Zealand in December 2010. The Festival was headlined by Megadeth, who played their album Rust in Peace in its entirety. Other bands included were NOFX, Dro ...
. The band played alongside
Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive is an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, New South Wales, formed in 2003. As of 2018, Parkway Drive have released six studio albums, one EP, two DVDs, a split album and one book, titled ''Ten Years of Parkway Drive''. The ...
,
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR, and previously known as End of an Era) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of meta ...
,
NOFX,
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. Singer and bassist Ken Casey has been the band's only constant member. Other current members include drummer Matt Kelly (1997– ), singer Al Barr (199 ...
,
Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence is an American deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band was established in 2002, and has released six studio albums, three EPs, and nineteen music videos. They were awarded the ''Revolver'' Golden God award for "Best ...
,
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist/guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal along wit ...
,
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band formed in 1977 in Manhattan Beach, California, by guitarist Frank Navetta, bassist Tony Lombardo and drummer Bill Stevenson. In 1979, they enlisted Stevenson's school friend Milo Aukerman as a s ...
,
Gwar
Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. After th ...
and many others.
''Leveler'' and ''Sleddin' Hill'' (2011–2013)
![AugustBurnsRed April 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/AugustBurnsRed_April_2011.jpg)
On July 27, 2010, Brubaker stated that the band would be taking time off tour to write their next record, On February 12, 2011, the band announced via their official Facebook page that they had completely finished writing their new record and that they would be entering the studio on Valentine's Day.
In March 2011, the band announced that the record was finished, and that it was (at that point) time for mixing.
On April 5, 2011, August Burns Red revealed the name of the record as ''
Leveler''. On May 16, 2011, the band released the song "Empire" as a preview before its release. They also later premiered three other songs: "Internal Cannon", "Divisions", and "Poor Millionaire", on May 31, June 6, and June 14, respectively.
![August Burns Red LIVE](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/August_Burns_Red_LIVE.jpg)
''Leveler'' was released on June 21, 2011, in two forms; standard and deluxe. The deluxe version of ''Leveler'' contains four extra songs, including an acoustic version of the song "Internal Cannon". The album sold particularly well compared to their other releases, with 29,000 of its opening first week-copies being sold in the United States alone. These sales had the record land at position 11 on The
''Billboard'' 200 chart. After the release, August Burns Red took part on the main stage of the
2011 Vans Warped Tour.
August Burns Red headlined their own ''Leveler'' tour on the first quarter of 2012 with
Silverstein,
Texas in July
Texas in July was an American metalcore band from Ephrata, Pennsylvania, formed in 2007. They released an EP, ''Salt of the Earth'', and their debut full-length album, ''I Am'', through CI Records. After signing with Equal Vision Records, they ...
,
I the Breather
I, the Breather is an American metalcore band from Baltimore, Maryland. Formed by Shawn Spann, Justin Huffman and Morgan Wright in late 2009, the group was signed to Sumerian Records and had released three albums through the label before announ ...
and
Letlive
Letlive, stylized letlive., was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's final lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitarist Jeff Sah ...
as support acts.
In 2012, August Burns Red embarked on a European tour with
The Devil Wears Prada and
Veil of Maya
Veil of Maya is an American metalcore band, formed in Chicago, Illinois, by members Marc Okubo and Sam Applebaum in 2004. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released six studio albums. Their first four albums are considered ...
, and an American tour with
Of Mice & Men and
The Color Morale
The Color Morale is an American metalcore band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 2007. The band includes vocalist/keyboardist Garret Rapp, guitarists Devin King and Aaron Saunders, bassist Mike Honson, and drummer Steve Carey. Rapp and Carey are ...
.
August Burns Red released their first Holiday album, entitled ''
August Burns Red Presents: Sleddin' Hill'' on October 9, 2012.
On February 8, 2013, the band was officially announced as part of Warped Tour 2013 alongside
Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardis ...
,
NeverShoutNever
Never Shout Never (originally typeset as nevershoutnever! and NeverShoutNever!) is an American rock band formed in Joplin, Missouri in 2007. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Christofer Drew began the band as a solo project before expanding it ...
,
Black Veil Brides,
3OH!3,
Crizzly
Christopher Lee Marshall, better known by his stage name Crizzly, is a DJ, and music production, producer. Currently based in Austin, Texas, he began DJing in 2010, developing a style that incorporates dubstep, crunk, hyphy, drumstep, and Trap mus ...
and
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup (abbreviated as BFS) is an American rock band formed in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1994. The band consists of Jaret Reddick (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Burney (guitar, backing vocals), Gary Wiseman (drums, percussion, backing vo ...
.
''Rescue & Restore'' (2013–2014)
On February 12, 2013, the band announced that they would be back in the studio the next week to commence recording on their new album. Carson Slovak (
Century
A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c.
A centennial or ...
) and Grant McFarland (former
This or the Apocalypse
HAWK (formerly This or The Apocalypse) is an American metalcore band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania that formed in 2005.
History ''Monuments'' (2005–2009)
In 2008 the band signed to European metal label Lifeforce Records, and released the ...
drummer) again oversaw the production of the album.
On May 5, they announced that the album, ''
Rescue & Restore
''Rescue & Restore'' is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on June 25, 2013, through Solid State Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. The album peaked at No. 9 on the '' ...
'' was set to release June 25, 2013.
The album debuted at No. 9 on the
''Billboard'' 200. This is the highest that they have reached on the chart. On August 30, they announced that they would release a documentary DVD titled ''Foreign & Familiar'' before the end of the year.
Lyrically, the release delved into topics such as
depression, grief at the death of a loved one, and
social tolerance
Toleration is the allowing, permitting, or acceptance of an action, idea, object, or person which one dislikes or disagrees with. Political scientist Andrew R. Murphy explains that "We can improve our understanding by defining "toleration" as ...
. It also featured influences from
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
and
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
as well as more mellow, melodic
rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
. Adam Gray of the band
Texas in July
Texas in July was an American metalcore band from Ephrata, Pennsylvania, formed in 2007. They released an EP, ''Salt of the Earth'', and their debut full-length album, ''I Am'', through CI Records. After signing with Equal Vision Records, they ...
appears as a guest musician.
''Found in Far Away Places'' (2014–2016)
![August Burns Red (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/August_Burns_Red_%282%29.jpg)
On August 5, 2014, it was announced the band had signed to
Fearless Records and ''
Found in Far Away Places
''Found in Far Away Places'' is the seventh studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on June 29, 2015, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It is their first release on t ...
'' would be available for pre-order on April 13, 2015, along with their new single "The Wake", with the album set to be released on June 29, 2015. The album would debut at No. 9 on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart.
The band embarked on the ''Frozen Flame Tour'' from January 22 to March 8, 2015, along with
Miss May I
Miss May I is an American metalcore band from Troy, Ohio. Formed in 2007, they signed to Rise Records in 2008 and released their debut album, ''Apologies Are for the Weak'' through the label while the members were still attending high school. ...
,
Northlane
Northlane are an Australian Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Sydney, formed in 2009. The band comprises guitarists Jon Deiley and Josh Smith, drummer Nic Pettersen and vocalist Marcus Bridge. Northlane have released six studio albums: ...
,
Fit for a King
''Fit for a King'' is a 1937 American film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick.
Plot summary
Newspaper reporter "Scoop (term), Scoops" (Brown) is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Arc ...
and
Erra Erra can refer to:
* Erra (god), a Babylonian god
* Erra, Estonia, a settlement in Sonda Parish, Ida-Viru County, Estonia
* Erra, the purported home planet of the pleiadean aliens described by ufologist Billy Meier
* Pizzo Erra, a mountain in Switz ...
, for 39 shows in Canada and the United States, sponsored by
Rockstar Energy
Rockstar (stylized as ROCKST★R or ЯR) is an energy drink created in 2001, which, , has a 0.3% market share of the US non-alcoholic beverage market. Rockstar is based in Purchase, New York. , Rockstar Energy Drink was available in more than 2 ...
.
On December 7, 2015, August Burns Red was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
in the Best Metal Performance Category for their song "Identity".
On July 1, 2016, just over a year after its release, the band released an instrumental edition of ''Found in Far Away Places''.
''Phantom Anthem'' (2016–2018)
On November 21, 2016, a teaser for the ''Messengers'' 10th Anniversary Tour in Europe and the United States was uploaded to the band's Facebook page. The tour started on the January 4, 2017 with supporting artists,
Protest the Hero,
In Hearts Wake
In Hearts Wake are an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, formed in 2006. The band comprises vocalist Jake Taylor, guitarists Eaven Dall and Ben Nairne, bassist Kyle Erich, and drummer Conor Ward. They have released five studio albums: ' ...
and
'68. On July 26, 2017, August Burns Red announced their new album, ''
Phantom Anthem
''Phantom Anthem'' is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band August Burns Red. It was released on October 6, 2017, through Fearless Records and was produced by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. The album peaked at No. 19 on the ''Bi ...
'', released on October 6, 2017. The first single from the album, "Invisible Enemy", premiered on the
SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting company headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. It was formed by the 2008 merger of Sirius S ...
Liquid Metal show the same day as the album announcement. The album debuted at No. 19 on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart. On November 28, 2017, it was further announced that band had been nominated for another Grammy Award in "Best Metal Performance" for "Invisible Enemy".
On January 26, 2018, the band released a remixed version of ''Messengers'', for the album's 10th-year anniversary via
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, ...
.
''Guardians'' and ''Death Below'' (2019–present)
On June 14, 2019, the band released a remixed version of ''Constellations'' for the album's 10-year anniversary, once again via
Solid State Records
Solid State Records is a Christian metalcore record label, an imprint of Tooth & Nail Records. Unlike Tooth & Nail, Solid State signs hardcore punk and heavy metal bands. Like Tooth & Nail, Solid State is primarily a Christian label. However, ...
.
In 2019, the band embarked on the ''Constellations'' 10th Anniversary World Tour spanning from June 21 to December. The band will tour North America over the summer, go to Australia in October, and finish the tour in Europe in November and December.
On December 13, 2019, the band released an instrumental edition of ''Phantom Anthem''.
On February 6, 2020, August Burns Red released their first single, "Defender", from their upcoming ninth studio album, ''
Guardians
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Uni ...
'', which is scheduled to be released on April 3, 2020, after which they will embark on a full North American tour in support of Killswitch Engage.
On February 26, the band released the second single of the album titled "Bones". On March 26, a week before the album release, the band released their third single "Paramount". The album debuted at No. 53 on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart. On December 15, the band released their cover of
System of a Down
System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
's "
Chop Suey!
"Chop Suey!" is the first single from Armenian-American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band System of a Down's second album ''Toxicity (album), Toxicity''. The single was released in August 2001 and earned the band its first Grammy Award, Grammy ...
" on
streaming music services.
For the 10th anniversary of the album ''
Leveler'', the band re-recorded it with guest musicians,
alternate tunings, and new guitar solos. The anniversary edition is scheduled to be released May 21, 2021, through the band's own label, ABR Records. On April 21, the same day as the announcement of the 10th anniversary edition, the band released a new version of "Poor Millionaire" featuring guest vocals from Ryan Kirby of
Fit for a King
''Fit for a King'' is a 1937 American film starring Joe E. Brown and directed by Edward Sedgwick.
Plot summary
Newspaper reporter "Scoop (term), Scoops" (Brown) is sent out on assignment, to investigate the failed assassination attempts on Arc ...
.
On May 6, they released a new version of "Pangaea", that features a guest guitar solo from
Misha Mansoor
Misha Mansoor (born October 31, 1984), also known as Bulb after the name of his solo project, is an American musician, best known as the founder of and one of the three guitarists in the progressive metal band Periphery. He is also a part of ...
of
Periphery
Periphery or peripheral may refer to:
Music
*Periphery (band), American progressive metal band
* ''Periphery'' (album), released in 2010 by Periphery
* "Periphery", a song from Fiona Apple's album '' The Idler Wheel...''
Gaming and entertainm ...
, as the second single from the 10th anniversary edition.
On October 14, 2021, the band released a new song entitled "Vengeance". On March 25, 2022, the band revealed that they had parted ways with
Fearless Records and signed with
SharpTone Records
SharpTone Records is an American independent record label started on September 11, 2013. The label was founded by Nuclear Blast CEO Markus Staiger and former vice president of Sumerian Records Shawn Keith. The label's roster includes an amalgama ...
while also revealed that they are working on the ninth studio album with a teaser newly shared online. On November 1, the band unexpectedly announced their upcoming tenth studio album, ''Death Below'', set for release on March 24, 2023. At the same time, they revealed the album cover and the track list. On November 3, the band released the first single "Ancestry" featuring
Jesse Leach
Jesse David Leach (born July 3, 1978) is an American musician from Providence, Rhode Island, and is the lead vocalist of the metalcore band Killswitch Engage. He is also a vocalist for Times of Grace and The Weapon. Leach co-founded Killswitch En ...
of
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...
and its corresponding music video.
Artistry
Musical style and influences
August Burns Red is generally credited as a
metalcore
Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...
band,
and has also been said to share
progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad :Fusion music genres, fusion music genre melding heavy metal music, heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified electric guitar, guitar-driven s ...
elements.
The band is also identified as a
melodic metalcore
Melodic metalcore is a fusion genre, incorporating elements of melodic death metal and metalcore; it has a heavy emphasis on melodic instrumentation, distorted guitar tones, palm muting, double bass drumming, blast beats, metalcore-stylized br ...
band. August Burns Red songs frequently feature highly melodic guitar
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
s, technical or
odd
Odd means unpaired, occasional, strange or unusual, or a person who is viewed as eccentric.
Odd may also refer to:
Acronym
* ODD (Text Encoding Initiative) ("One Document Does it all"), an abstracted literate-programming format for describing X ...
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
s and
breakdown
Breakdown may refer to:
Breaking down
*Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated
*Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components
*Decompo ...
s, with a variety of influences including
Meshuggah
Meshuggah () is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Umeå in 1985. Originally, the band's name was Metallien. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Jens Kidman, guitarists Fredrik Thordendal and Mårten Hagström, drummer To ...
,
Symphony in Peril,
Pelican
Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...
,
Slayer and
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time si ...
, as well as
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me, often abbreviated as BTBAM, is an American progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2000, the band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. (lead vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (lead guitar, backing ...
,
Misery Signals
Misery Signals is an American-Canadian metalcore band formed in Wisconsin in 2002.
History Formation (2002–2003)
Misery Signals was formed after the disbanding of several bands, including 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Hamartia, and Compromise. Having p ...
and
Hopesfall
Hopesfall is an American post-hardcore band from Charlotte, North Carolina, formed in 1998. They are currently signed to Equal Vision Records. The band dissolved in 2008 after all members, with the exception of singer Jay Forrest, left the band ...
.
Unlike other melodic metalcore vocalists, Jake Luhrs generally does not mix clean vocals with his screams, though he does include spoken word parts on occasion. For example, their track "Spirit Breaker" features Luhrs reading a letter. However, since ''Phantom Anthem'', Luhrs has used clean vocals in some songs, most notably "Coordinates" and "Lighthouse", the latter from their recent album ''Guardians'' featuring a clean-singing chorus. Clean vocals first made an appearance in the band's music in the form of guest appearances by
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me, often abbreviated as BTBAM, is an American progressive metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 2000, the band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers Jr. (lead vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (lead guitar, backing ...
's
Tommy Giles Rogers on "Indonesia", the seventh track from their 2009 album ''Constellations'', and by
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR, and previously known as End of an Era) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their amalgamation of meta ...
's
Jeremy McKinnon
Jeremy Wade McKinnon (born December 17, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a founding member and the lead vocalist of A Day to Remember. He has produced full-length albums for The Ghost Inside, Neck Dee ...
on "Ghosts", the fifth track from their 2015 album ''Found in Far Away Places''.
While the group has stated that they don't mind being classified as metalcore, Brubaker has grown a distaste for many of the genre's bands: "I feel like anyone who can pick up and play a guitar and learn to play a metalcore riff and any drummer who can learn to play a thrash beat over a breakdown is doing it. It's almost become very formulaic, and metal to me was never a formulaic genre."
Musically, the group has incorporated instrumentals such as the cello and the violin while also featuring song elements such as
classical music
Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
inspired interludes, pushing the boundaries of what is considered 'metalcore'.
[ Many of their songs do not contain choruses, unlike other bands in the metalcore scene.]
Band name
August Burns Red members have been asked about the origin of their band name on many occasions and have given numerous different stories. The most popular story behind the name is an incident involving Jon Hershey, the band's original vocalist, when he dated a woman named August who burned his dog Redd alive in his dog house.
However, it was later revealed in a radio interview that this meaning (along with others) was simply a comical story created by the members and that there is no actual meaning behind the band name. Drummer Matt Greiner stated in the interview that "we just came up with the name to come up with a name."
Christianity
For a significant part of the band's history, August Burns Red has widely been considered a Christian band. JB Brubaker mentioned in an interview with online magazine
An online magazine is a magazine published on the Internet, through bulletin board systems and other forms of public computer networks. One of the first magazines to convert from a print magazine format to being online only was the computer magaz ...
''Shout!'', that "Christianity is a religion, not a style of music" and he would "rather just let the music speak for itself.", and that he would rather let Christianity shine through the band's lyrics. Brent Rambler commented on the fact that "It is important to us that people know that we are indeed Christians... without having us stand up there and ram it down people's throats."
JB Brubaker responded to a 2015 interview question about the band's reaction to being labeled as a Christian metal band by explaining that the presence of Christianity varies in each of the members' lives, but then says, "We decided years ago that we were not going to be an
'evangelical band.' We're not onstage to bring people to God, that's not our purpose up there. Our number one purpose in ABR is to entertain." In a 2014 interview, Jake Luhrs responded to a similar question by saying, "No, we are not a Christian band because, in my eyes, and I'm a believer in Jesus Christ...that doesn't mean because all of us are Christians we are now a Christian band."
Since the members of the band are Christian, their beliefs are sometimes reflected in their writing and lyrics. However, these lyrics aren't meant to be religious but rather, positive and in songs such as "Fault Line", for the band's fans. Brent Rambler said in a 2016 interview, "We don't preach from stage, and we made the active choice that this band is about music, and being a positive influence. Since a lot of people correlate Christianity for positivity, that label has stuck with us."
Recently some of the members have stated in interviews that not all of the band are Christian. They have said that they now just hope to spread positive messages in their music and lyrics, whether they are perceived as spreading a Christian message or not. In a 2019 podcast, Matt Greiner stated that the band decided to drop their Christian label in 2012, after disputes within the band over what kind of message they were trying to spread, and whether their main intention was to make music or to spread a Christian message. Although the decision initially was met with disapproval by Greiner and Luhrs, members of the band continue to state that August Burns Red is not a Christian band.
Members
Elbriot
Elbriot (''Elbe riot'') is an annual open air music festival in Hamburg, Germany, which features rock music, rock, heavy metal music, heavy metal and hardcore punk bands. It is organized by ''Hamburg Konzerte'' agency.
History
The festival takes ...
2017" widths="180" heights="180">
August Burns Red - Elbriot 2017 23.jpg, Singer Jake Luhrs
August Burns Red - Elbriot 2017 10.jpg, Lead guitarist JB Brubaker
August Burns Red - Elbriot 2017 24.jpg, Rhythm guitarist Brent Rambler
August Burns Red - Elbriot 2017 32.jpg, Bassist Dustin Davidson
August Burns Red - Elbriot 2017 46.jpg, Drummer Matt Greiner
Current
* John Benjamin "JB" Brubaker – lead guitar